Pacific Justice Institute Supports Maryland Heartbeat Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 16, 2026

Proposed legislation would protect unborn children once a fetal heartbeat is detected

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) is voicing its support for Maryland House

Bill 49, commonly referred to as Maryland's "Heartbeat Bill," legislation pending before the Maryland General Assembly that would prohibit abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, typically around six weeks gestation.

House Bill 49 would require physicians to test for the presence of a fetal heartbeat before performing an abortion. If cardiac activity is detected, the procedure would be prohibited, recognizing what supporters describe as the state's compelling interest in protecting human life.

The bill defines a fetal heartbeat as cardiac activity within the gestational sac and seeks to amend

Maryland's existing abortion framework as established under the Maryland Constitution,

Declaration of Rights, Article 48, a state constitutional provision that currently permits abortion.

Supporters of HB 49 assert that early detection of cardiac activity in embryonic development marks a significant biological milestone that warrants legal protection.

"The sound of a heartbeat-whether in a baby after birth or while being formed in the womb-is the sound of a life created in the image of God. It is our moral duty to protect life at all stages, and that includes the pre-born," said Lorna Henry, staff attorney with Pacific Justice Institute.

The debate over state authority to regulate abortion intensified following the United States Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which held that the U.S. Constitution does not confer a federal right to abortion and returned regulatory authority to the states under principles of federalism. Since that ruling, individual state legislatures, including those convened within the Maryland General Assembly, have exercised their authority to shape abortion policy within their jurisdictions.

PJI Founder and President Brad Dacus said Maryland lawmakers now have an opportunity to affirm the inherent dignity of every human life.

"Every human life has intrinsic worth from the moment it begins," Dacus said. "House Bill 49 recognizes a clear biological marker of life and reflects the authority of state legislatures to protect their most vulnerable citizens. When a heartbeat is present, the law should acknowledge that reality and extend protection."

Pacific Justice Institute has long advocated for policies that protect life, religious freedom, and parental rights, participating in litigation and legislative advocacy nationwide. The organization has also been involved in cases addressing constitutional interpretation under the First Amendment and the broader framework of federalism recognized by the Supreme Court in Dobbs.

If enacted, Maryland would join other states that have adopted heartbeat-based protections following the Supreme Court's decision.

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