HB 866

WES MOORE, Governor  Ch. 656
Chapter 656
  (House Bill 866)
AN ACT concerning
      Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing – Case Management Services
      Workgroup for the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing – Extension
FOR the purpose of requiring at least a certain number of positions for the Office of the
     Deaf and Hard of Hearing to hire case managers who specialize in helping deaf,
     deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals; requiring the Office to provide case
     management services to deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals extending
     the deadline for the reporting requirement for the Workgroup for the Deaf,
     Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing; extending the termination date of the Workgroup;
     and generally relating to case management services by the Office of the Deaf and
     Hard of Hearing the Workgroup for the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing.
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
      Article – State Government
      Section 9–2402 and 9–2403
      Annotated Code of Maryland
      (2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
      Chapter 442 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2024
      Section 1(a) and (g)
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
      Chapter 442 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2024
      Section 1(h) and 2
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
      Chapter 443 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2024
      Section 1(a) and (g)
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
      Chapter 443 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2024
      Section 1(h) and 2
      SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
  Article – State Government
9–2402.
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 Ch. 656  2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
      (a)       In the Office of the Governor, there is an Office of the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing.
  (b)   (1)   The head of the Office is the Director.
  (2)   (i)       The Director is appointed by the Governor with the advice and
consent of the Senate.
  (ii)   The Director serves at the pleasure of the Governor and is
responsible directly to the Governor.
  (3)   The Director shall be:
  (i)    a deaf or hard of hearing person; and
  (ii)   knowledgeable and experienced with issues affecting deaf and
hard of hearing individuals.
  (4)   The Director is entitled to the salary provided in the State budget.
  (c)   (1)   The Office shall:
  (i)    advise the Governor on all matters assigned to the Office; and
  (ii)   carry out the Governor’s policies on the matters assigned to the
Office.
  (2)   The Director shall:
  (i)    manage the operation of the Office and establish guidelines and
procedures to promote the orderly and efficient operation of the Office; and
  (ii)   adopt regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this
subtitle.
  (3)    Subject to the provisions of this subtitle, the Director may establish,
reorganize, or consolidate areas of responsibility in the Office as necessary to fulfill the
responsibilities assigned by the Director.
       (d)      (1)   The Office shall be given adequate staff and funding to carry out its
duties.
  (2)
  THE OFFICE SHALL INCLUDE AT LEAST THREE POSITIONS TO
CONDUCT THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE TO PROVIDE SPECIALIZED CASE
MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO ASSIST:
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  WES MOORE, Governor  Ch. 656
  (I)    DEAF INDIVIDUALS;
  (II)   DEAFBLIND INDIVIDUALS; AND
  (III) HARD OF HEARING INDIVIDUALS.
9–2403.
      (a)    The Office shall be responsible for promoting the general welfare of deaf and
hard of hearing individuals in the State.
      (b)      The responsibilities of the Office shall include:
  (1)   providing, advocating, and coordinating the adoption of public policies,
regulations, and programs that will benefit deaf and hard of hearing individuals;
  (2)    improving access to communication and to existing services and
programs for deaf and hard of hearing individuals;
  (3)   providing direct services to deaf and hard of hearing individuals as
appropriate;
  (4)   increasing public awareness of the needs and issues affecting deaf and
hard of hearing individuals;
  (5)   working with State and local agencies to ensure access for deaf and hard
of hearing individuals to safety and emergency services;
  (6)   developing a referral service for deaf and hard of hearing individuals;
  (7)    serving as an information clearinghouse on the needs and issues
affecting deaf and hard of hearing individuals;
  (8)   working to increase access for deaf and hard of hearing individuals to
educational, health, and social opportunities;
  (9)    working with private organizations, the federal government, and other
units of State government to promote economic development for deaf and hard of hearing
individuals;
  (10) working to eliminate the underemployment and unemployment of deaf
and hard of hearing individuals;
  (11) providing a network through which services provided by State and
federal programs serving deaf and hard of hearing individuals can be channeled;
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 Ch. 656  2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
  (12) promoting compliance with State, local, and federal laws and policies
protecting and serving deaf and hard of hearing individuals;
  (13)   providing appropriate staff to assist the Board in carrying out its duties;
[and]
  (14)   providing a nomination process for Board appointments; AND
  (15) IN COORDINATION WITH RELEVANT UNITS OF STATE
GOVERNMENT, PROVIDING SPECIALIZED CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO DEAF,
DEAFBLIND, AND HARD OF HEARING INDIVIDUALS.
       (c)   The Office shall hold at least two public town hall meetings each year to
receive public comments on:
  (1)   the quality of State services and programs affecting deaf and hard of
hearing individuals;
  (2)    the functions and operations of the Office; and
  (3)   any other issues that affect deaf and hard of hearing individuals,
including those specified in subsection (b) of this section.
        (d)   The Office shall:
  (1)   help facilitate the appropriate delivery of State, local, and other public
services to deaf and hard of hearing individuals;
  (2)    advise other units of State government and the General Assembly on
the needs of deaf and hard of hearing individuals;
  (3)   subject to appropriations in the State budget, provide any reasonable
resources that any other unit of State government requests to serve or assist deaf and hard
of hearing individuals; and
  (4)   to the greatest extent possible, in order to avoid any duplication of
effort, coordinate with other units of the State and the federal government the services
provided to deaf and hard of hearing individuals.
  Chapter 442 of the Acts of 2024
        SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That:
        (a)   There is a Workgroup for the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing.
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  WES MOORE, Governor  Ch. 656
        (g)   The Workgroup shall study, assess, and make recommendations regarding:
  (1)   providing direct and specialized case management services for deaf,
deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals;
  (2)   the development and administration of programs that support
educational, employment, health, and social opportunities for deaf, deafblind, and hard of
hearing individuals;
  (3)    advocacy for policies, programs, and legislative initiatives that address
the needs of and issues affecting deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals;
  (4)   outreach efforts to raise public awareness and foster understanding of
the challenges encountered by deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals;
  (5)   coordination with State agencies and utilization of State resources to
provide specialized case management services to meet the needs of deaf, deafblind, and
hard of hearing individuals;
  (6)   identification of barriers and gaps in communication access and
development of solutions to improve the quality of life of deaf, deafblind, and hard of
hearing individuals; and
  (7)   development of activities to enhance civic engagement between deaf,
deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals and the community.
      (h)     On or before [June 1, 2025] DECEMBER 1, 2028, the Workgroup shall submit
a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with §
2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly.
      SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
1, 2024. It shall remain effective for a period of [2] 4 years AND 6 MONTHS and, at the end
of [June 30, 2026] DECEMBER 31, 2028, this Act, with no further action required by the
General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect.
  Chapter 443 of the Acts of 2024
        SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That:
        (a)   There is a Workgroup for the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing.
        (g)   The Workgroup shall study, assess, and make recommendations regarding:
  (1)   providing direct and specialized case management services for deaf,
deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals;
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 Ch. 656  2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
  (2)   the development and administration of programs that support
educational, employment, health, and social opportunities for deaf, deafblind, and hard of
hearing individuals;
  (3)    advocacy for policies, programs, and legislative initiatives that address
the needs of and issues affecting deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals;
  (4)   outreach efforts to raise public awareness and foster understanding of
the challenges encountered by deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals;
  (5)   coordination with State agencies and utilization of State resources to
provide specialized case management services to meet the needs of deaf, deafblind, and
hard of hearing individuals;
  (6)   identification of barriers and gaps in communication access and
development of solutions to improve the quality of life of deaf, deafblind, and hard of
hearing individuals; and
  (7)   development of activities to enhance civic engagement between deaf,
deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals and the community.
      (h)     On or before [June 1, 2025] DECEMBER 1, 2028, the Workgroup shall submit
a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with §
2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly.
      SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
1, 2024. It shall remain effective for a period of [2] 4 years AND 6 MONTHS and, at the end
of [June 30, 2026] DECEMBER 31, 2028, this Act, with no further action required by the
General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect.
      SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
1, 2026.
Approved by the Governor, May 26, 2026.
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