Education - Blind and Visually Impaired Students - Textbook Equity
This bill establishes requirements for Maryland county school boards to ensure blind and visually impaired students receive textbooks in specialized formats like braille, audio, or digital text. It mandates that textbook publishers provide electronic files to a state center for conversion into these accessible formats and requires the state to cover costs when specialized versions are unavailable. Additionally, the legislation clarifies that students with some remaining vision cannot be denied braille instruction solely based on their vision level, while also setting new standards for teachers of these students.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2024
Committee Review
Apr 2024
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2024
Senate Passage
Apr 2024
Signed into Law
May 2024
Introduced Feb 7, 2024
Signed May 16, 2024
Floor votes · Senate Mar 22, 2024 · House of Delegates Mar 26, 2024
How they voted
41–0
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 44
Mar 22, 2024
D
Democratic31
93% Yea
R
Republican13
92% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
18
Key actions
11
Committee
6
Amendments
2
May 16, 2024
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 749
executive
Apr 6, 2024
Lower · Passed
Passed Enrolled
lower
Apr 6, 2024
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Apr 6, 2024
Introduced
House Concurs Senate Amendments
lower
Apr 5, 2024
Upper · Passed
Third Reading Passed
upper
Apr 5, 2024
Introduced
Floor Amendment {
upper
Apr 5, 2024
Upper · Passed
Favorable Adopted
upper
Apr 5, 2024
Upper · Passed
Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
Mar 26, 2024
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (129-0-5)
house of delegates
Mar 22, 2024
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (41-0-3)
senate
Mar 18, 2024
Committee
Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
Mar 18, 2024
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Mar 15, 2024
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
lower
Mar 14, 2024
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means
lower
Feb 7, 2024
Committee
First Reading Ways and Means
lower
31 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Aaron Kaufman
DDemocratic
P
Adrian Boafo
DDemocratic
P
Andre Johnson
DDemocratic
P
April Miller
RRepublican
P
Chao Wu
DDemocratic
P
Charlotte Crutchfield
DDemocratic
P
Cheryl Pasteur
DDemocratic
P
Denise Roberts
DDemocratic
P
Diana Fennell
DDemocratic
P
Emily Shetty
DDemocratic
P
Gary Simmons
DDemocratic
P
Greg Wims
DDemocratic
P
Jamila Woods
DDemocratic
P
Jessica Feldmark
DDemocratic
P
Jheanelle Wilkins
DDemocratic
P
Julian Ivey
DDemocratic
P
Karen Simpson
DDemocratic
P
Karen Toles
DDemocratic
P
Kent Roberson
DDemocratic
P
Kris Valderrama
DDemocratic
P
Kym Taylor
DDemocratic
P
Malcolm Ruff
DDemocratic
P
Marc Korman
DDemocratic
P
Marvin Holmes
DDemocratic
P
Mary Lehman
DDemocratic
P
Nicole Williams
DDemocratic
P
Sandy Bartlett
DDemocratic
P
Shaneka Henson
DDemocratic
P
Stuart Schmidt
RRepublican
P
Vanessa Atterbeary
DDemocratic
P
Veronica Turner
DDemocratic
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