Legislative Wins Help People with Disabilities

Posted on April 30, 2024

Thanks to the support of our Maryland elected officials and strong advocacy from the disability community, we made important gains during this year’s state legislative session. Highlights include:

  • A three percent increase to the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) reimbursement rates for fiscal year 2025, which will help us raise Direct Support Professional wages to keep up with inflation.
  • Allocation of $1 million to the new DDA Rental Subsidy program so people with disabilities can access housing vouchers.
  • Protections for low-income renters enshrined through the new Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act.
  • A new law clarifies equal language access requirements for Maryland government agencies when providing public services, including disability services, for people with limited English proficiency.

We are grateful for the leadership of District 18 (where Jubilee’s office is located)—Senator Jeff Waldstreicher and Delegates Jared Solomon, Emily Shetty, and Aaron Kaufman—along with other members of the Montgomery County Delegation and Governor Wes Moore—for their support in advancing issues important to people with developmental disabilities. 

We also extend a special thanks to our elected officials, including Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk and Del. Gabriel Acevero, for championing language access in Maryland.  Jubilee’s Breaking Barriers Senior Manager Lisa Lorriane testified in Annapolis on behalf of nearly 30 organizations in support of language access legislation.

For a comprehensive overview of outcomes from the 2024 Maryland legislative session that impact people with disabilities, please see the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council’s report.  

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