SB 797

Education - Access to Attorneys, Advocates, and Consultants for Special Education Program and Fund - Established

Sponsor: Katie Fry Hester (District 9)Committee: Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSubject: Primary and Secondary EducationStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 170 (as of Nov 13, 2024)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring certain information to be provided to the parents of a child with a disability under certain circumstances; establishing the Access to Attorneys, Advocates, and Consultants for Special Education Program; establishing the Access to Attorneys, Advocates, and Consultants for Special Education Fund; requiring interest earnings of the Fund to be credited to the Fund; requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $1,000,000 to the Fund beginning in fiscal year 2026; etc.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (39)

MGA witness list

FAV 33FavorableFWA 5Favorable with amendmentsINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Sadwin, Rabbi Ariel	Agudath Israel of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Allred, Delancy	Autism Society of America	Written (PDF)
FAV	Sterrette, Dawana	Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners	Written (PDF)
FAV	Snyder, Abigaillobbyist	Baltimore Jewish Council	Written (PDF)
FAV	Howard County, Staff	Board of Education of Howard County	Written (PDF)
FAV	Margolis, Leslielobbyist	Disability Rights MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jones, Megan	Disability Rights Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Margolis, Leslielobbyist	Disability Rights Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Arneson, Emilylobbyist	Kennedy Krieger Institute	Written (PDF)
FAV	Woolums, Johnlobbyist	Maryland Assn. of Boards of Education	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tauler, Ashleylobbyist	Maryland Coalition of Families	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	London, Rachel	Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	London, Rachel	Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Member, DD Council	Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council	Written (PDF)
FAV	Zogby, Liz	Maryland Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bogdan, Henrylobbyist	Maryland Nonprofits	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bogdan, Henrylobbyist	Maryland Nonprofits	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fry Hester, Katie	Maryland Senate	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Fry Hester, Katie	Maryland Senate	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Gobel, Christianlobbyist	Maryland State Education Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Gobel, Christianlobbyist	Maryland State Education Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Geddes, Annlobbyist	Mental Health Association of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Nepomuceno, Coni	The Arc Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Konka, Meghan	The Arc Maryland- Partners in Policymaking	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Almazan, Selene	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Doyle, Rachel	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Easton, Cristina	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Fannon, Mary Patlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Flynn, Dorie	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kolp, Ande	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kolp, Ande	Individual	Position only
FAV	Senator Hester, Senator Hesterlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Senator Hester, Senator Hesterlegislator	Individual	Oral
FWA	Sterrette, Dawana	Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners	Written (PDF)
FWA	Woolums, Johnlobbyist	Maryland Assn. of Boards of Education	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Carter, Alita-Geri	Qualequity Access	Written (PDF)
FWA	Siri, Michellelobbyist	The Maryland Legal Services Corporation	Written (PDF)
FWA	Fannon, Mary Patlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Harris, Mrs.	Individual	Position only

Organizations on record

Agudath Israel of MarylandFAV 1

Autism Society of AmericaFAV 1

Baltimore City Board of School CommissionersFAV 1FWA 1

Baltimore Jewish CouncilFAV 1

Board of Education of Howard CountyFAV 1

Disability Rights MarylandFAV 2

Disability Rights MDFAV 1

Kennedy Krieger InstituteFAV 1

Maryland Assn. of Boards of EducationFAV 1FWA 1

Maryland Coalition of FamiliesFAV 1

Maryland Developmental Disabilities CouncilFAV 3

Maryland Down Syndrome Advocacy CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland NonprofitsFAV 2

Maryland SenateFAV 2

Maryland State Education AssociationFAV 2

Mental Health Association of MarylandFAV 1

Qualequity AccessFWA 1

The Arc MarylandFAV 1

The Arc Maryland- Partners in PolicymakingFAV 1

The Maryland Legal Services CorporationFWA 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVSnyder, AbigailBaltimore Jewish CouncilRegistered for: Baltimore Jewish Council

FAVMargolis, LeslieDisability Rights MDRegistered for: Disability Rights Maryland

FAVMargolis, LeslieDisability Rights MarylandRegistered for: Disability Rights Maryland

FAVArneson, EmilyKennedy Krieger InstituteRegistered for: Kennedy Krieger Institute

FAVWoolums, JohnMaryland Assn. of Boards of EducationRegistered for: Maryland Association of Boards of Education

FAVTauler, AshleyMaryland Coalition of FamiliesRegistered for: Maryland Coalition of Families

FAVBogdan, HenryMaryland NonprofitsRegistered for: Maryland Nonprofits

FAVGobel, ChristianMaryland State Education AssociationRegistered for: Maryland State Education Association

FAVGeddes, AnnMental Health Association of MarylandRegistered for: Mental Health Association of Maryland; Maryland Coalition of Families

FAVFannon, Mary PatRegistered for: Public School Superintendents' Association of Maryland

FWAWoolums, JohnMaryland Assn. of Boards of EducationRegistered for: Maryland Association of Boards of Education

FWASiri, MichelleThe Maryland Legal Services CorporationRegistered for: Maryland Legal Services Corporation; Women's Law Center of Maryland, Inc.

FWAFannon, Mary PatRegistered for: Public School Superintendents' Association of Maryland