HB0370/SB0225: Education - Public and Nonpublic Schools - Seizure Action Plans (Brynleigh's Act)

Position: Support as amended

Through Brynleigh's Act, at least 2 personnel in every school would be trained to provide training to respond to a seizure emergency. The bill would give worried parents peace of mind as there are approximately 8,000 students in the state who experience seizures. The Epilepsy Foundation notes that 1 in 10 people will have a seizure at some point in their lifetime. Critical amendments to the bill removed requirements for student training, address health services professionals’ feedback, and reduce training for school personnel from annually to once every two years. These amendments should satisfy the concerns with the originally drafted version of the bill. Six other states have already adopted similar legislation and many more are currently considering similar legislation.

The American Academy of Pediatrics supports this bill as Seizures are in the top 3 medical emergencies that occur at schools. The AAP reports the top three school emergencies are: Seizures, Respiratory Distress, and Psychiatric/Behavioral Emergencies.

 

We are counting on the members of the Education Subcommittee to do the right thing and vote favorably for HB0370 as amended before we run out of time to move this bill through our legislative process. At least one student recently passed in Maryland after school personnel allegedly did not recognize the student was having a seizure during a school aquatics program. According to the claim, the "[school personnel failed to recognize the boy’s seizure activity before he entered the pool and failed to discontinue the aquatics program after noticing unusual behavior, among other things"

Our students deserve better. Please support Brynleigh’s Act and contact members of W&M and EHEA today to move it out of the committees "Favorable" as amended! Contact information, for committee members, is linked in the section below.

HB1355: Primary and Secondary Education – Repeating Previous Grade Level – Authorization (Education Recovery Act of 2021)

HB0724/SB0209: Special Education - Prolonged School Closure - Extension of Education Services

HB1355 and HB0724: In House W&M; Early Childhood Committee

Position: Support as Amended

These bills would present solutions to pandemic-related learning loss by allowing the option for students to repeat part of or all of the previous year's instruction in the next school year. While HB1355 expands this option to be available to more at-risk students to include more than students with disabilities, HB0724/SB0209 is aimed at extending instruction and training for transition-aged students.

We have been told that the Kirwan 2.0 Bill will take care of students with learning loss, but that is not entirely accurate. For Transitioning Youth, scheduled to exit high school in May or June this year, the Kirwan Bill will come too late to help them. HB7024/SB0209 is needed because it is emergency legislation and could therefore become effective to help Transitioning Youth as soon as it is passed!

Please contact members of W&M and EHEA today to urge that they move on these important bills! Contact information for committee members is linked in the section below.

Luedtke, Eric G.

HB0581/SB0486: Labor and Employment - Employment Standards During an Emergency (Maryland Essential Workers' Protection Act)

HB0581: In House EMC; Business Subcommittee

Position: Oppose

The House EMC Business Subcommittee continued to meet last week to work on changes to the Maryland Essential Workers' Act. The Arc Maryland has been involved with others in an unofficial health care coalition and has proposed amendments. There are several provisions of the bill that would create duplicate or conflicting guidance for employers and essential workers in the healthcare industry. Our remaining concerns include the following section of the bills:

 

Generally, we believe that stating "during an emergency, an essential employer shall comply with and provide protections to employees as required under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970” will cover the interests of the proponents while ensuring we are not inadvertently creating a law that would conflict or encumber a currently working system of employee safety and employee rights.

The bill continues to be the subject of review this week.

Last Friday, the Senate Budget Subcommittee reached decisions on the FY22 Budget Bill (SB0491) and the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2021 (SB0493), where they voted to accept the recommendation for the 4% increase in funding for DD Community Services in addition to the funding pools to support TYs, people in emergencies, DHS Aging Out individuals, and LISS services.

During the meeting, the Subcommittee made several key recommendations on reporting and budget allocations affecting people with IDD in Maryland. See below for details:

Several connected reports will be required of the DDA, notably, a Report on Transitioning Youth Placements. See the reporting requirements requested by the committees by clicking the button here.

Also in a surprise turn, the Senate Budget Subcommittee recommended a supplemental budget for MSDE to fund 100 additional slots for the Autism Waiver (See page 195 of the document here). If passed by both chambers, this will increase the number of Autism Waiver Slots in Maryland to 1,400. With a growing waiting list of over 6,000 children, the addition of 100 new slots is exceptionally needed.

SB0307: Labor and Employment - Direct Care Workforce Innovation Program

HGO, 1:30 PM

SB0096: Public Health – Behavioral Health Programs and Health Care Facilities – Safety and Community Relations Plans

HB0718: State Coordinator for Autism Strategy and Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism-Related Needs - Mandated Appropriation

HB0171: State Department of Education - School Discipline - Data Collection

HB0247: Election Law - Accommodations for Voters in Need of Assistance

HB0392: Child Care Centers - Early Childhood Screening and Assistance

HB0656: Election Law - Early Voting Centers - Accessibility by Public Transportation

HB1000: Estates and Trusts - Guardian of Property of Minor or Disabled Person - Prohibition on Distribution or Disbursement