2026 Maryland Legislative Agenda

Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of Marylanders impacted by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease. In 2026 the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) will work with the Maryland General Assembly and the Moore-Miller Administration on legislative and regulatory efforts that will protect and provide affordable, adequate access to health insurance including Medicaid, ensure adequate funding for lifesaving cancer screening and prevention programs, and enact prevention policies to protect kids from tobacco products and help support those who are trying to quit. We will be making the following fact-based policies a priority and ask for your support:

Ensuring Access to Quality Care

• Affordable, Adequate Health Insurance: ACS CAN will advocate for policies that ensure access to quality, affordable and comprehensive health insurance including Medicaid. This includes implementing new federal Medicaid provisions such as work reporting requirements and cost-sharing in the least harmful way possible to mitigate coverage losses. ACS CAN will also support efforts to curb the availability of inadequate health plans

• Patient Navigation: ACS CAN will continue advocating for opportunities to integrate and expand Maryland’s patient navigation system.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

• Breast and Cervical Cancer: ACS CAN will advocate to maintain funding of $13.23 million for the Breast and Cervical Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment (BCCDT) Program for low-income uninsured and underinsured women administered by the Maryland Department of Health.

• Cancer Center Funding: ACS CAN will work to maintain funding of research for the University of Maryland Medical System Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center and the Johns Hopkins University Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center. 

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco

• Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding: ACS CAN will work to maintain funding for fact-based, statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs at $18.25 million.

• Access to Tobacco Cessation: ACS CAN will advocate for all insurance plans, including the state Medicaid program, to provide a comprehensive cessation benefit that covers individual, group, and telephone counseling and all FDA-approved tobacco cessation medications without cost-sharing or other barriers to accessing care.

• Smoke-free Air: ACS CAN will defend our statewide comprehensive smoke-free law that covers all workplaces including restaurants, bars, and gaming facilities. ACS CAN will continue to oppose any exemptions to the statewide smoke-free law, including any carve out that would allow the proliferation of cigar lounges that serve alcohol.

Local Control 

• ACS CAN supports the authority of local governments to pass local policies that go beyond state laws to help families be healthy, safe and secure. Policymaking at the local level allows innovation and creative problem solving that builds on local strengths and addresses local needs. ACS CAN works at the local, state and federal levels to ensure everyone has a fair and just opportunity to prevent, fight and survive cancer. ACS CAN will oppose legislation that restricts the freedom of local leaders to best serve your shared constituents.