SB 185 and HB 98 – Co-Navigation Services

Blaise Delahoussaye and Eddie Martinez are the MWADB representatives who will be representing for MWADB community that supports  the bill with MDAD’s concrete support as solditarity. The team encourages all DeafBlind Marylanders and general community members to show your support to this important bill. The Maryland House and the Senate must witness huge numerous of DeafBlind Marylanders and the community supporters attend two separate hearings. It does not mean that you are require to give your testimony. However, your presence is most important to both the House and the Senate. The CN Bill team strongly encourages everyone to join us. That said, please review the instruction/explanation below.

SB 185 and HB 98 – Co-Navigation Services

The Senate and Delegate has scheduled the hearing for Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. for the CN Bill! Below are instructions and tips for you.  Please meet us at 12:15 p.m. in the House of Delegates Lobby

REGISTER ON THE WEBSITE

Maryland General Assembly’s website: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite

1.   Click on My MGA on top right

2.   Click on Sign In

3.   Create an account

4.   Click on Witness Sign up on left

5.   Look for SB 185 under the Education, Environment, and Energy Committee

6. Look for HB 98 under the Appropriations Committee

SIGN UP FOR TESTIMONY

You need to sign up on Friday, January 26, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for HB 98
You need to sign up on Monday, January 29, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for SB 185.

You have three choices:

1.   Written Testimony

2.   Oral – In Person

3.   Oral – Zoom

Be sure you click in the column of favorable when you submit the written or oral testimony.

You can have written and oral if you want.  If you want to testify in person in Annapolis or on zoom, please let MDAD Vice President Jacob Leffler know at vicepresident@mdad.tv if you need an interpreter by 7:00 p.m. Monday, January 22, 2024.

If you want to testify on zoom, they will email you the zoom link and please let Kevin Steffy know that you need a communication facilitator for the virtual hearing. You can submit a Communication Facilitator service request by sending Kevin an email at cf.scheduler@maryland.gov.

TRANSPORTATION:

If you need transportation, please let Jacob Leffler know at vicepresident@mdad.tv that you need transportation and MDAD will coordinate the transportation with volunteers 7:00 p.m. Monday, January 22, 2024. We have volunteers who will be driving.

PARKING

John Whitmore Parking Garage
37 Clay Street
Annapolis, MD 21401

BUILDING

SENATE

2 West
Miller Senate Office Building
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

The building is for Senate only and when you enter the building, go on the elevator, and go to second floor and look for “Education, Energy, and Education Committee”

HOUSE

Room 121
House Office Building
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

DRESS

Business Casual or dress appropriate for the hearing.

TESTIMONY TEMPLATE

You only will have 3 minutes to testify.  Below is a suggested template.

Good Afternoon Chair and Vice Chair of the Education, Environment, and Energy Committee/ Appropriations Committee and members of the Committee.  My name is --------------------. I live in ------------------------.

I am DeafBlind.

I am here in support of SB 185/ HB 98; the Co-Navigation bill.  This bill is important because  (TELL YOUR STORY)

Passing this bill will improve my life by ---------------

Thank you for allowing me to testify today. I ask for a favorable report on SB 185/HB. 98.