After Congressional Republicans repealed the ACA's individual insurance mandate in December as part of their tax bill, nine states are now looking to replace the mandate with legislation of their own, according to The Hill.
Individual mandates have been discussed by state lawmakers in Maryland, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, as well as the District of Columbia.
Maryland legislators say instituting a financial penalty for individuals who do not purchase insurance is a way to stabilize the insurance market and keep premiums down.
"Doing nothing is not an option," Maryland state Sen. Brian J. Feldman, D-Montgomery County, told The Baltimore Sun. "We've got to do something about stabilizing the insurance market."