Old Line Government Affairs advanced a bill to protect Maryland’s most vulnerable children for a parent advocate group.
Working with legislators and education and disability rights stakeholders, Old Line advanced a bill that had been stuck in committee for the past three Sessions to get it passed in the House and heard in the Senate during the 2022 Session.
HB0226 was established to require cameras be installed in self-contained special education classrooms throughout the state of Maryland by the end of the 2024 school year. While the main objective of this bill is to protect the most vulnerable, non-verbal children from abuse and neglect, the bill also provided a layer of protection for teachers.
After 3 years of working on this legislation, parent advocates engaged Old Line, and were finally able to work together with the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA), Disabilities Rights Maryland, and other advocates on language for the bill. Old Line also worked closely with Senator Kathy Klausmeier and Delegate Michele Guyton. Passing legislation can be a process, often taking years to advance an issue and making it important to take steps in the right direction. While the bill was not passed into law this year, it is a victory in progress for Old Line’s client.
