HB 128

County Boards of Education - Therapy Dogs - Policy for Handling and Use in Schools

Sponsor: Joe Vogel (District 17)Committee: Ways and MeansSubject: Primary and Secondary EducationStatus: Hearing 2/05 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring a county board of education to allow, subject to certain requirements and policies, the use of therapy dogs in public schools in the county.

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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 (22)

MGA witness list

FAV 17FavorableFWA 1Favorable with amendmentsUNF 4Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Mills, Morganlobbyist	Compass Government Relations	Written (PDF)
FAV	Murphy, JD	MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)	Position only
FAV	Dickerson, Taylor	Maryland Psychological Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lamb, Laurenlobbyist	Maryland State Education Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jin, Peter	Maryland Youth Advisory Council (MYAC)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lurensky Kuhn, Harriet	Montgomery County Public Schools	Written (PDF)
FAV	Smith, Scott	Northwest High School Principal	Written (PDF)
FAV	Vogel, Joe	Office of Delegate Joe Vogel	Written (PDF)
FAV	Clements, Alisa	Pet Advocacy Network	Written (PDF)
FAV	Carter, Alita-Geri	Qualequity Access	Written (PDF)
FAV	Averitt-Sanzone, Rene	The Parents' Place of MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hamouch, Jordan	Twinbrook Elementary School Student	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Vogel, Delegate Vogellegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Grubb, Laura	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Keane, Christopher	Individual	Oral
FAV	Potter, Kyle	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Wilson, Grace	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	Written (PDF)
UNF	Mathias, Sam	Maryland Association of Boards of Education	Written (PDF)
UNF	Fannon, Mary Patlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Tibbals, Trudy	Individual	Written (PDF)
FWA	Flook, William	Individual	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Anne Arundel County Public SchoolsUNF 1

Compass Government RelationsFAV 1

Maryland Association of Boards of EducationUNF 1

Maryland Psychological AssociationFAV 1

Maryland State Education AssociationFAV 1

Maryland Youth Advisory Council (MYAC)FAV 1

MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)FAV 1

Montgomery County Public SchoolsFAV 1

Northwest High School PrincipalFAV 1

Office of Delegate Joe VogelFAV 1

Pet Advocacy NetworkFAV 1

Qualequity AccessFAV 1

The Parents' Place of MDFAV 1

Twinbrook Elementary School StudentFAV 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVMills, MorganCompass Government RelationsRegistered for: Alley Cat Allies; CFG Health Network; Coinbase, Inc.; Girl Scouts of Central Maryland; Horizon Foundation of Howard County, Inc., The; Maryland Association for Justice, Inc.…

FAVLamb, LaurenMaryland State Education AssociationRegistered for: Maryland State Education Association

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