Maryland Right to Life (MDRTL)

Maryland Right to Life is a state affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee.  ² Maryland Right to Life Foundation is the 501(c)(3) educational arm of Maryland Right to Life. ² The Right to Life Political Action Committee of Maryland is Maryland Right to Life’s affiliated PAC.  ²

Activities

Maryland Right to Life is an advocacy organization that aims to protect human life from conception to natural death. MDRTL opposes abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, and embryonic stem cell research. MDRTL claims that most citizens of Mayland would favor greater restrictions on abortion if they understood Maryland’s abortion laws. MDRTL provides educational information on abortion and other life-related issues through its sister nonprofit, Maryland Right to Life Foundation.  ¹

Maryland Right to Life supports its mission by lobbying Maryland’s state and federal legislators and encouraging the public to participate in the political process to help elect pro-life legislators. The MDRTL Action Center helps individuals send automated letters to legislators and MDRTL’s website provides easy access to find local legislators and see their voting records. Maryland Right to Life also provides the opportunity for individuals to submit their pro-life testimonials, which supports their efforts in during the Maryland’s General Assembly. These testimonials, both written and oral, come from regular citizens, doctors, nurses, legal experts, and medical specialists. ³

Funding

Maryland Right to Life is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. While MDRTL does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Elizabeth Streb Peroutka Foundation ($6,000 in 2020), ⁴ the Schuh Family Foundation ($3,000 in 2021),  ⁵ and the Nutramax Family Foundation ($1,000 in 2020).  ⁶

Right to Life Political Action Committee of Maryland

The Right to Life Political Action Committee of Maryland is the affiliated PAC of Maryland Right to Life. The PAC endorses pro-life candidates in local and state elections and supports Maryland candidates seeking national office endorsed by the National Right to Life PAC. The PAC provides abortion-related information to candidates and provides the public with voter records for the Maryland General Assembly and a report created by the National Right to Life Committee titled “The Democratic Party and its Support of Unlimited Abortion.” ⁷

Leadership

As of 2025, Laura Bogley-Knickman was the executive director of Maryland Right to Life and Maryland Right to Life Foundation. Bogley-Knickman formerly worked as chief of staff at the Maryland State Assembly, assistant vice president of public affairs, policy, and communications at Verizon, and planning editor at the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission. Bogley-Knickman sits on the boards of the Maryland Economic Development Association and the Maryland Independent College Fund. ⁸

Other members of the board include Christopher Anderson, Sue Arlinghaus, Patrick Burek, Bill Howard, James Kelly, Tom Lough, Darla St. Martin, Jim Mcfillin, John Miller, Chris Palombi, Seth Rak, Patricia Sullins, Reverend Paul Sullins, and Taune Witmer.  ⁹

As of 2025, members of its executive committee include Frank Arlinghaus, Bob Brown, Ingrid Duran, Tim Kingston, Stephen Leon, Sid Marcus, and Ann Williams.  ⁹

Donor Organizations

Choose Life of Maryland (nonprofit)

Elizabeth Streb Peroutka Foundation (nonprofit)

Nutramax Family Foundation (nonprofit)

Schuh Family Foundation (nonprofit)

Related Organizations

Maryland Right to Life Foundation (nonprofit)

Right to Life Political Action Committee of Maryland (PAC)