WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

SB 665

Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Maryland Advisory Council on Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Renaming

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Kevin Harris

Maryland expands two state agencies' mandates to explicitly serve DeafBlind individuals alongside deaf and hard of hearing populations through official renaming.

Third Reading Passed
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 665

Legislative bill overview

SB 665 renames Maryland's Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to the Office of Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing, and similarly renames the Maryland Advisory Council on Deaf and Hard of Hearing to include DeafBlind individuals. The bill expands the scope of these state agencies to explicitly serve DeafBlind Marylanders.

Why is this important

DeafBlind individuals face compounded accessibility challenges and often lack adequate representation in programs designed primarily for deaf or hard of hearing populations. This legislative change formally acknowledges DeafBlind residents as a distinct population with unique needs, potentially opening pathways for specialized services, funding, and policy considerations specific to dual sensory loss.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope creep concerns: Opponents may argue that adding DeafBlind to existing offices without proportional funding increases could dilute resources for the larger deaf and hard of hearing population
  • Definitional clarity: Questions may arise about how "DeafBlind" is formally defined, which conditions qualify, and whether resources can adequately address very different communication and accessibility needs within one agency
  • Implementation details: The bill lacks specifics on whether staff training, program restructuring, or budget adjustments will accompany the name change to ensure meaningful inclusion rather than symbolic recognition

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.