Those supporting the bill have insisted that the legislation aims to remove outdated criminal penalties. Williams made this statement during a recent state general assembly session:
"It's not dictating what school systems should and shouldn't do; it's not mandating anybody to do anything or suggesting that they should do something. It's just removing a criminal penalty. The sky is not going to fall if we pass this bill."
On Friday, February 21, 2025, Maryland's House of Delegates passed House Bill 380, which would allow birth control and contraceptive devices such as condoms to be available to students in vending machines at public schools if it becomes law. The House Bill passed with an 89-41 vote. The Maryland House of Delegates voted to advance legislation that will eliminate criminal penalties for selling condoms and birth control through vending machines in public schools. Due to current laws, violators would face a $1,000 fine. The current law states:
"A person may not sell or offer for sale a contraceptive or a contraceptive device, whether or not advertised as a prophylactic, by means of a vending machine or other automatic device at a kindergarten, nursery school, or elementary or secondary school" the law currently reads. "A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 for each violation."
Lawmakers in favor of this bill believed that it would improve access to birth control for teenagers and help them make better choices. However, this bill has sparked debate between lawmakers as some warn that it will lead to contraceptives being available in elementary and preschools. Maryland State Delegate Kathy Szeliga, who nicknamed the bill "Condoms for Kiddies," made a statement to American Reports to express her concern:
" It makes no sense whatsoever. You're discriminating against traditional families that don't want their 14-year-old daughter going to a high school and walking down the hall in front of a sex vending machine."
Szeliga argues that the bill symbolized misplaced priorities when schools face challenges such as teacher shortages and a crumbling infrastructure. Many worry that this bill could erode parental authority and ask why schools, rather than families or healthcare providers, should facilitate access to birth control. Even though the bill is aimed at high schools, the inclusion of all school levels sparked unease about age-appropriateness and the message it will send to younger students.
Szeliga and other Republican lawmakers pushed for amendments to limit condom vending machines in high schools. Unfortunately, their efforts were unsuccessful. However, as of February 28, 2025, the bill faced a setback in the Senate. The Judicial Proceedings Committee, with bipartisan support, voted to halt its progress, effectively stopping it for this session. This outcome was celebrated by those who saw it as a victory for parental oversight and a redirection of focus to more pressing school issues.
House Bill 380 is currently stalled, but legislative sessions have been dynamic. Similar proposals of this bill could resurface in future years, especially given Maryland's strong emphasis on reproductive rights. For now, the birth control vending machine ban remains in place, and the conversation among delegates continues to simmer.
