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*hb0866*
HOUSE BILL 866
O3 6lr2029
By: Delegates Kaufman and Taveras, Taveras, Alston, Bagnall, Cullison, Guzzone,
Hill, Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kipke, Lopez, Martinez, Reilly, Rosenberg,
Ross, White Holland, and Woorman
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Health
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 26, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing – Case Management Services 2
Workgroup for the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing – Extension 3
FOR the purpose of requiring at least a certain number of positions for the Office of the 4
Deaf and Hard of Hearing to hire case managers who specialize in helping deaf, 5
deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals; requiring the Office to provide case 6
management services to deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals extending 7
the deadline for the re porting requirement for the Workgroup for the Deaf, 8
Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing; extending the termination date of the Workgroup ; 9
and generally relating to case management services by the Office of the Deaf and 10
Hard of Hearing the Workgroup for the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing. 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – State Government 13
Section 9–2402 and 9–2403 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 17
Chapter 442 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2024 18
Section 1(a) and (g) 19
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 20
2 HOUSE BILL 866
Chapter 442 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2024 1
Section 1(h) and 2 2
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 3
Chapter 443 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2024 4
Section 1(a) and (g) 5
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
Chapter 443 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2024 7
Section 1(h) and 2 8
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 9
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 10
Article – State Government 11
9–2402. 12
(a) In the Office of the Governor, there is an Office of the Deaf and Hard of 13
Hearing. 14
(b) (1) The head of the Office is the Director. 15
(2) (i) The Director is appointed by the Governor with the advice and 16
consent of the Senate. 17
(ii) The Director serves at the pleasure of the Governor and is 18
responsible directly to the Governor. 19
(3) The Director shall be: 20
(i) a deaf or hard of hearing person; and 21
(ii) knowledgeable and experienced with issues affecting deaf and 22
hard of hearing individuals. 23
(4) The Director is entitled to the salary provided in the State budget. 24
(c) (1) The Office shall: 25
(i) advise the Governor on all matters assigned to the Office; and 26
(ii) carry out the Governor’s policies on the matters assigned to the 27
Office. 28
(2) The Director shall: 29
HOUSE BILL 866 3
(i) manage the operation of the Office and establish guidelines and 1
procedures to promote the orderly and efficient operation of the Office; and 2
(ii) adopt regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this 3
subtitle. 4
(3) Subject to the provisions of this subtitle, the Director may establish, 5
reorganize, or consolidate a reas of responsibility in the Office as necessary to fulfill the 6
responsibilities assigned by the Director. 7
(d) (1) The Office shall be given adequate staff and funding to carry out its 8
duties. 9
(2) THE OFFICE SHALL INCLUDE AT LEAST THREE POSIT IONS TO 10
CONDUCT THE DUTIES O F THE OFFICE TO PROVIDE SPE CIALIZED CASE 11
MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO ASSIST: 12
(I) DEAF INDIVIDUALS; 13
(II) DEAFBLIND INDIVIDUALS; AND 14
(III) HARD OF HEARING INDIVIDUALS. 15
9–2403. 16
(a) The Office shall be responsible for promoting the general welfare of deaf and 17
hard of hearing individuals in the State. 18
(b) The responsibilities of the Office shall include: 19
(1) providing, advocating, and coordinating the adoption of public policies, 20
regulations, and programs that will benefit deaf and hard of hearing individuals; 21
(2) improving access to communication and to existing services and 22
programs for deaf and hard of hearing individuals; 23
(3) providing direct services to deaf and hard of hearing individuals as 24
appropriate; 25
(4) increasing public awareness of the needs and issues affecting deaf and 26
hard of hearing individuals; 27
(5) working with State and local agencies to ensure access for deaf and hard 28
of hearing individuals to safety and emergency services; 29
(6) developing a referral service for deaf and hard of hearing individuals; 30
4 HOUSE BILL 866
(7) serving as an information clearinghouse on the needs and issues 1
affecting deaf and hard of hearing individuals; 2
(8) working to increase access for deaf and hard of hearing individuals to 3
educational, health, and social opportunities; 4
(9) working with private organizations, the federal government, and other 5
units of State government to promote economic development for deaf and hard of hearing 6
individuals; 7
(10) working to eliminate the underemployment and unemployment of deaf 8
and hard of hearing individuals; 9
(11) providing a network through which services provided by State and 10
federal programs serving deaf and hard of hearing individuals can be channeled; 11
(12) promoting compliance with State, local, and federal laws and policies 12
protecting and serving deaf and hard of hearing individuals; 13
(13) providing appropriate staff to assist the Board in carrying out its duties; 14
[and] 15
(14) providing a nomination process for Board appointments; AND 16
(15) IN COORDINATION WITH RELEVANT UNITS OF STATE 17
GOVERNMENT, PROVIDING SPECIALIZED CASE MANAGEMENT SE RVICES TO DEAF , 18
DEAFBLIND, AND HARD OF HEARING INDIVIDUALS. 19
(c) The Office shall hold at least two public town hall meetings each y ear to 20
receive public comments on: 21
(1) the quality of State services and programs affecting deaf and hard of 22
hearing individuals; 23
(2) the functions and operations of the Office; and 24
(3) any other issues that affect deaf and hard of hearing individ uals, 25
including those specified in subsection (b) of this section. 26
(d) The Office shall: 27
(1) help facilitate the appropriate delivery of State, local, and other public 28
services to deaf and hard of hearing individuals; 29
HOUSE BILL 866 5
(2) advise other units of State government and the General Assembly on 1
the needs of deaf and hard of hearing individuals; 2
(3) subject to appropriations in the State budget, provide any reasonable 3
resources that any other unit of State government requests to serve or assist deaf and hard 4
of hearing individuals; and 5
(4) to the greatest extent possible, in order to avoid any duplication of 6
effort, coordinate with other units of the State and the federal government the services 7
provided to deaf and hard of hearing individuals. 8
Chapter 442 of the Acts of 2024 9
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 10
That: 11
(a) There is a Workgroup for the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing. 12
(g) The Workgroup shall study, assess, and make recommendations regarding: 13
(1) providing direct and specialized case management services for deaf, 14
deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals; 15
(2) the development and administration of programs that support 16
educational, employment, health, and social opportunities for deaf, deafbl ind, and hard of 17
hearing individuals; 18
(3) advocacy for policies, programs, and legislative initiatives that address 19
the needs of and issues affecting deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals; 20
(4) outreach efforts to raise public awareness a nd foster understanding of 21
the challenges encountered by deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals; 22
(5) coordination with State agencies and utilization of State resources to 23
provide specialized case management services to meet the needs of deaf, deafblind, and 24
hard of hearing individuals; 25
(6) identification of barriers and gaps in communication access a nd 26
development of solutions to improve the quality of life of deaf, deafblind, and hard of 27
hearing individuals; and 28
(7) development of activities to enhance civic engagement between deaf, 29
deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals and the community. 30
(h) On or before [June 1, 2025] DECEMBER 1, 2028, the Workgroup shall submit 31
a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 32
2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly. 33
6 HOUSE BILL 866
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 1
1, 2024. It shall remain effective for a period of [2] 4 years AND 6 MONTHS and, at the end 2
of [June 30, 2026] DECEMBER 31, 2028, this Act, with no further action required by the 3
General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect. 4
Chapter 443 of the Acts of 2024 5
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 6
That: 7
(a) There is a Workgroup for the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing. 8
(g) The Workgroup shall study, assess, and make recommendations regarding: 9
(1) providing direct and specialized case management services for deaf, 10
deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals; 11
(2) the development and administration of programs that support 12
educational, employment, health, and social opportunities for deaf, deafblind, and hard of 13
hearing individuals; 14
(3) advocacy for policies, programs, and legislative initiatives that address 15
the needs of and issues affecting deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals; 16
(4) outreach efforts to raise public awareness and foster understanding of 17
the challenges encountered by deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals; 18
(5) coordination with State agencies and utilization of State resources to 19
provide specialized c ase management services to meet the needs of deaf, deafblind, and 20
hard of hearing individuals; 21
(6) identification of barriers and gaps in communication access and 22
development of solutions to improve the quality of life of deaf, deafblind, and hard of 23
hearing individuals; and 24
(7) development of activities to enhance civic engagement between deaf, 25
deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals and the community. 26
(h) On or before [June 1, 2025] DECEMBER 1, 2028, the Workgroup shall submit 27
a report of it s findings and recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 28
2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly. 29
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 30
1, 2024. It shall remain effective for a period of [2] 4 years AND 6 MONTHS and, at the end 31
of [June 30, 2026] DECEMBER 31, 2028, this Act, with no further action required by the 32
General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect. 33
HOUSE BILL 866 7
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 1
1, 2026. 2
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.