# Maryland SB 0645: State Board of Sign Language Interpreters - Membership and Licensing Maryland SB 0645, State Board of Sign Language Interpreters - Membership and Licensing, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Nancy J. King (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-28 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 196); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0645-2026RS - As of: 2026-10-11 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland SB 0645 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: State Board of Sign Language Interpreters - Membership and Licensing - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-06 - Last action: 2026-04-28, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 196 - Sponsor: Nancy J. King (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: State Government - Agencies, Offices, and Officials, Awareness and Outreach, Committee Changes, Committees and Commissions, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Evaluations and Reviews, Governor, Language -see also- Communications; Literacy, Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; Permits, Plans and Proposals, Reports, Rules and Regulations, Standards and Best Practices, Time - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (175 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Deaf residents can express interpreting preferences: benefit, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, the law requires Board rules allowing Deaf and hard of hearing people to express interpreting preferences. They can indicate whether they prefer video remote or in-person interpreting. The rules must require Maryland public entities to provide reasonable accommodations su… - Public gets information about interpreter licensing: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, the Board must develop and run a public campaign explaining interpreter licensing requirements. The campaign informs the public and relevant professionals. The law does not set its budget, format, or end date. - Maryland interpreters face licensing deadlines and fees: mixed, medium. The law takes effect October 1, 2026; the Board must publish licensing rules for all settings by July 1, 2027. Maryland interpreters must meet the rules starting January 1, 2028; those in educational settings have until July 1, 2028. Applicants must submit the Board’s form and pay a nonrefundable a… - Out-of-state interpreters gain paid licensing waiver path: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, the Board can waive Maryland licensing requirements for interpreters licensed in another state. Applicants must still pay Maryland’s nonrefundable application fee and license fee. They must show that their qualifications when licensed in the other state were substantially… - Specialty interpreter rules require service access review: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, the Board can set extra licensing requirements for legal, medical, educational, behavioral health, and other specialties. It must first complete a report at least 60 days before issuing specialty rules. The report must examine certification standards, interpreter numbers… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Nancy J. King (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-08 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 135 | 0 | 1 | | 2026-03-20 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 40 | 0 | 2 | ## Actions (13) - 2026-04-28: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 196 - 2026-04-09: Returned Passed (Senate) - 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (135-0) (House) - 2026-04-08: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House) - 2026-04-08: Favorable Report by Government, Labor, and Elections (House) - 2026-03-26: Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-03-21: Referred Government, Labor, and Elections (House) - 2026-03-20: Third Reading Passed (40-0) (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Favorable with Amendments {193023/1 Adopted (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate) - 2026-02-11: Hearing 2/26 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate) - 2026-02-06: First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2026-04-28: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_196_sb0645t.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-03-19: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0645t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-02-06: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0645f.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law) - SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law) - SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) - SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law) - SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law) - HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) ## Sources - [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_196_sb0645t.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0645t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0645f.pdf) ## Related - [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS) - [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS) - [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS) - [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS) - [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS) - [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS) - [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills) - [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0645-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).