The 2016 General
Assembly session was extraordinarily busy and productive with over 2,850
bills introduced. MDLC provided information regarding the potential
impact of bills and budget proposals on Marylanders with disabilities.
Our full 2016 Legislative Report is available on our website.
Several of the bills MDLC worked on are described below. We thank our
supporters, other allies and advocates, General Assembly members, and
many others who helped achieve important progress in for people with
disabilities in the 2016 Session.
LEGISLATION THAT PASSED
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HB 86/SB 421: IEP Translations
- MDLC spearheaded this successful effort to require that an IEP or
IFSP be translated into a parent's native language, upon request, if the
language is spoken by more than 1% of the local student population. The
translated document must be provided within 30 days.
SB 950/HB 778: Parental Consent for IEPs
- MDLC and the Education Advocacy Coalition led this effort to require
parental consent before a school system may take certain actions
(placing restraint or seclusion on an IEP, moving a child to alternate
assessment/off diploma track, reducing or terminating instructional or
related services, or changing school placement). Senate bill amendments
turned the substance of the bill into tasks for a workgroup and also
merged the bill with parts of a special education "scholarship"
(voucher) bill.
HB 431/SB 355: ABLE Act - Federal law enacted in December 2014 authorized states to establish tax-advantaged savings program to
help people with disabilities save limited amounts for
disability-related expenses (such as health care, assistive technology,
education, employment supports and housing) without losing eligibility
for certain public benefits. Maryland legislation enacted in 2015
established the ABLE Task Force to make recommendations for an ABLE
Program, resulting in this year's bill. College Savings Plans of
Maryland and the Maryland Department of Disabilities and will co-manage
the program. Governor Hogan committed $745,000 for program start-up costs and signed the legislation into law on April 12, 2016.
HB682/SB551: Crisis Walk-in Services & Mobile Crisis Teams
- This legislation requires the Maryland Behavioral Health Advisory
Council (on which MDLC serves) to develop a strategic plan for ensuring
that clinical crisis walk-in services and mobile crisis teams are
available 24/7 statewide. The plan design must address the need for both
mental health and substance use disorder services; include measures to
monitor outcomes and to recover payment for services provided to
individuals with commercial insurance; and regional models must also be
considered.
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SB 1005/HB 1312: Justice Reinvestment Act
- This bill and its companion measure (HB 1312) were introduced to
implement recommendations from the Justice Reinvestment Coordinating
Council designed to reduce the incarcerated population and spending on
corrections, and to reinvest in strategies that increase public safety
and reduce recidivism. The bill included several behavioral
health-specific provisions.
LEGISLATION THAT DID NOT PASS
HB 393/SB 362: Attorney's Fees for Maryland Constitutional Rights Violations - MDLC
participated in a coalition led by the Public Justice Center for
legislation authorizing an award of reasonable attorney's fees and
expenses to a prevailing plaintiff in claims against a state or local
government for violations the Maryland Constitution or Declaration of
Rights. As with last session, the House bill cleared that chamber while
the Senate bill languished in committee.
HB 683/SB 448: Child in Need of Assistance Proceedings, Juvenile Court Jurisdiction & Authority ("Dustin's Bill") -
MDLC worked with Advocates for Children and Youth and others on
legislation to codify a December 2015 court decision granting a juvenile
court continuing jurisdiction in guardianship and CINA cases involving
foster youth with developmental disabilities who are transitioning to
adult services, to ensure continuity of supports for these vulnerable
youth. The bills passed both chambers but failed in conference committee
on Sine Die.
HB 1499/SB 413: DD Crisis Resolution
- These bills would have required ongoing annual appropriations to
serve individuals in "Crisis Resolution," the highest priority category
on the Developmental Disabilities Administration's Waiting List, to
provide supports to people with developmental disabilities most urgently
in need of help. SB 413 passed the Senate but the House bill died in
committee without a vote.
HB 1269/SB 223: Discrimination in Public Accommodations - These bills would have expanded the remedies available for discrimination by a place of public accommodation.
HB 579/SB 858: Mental Health Wraparound for Children
- These bills would have required the Governor to restore funding for
evidence-based Wraparound services to children and youth with intensive
behavioral health needs. The bills were withdrawn after the sponsors
received written assurance that the Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene will continue to make these services available to Maryland
families.
HB 371/SB 819: Independent Living Tax Credit - This legislation would have allowed a State income tax credit for individuals or corporations that incur certain home renovation or construction costs for accessibility and universal design features.
My son was in the classroom when this May 9, 2016 stabbing occurred. I have relayed to the MCPD investigator that students reported having made known that they felt unsafe with the student before the incident. The students understood that his capacity to interact with his environment and control himself was impaired. This incident supports the need for mental health services and questions why a student already "at-risk" was in a lunchtime classroom with only one adult present. I understand that the students subdued the stabber until security arrived. http://wjla.com/news/crime/police-stabbing-reported-at-winston-churchill-high-school-in-md
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