Governor Larry Hogan Signs 106 Bills Into Law

Bills Will Provide Savings Plan Option for People with Disabilities, Strengthen Monitoring of Police Training Program

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today was joined by Senate President Mike Miller and Speaker of the House Michael Busch for a bill signing ceremony at the State House in Annapolis, which included a number of bills aimed at improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. In total, the governor signed 106 bills into law.

“I am proud to sign bills that demonstrate our administration’s commitment to creating opportunities and improving the lives of those who need it most,” said Governor Hogan. “These important pieces of legislation will help a wide range of Marylanders, and I want to thank the legislature for working with us to support these common sense initiatives.”

Among those bills signed today are HB 431, which will provide a new option for people with disabilities and their families to save for the future and SB 147, which will strengthen the Ethan Saylor Alliance for Self-Advocates as Educators by monitoring the implementation of a police community training program.

Additional bills signed today include:

HB 454 – State Employees – Merit Increases in Salary – Allows for merit increases for law enforcement agencies that negotiated with the Department of Budget & Management prior to December 31, 2015.

HB 596 – State Department of Education – Hearing Aid Loan Bank Program – Age of Eligibility – Alters the age of eligibility from under 3 years to under 18 years of age to participate in the Hearing Aid Loan Bank Program in the State Department of Education.

SB 99 – Department of Disabilities – Assistive Technology Loan Program – Board of Directors – Alters the membership of the Assistive Technology Loan Board to reduce vacancies and to retain members who develop subject matter expertise.

SB 785 – Foster Youth Summer Internship Program – Continues a program, administered by the Department of Human Resources, to provide foster youth with training and experience through internships in agencies within the Executive Branch of state government.

HB 1503 – Adult Education – GED Testing Fee – Exemption for Homeless Youth – Exempts a homeless youth from paying general equivalency development testing fees if the individual has had a consistent presence in the state for at least one year before applying to take the GED test.