SB 645 Maryland Senate · 2026 Regular Session

State Board of Sign Language Interpreters - Membership and Licensing

SB 645 restructures Maryland's State Board of Sign Language Interpreters by expanding its membership from seven to 11 members with specific representation requirements, including a deafblind individual, deaf community members, licensed interpreters from various settings (legal, medical, educational), and ex-officio members from disability and labor agencies. The bill requires the Board to establish licensing requirements for sign language interpreters by December 31, 2026 (previously July 1, 2024), and mandates interpreters to meet these standards by that date. It also adds new grounds for the Governor to remove board members, including two consecutive unexcused absences or failing to attend 50% of meetings annually. These changes aim to improve board diversity, clarify licensing timelines, and ensure board members meet ongoing eligibility criteria.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

Apr 2026

Introduced Feb 6, 2026 Signed Apr 28, 2026

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What changed between versions

First - State Board of Sign Language Interpreters - Membership and Licensing → Third - State Board of Sign Language Interpreters - Membership and Licensing · 5 edits

MODERATE

SB 645 was amended to expand the composition of the State Board of Sign Language Interpreters, increasing the total number of members from seven to eleven. The changes also update the qualifications for specific board seats, clarify the roles of ex officio members to be non-voting, and adjust the timeline for establishing licensing requirements to December 31, 2026. Additionally, the bill now requires the Board to submit more detailed annual reports on interpreter licensing and complaints.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include a larger, more diverse board with specific new categories for interpreter agency owners and service providers, while clarifying the voting status of certain government appointees.

ELIGIBILITY

The total number of Board members was increased from seven to eleven, with new specific categories added for interpreters who own or are affiliated with an agency and entities operating deaf services in educational, legal, or medical settings.

REQUIREMENT

The requirement for board members to be proficient in American Sign Language was clarified to exclude ex officio non-voting members and the specific member representing an entity operating deaf services.

New reporting requirements were added, mandating that the Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing submit detailed statistics on licensed interpreters by county and the number of complaints received by the Board.

TIMELINE

The deadline for the Board to establish and publish licensing requirements was extended to December 31, 2026.

DEFINITION

The definition of ex officio members was updated to explicitly state they are non-voting members.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 5, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 22, 2026

How they voted

41–0

Passed · 8 other

Total votes 49

Mar 5, 2026

D Democratic36

30 Yea 6

83% Yea

R Republican13

11 Yea 2

84% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 28, 2026

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 196

executive

Apr 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

Returned Passed

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Apr 8, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed

lower

Apr 8, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable Report by Government, Labor, and Elections

lower

Mar 22, 2026

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (136-0-6)

house of delegates

Mar 21, 2026

Committee

Referred Government, Labor, and Elections

lower

Mar 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Mar 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

upper

Mar 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (41-0-8)

senate

Feb 6, 2026

Committee

First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors