Voters choose reproductive freedom in Maryland

In November 2024, Maryland voters approved a constitutional amendment protecting reproductive freedom, including access to abortion and contraception. The amendment was formally certified and took effect in 2025, placing reproductive rights directly into the state constitution and significantly strengthening their legal durability.

In the years surrounding the amendment, Maryland has also taken steps to reinforce access in practice, not just in law. State lawmakers have advanced funding and policy measures aimed at maintaining access to reproductive healthcare, particularly as regional conditions continue to shift.

What we’re watching: National reporting shows that states like Maryland with strong reproductive protections are experiencing increased demand and access pressures as patients travel from more restrictive states. This makes provider capacity, appointment wait times, and geographic access important indicators to watch.

Why it Matters

By adding reproductive freedom to the state constitution, Maryland raised the legal bar for any future attempts to restrict access. A simple vote of the legislature cannot change constitutional amendments. Instead, they require a lengthy and highly visible process, often including another statewide vote. This makes sudden or sweeping rollbacks far less likely.

For residents, this means reproductive rights are less dependent on who controls the legislature in a given year and are more protected against abrupt policy changes.

Background

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, abortion policy shifted almost entirely to the states. In many places, protections that had existed for decades were weakened or eliminated through legislation or court action, sometimes with little public input.

Maryland already permitted abortion under state law, but those protections were not embedded in the constitution. As a result, access remained legally vulnerable to future legislative changes or court challenges, even if immediate restrictions were unlikely.

In 2023 and 2024, Maryland lawmakers advanced a constitutional amendment to move reproductive rights beyond statutory protection and place them directly before voters. The measure appeared on the November 2024 ballot, where it was approved by a statewide vote.

Resources

Maryland Matters - Maryland votes to enshrine reproductive freedom in state constitution
Guttmacher Institute - Interactive Map: US Abortion Policies and Access After Roe