HB 1473

Enacted

State Government - Equal Access to Public Services for Individuals With Limited English Proficiency and Individuals With Disabilities

Sponsor: Gabriel Acevero (District 39)Committee: Health and Government OperationsSubject: State Government - Agencies, Offices, and OfficialsStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 434 (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring the Governor's Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Department of Disabilities to convene the Maryland Language Advisory Group, by January 1, 2026, to make findings and recommendations on oversight, monitoring, investigation, and enforcement of certain provisions of law relating to equal access to public services for certain individuals; altering provisions of law relating to equal access to public services for individuals with limited English proficiency to include individuals with disabilities; 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 (0)

MGA witness list

FAV 35FavorableFWA 2Favorable with amendmentsUNF 3UnfavorableINFO 4Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Martinez, Madelinlobbyist	Catholic Charities	Written (PDF)
FAV	Martinez, Madelinlobbyist	Catholic Charities	Written (PDF)
FAV	Drayton, Morganlobbyist	Common Cause MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jones, Megan	Disability Rights Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Margolis, Leslielobbyist	Disability Rights Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Margolis, Leslielobbyist	Disability Rights Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Rubinstein, Gabriel	Disability Rights Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Velandia Pardo, Carol	Equal Access Language Services	Written (PDF)
FAV	Velandia Pardo, Carol	Equal Access Language Services	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Loera, Mayra	Esperanza Center/ Catholic Charities of Baltimore	Oral
FAV	Adere, Azeb	Ethiopian Eritrean Special Needs Community Inc.	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Kocik, Jimara	HCAS	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Kocik, Jimara	HCAS	Written (PDF)
FAV	Diamond, Joanna	Health Care for the Homeless	Written (PDF)
FAV	Diamond, Joanna	Health Care for the Homeless	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lima, Flavia	Inter-American Defense College (IADC)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lorraine, Lisalobbyist	Jubilee Association of Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Schujman, Abril	La Clinica del Pueblo	Written (PDF)
FAV	Schujman, Abril	La Clinica del Pueblo	Written (PDF)
FAV	Arias, Dianelobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Written (PDF)
FAV	Arias, Dianelobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kelter, Chris	Maryland Centers for Independent Living	Position only
FAV	Gross, Julia	Maryland Hunger Solutions	Written (PDF)
FAV	Orbe, Jr., Carlos	Maryland Latinos Unidos	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bright Gordon, Cornelia	Maryland Legal Aid	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bogdan, Henrylobbyist	Maryland Nonprofits	Written (PDF)
FAV	Woolard, Ashley	Public Justice Center	Written (PDF)
FAV	Woolard, Ashley	Public Justice Center	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Averitt-Sanzone, Rene	The Parents' Place of MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bradford, Garrett	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bradford, Garrett	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Acevero, Delegate Aceverolegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Delegate Acevero, Delegate Aceverolegislator	Individual	Oral
UNF	Lang, Alan	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Lang, Alan	Individual	Position only
UNF	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
FWA	Maneki, Sharon	National Federation of the Blind of Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
INFO	Dolamore, Stephanie	Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council	Written (PDF)
INFO	Dolamore, Stephanie	Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Houck, Madeline	Maryland State Department of Education	Written (PDF)
INFO	Houck, Madeline	Maryland State Department of Education	Written (PDF)