HB 879

Language Acquisition Tracking Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children - Establishment

Sponsor: Heather Bagnall (District 33C)Committee: Ways and MeansSubject: Primary and Secondary EducationStatus: Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Establishing the Language Acquisition Tracking Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in the State Department of Education; establishing a State Coordinator of Language Acquisition for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children within the Department to coordinate the Program and create a parent and guardian resource to help parents and guardians of deaf or hard of hearing children track a child's language acquisition progress; establishing the Language Acquisition for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children Advisory Council; etc.

AI analysis is off. Set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to enable summaries, pros and cons, and questions.

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 (28)

MGA witness list

FAV 18FavorableFWA 3Favorable with amendmentsUNF 7Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Rush, Lauri	American Society for Deaf Children	Oral
FAV	Bagnall, Heather	Delegate Heather Bagnall	Written (PDF)
FAV	Margolis, Leslielobbyist	Disability Rights Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Murphy, JD	MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)	Position only
FAV	Joyner, Tina	MDAD	Oral
FAV	Bera, Tiasha	Maryland Association of the Deaf	Oral
FAV	MDAD President, MDAD President	Maryland Association of the Deaf	Written (PDF)
FAV	Arias, Dianelobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Written (PDF)
FAV	Serrano, John	Maryland School for the Deaf	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Hatrak, Marla	National Association of the Deaf	Oral
FAV	Othman, Ronza	National Federation of the Blind of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Yamada, Maya	n/a	Oral
FAV	Conroy, Dylan	Individual	Oral
FAV	DeSomma, Meredith	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Bagnall, Delegate Bagnalllegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Meier, Kristen	Individual	Oral
FAV	Oliva, Gina	Individual	Oral
FAV	White, Mary Anne	Individual	Oral
UNF	Hargrove, Margaret	A Sound Beginning, LLC	Written (PDF)
UNF	Wilson, Grace	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	Written (PDF)
UNF	Price, Suzanne	Concerned Citizen	Position only
UNF	Mathias, Sam	Maryland Association of Boards of Education	Written (PDF)
UNF	Cratsley, Laurel	Maryland State Department of Education	Written (PDF)
UNF	Alianiello, David	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Fannon, Mary Patlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FWA	Peters, Sarahlobbyist	HBS	Written (PDF)
FWA	Morales, Michelle	Individual	Written (PDF)
FWA	Previ, Danielle	Individual	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

A Sound Beginning, LLCUNF 1

American Society for Deaf ChildrenFAV 1

Anne Arundel County Public SchoolsUNF 1

Concerned CitizenUNF 1

Delegate Heather BagnallFAV 1

Disability Rights MarylandFAV 1

HBSFWA 1

Maryland Association of Boards of EducationUNF 1

Maryland Association of the DeafFAV 2

Maryland Catholic ConferenceFAV 1

Maryland School for the DeafFAV 1

Maryland State Department of EducationUNF 1

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

MDADFAV 1

n/aFAV 1

National Association of the DeafFAV 1

National Federation of the Blind of MarylandFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVMargolis, LeslieDisability Rights MarylandRegistered for: Disability Rights Maryland

FAVArias, DianeMaryland Catholic ConferenceRegistered for: Maryland Catholic Conference

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

FWAPeters, SarahHBSRegistered for: Action Now Initiative, LLC; Alibaba; Ameresco; American Diabetes Association; Apartment & Office Building Association; Barwood Taxi Service…