MD HB1473

Expands Maryland's equal access requirements to include individuals with disabilities alongside those with limited English proficiency, covering more than 670,000 residents statewide

Requires state departments, agencies, and programs to develop written language access plans that must be updated every 2 years, including policies for oral interpretation, translated vital documents, and complaint processes

Lowers the threshold for translating vital documents from 3% to 0.5% of the state population for any language spoken by limited English proficient populations

Creates the Maryland Language Advisory Group, to be convened by January 1, 2026, co-chaired by the Governor's Office of Immigrant Affairs and Department of Disabilities, to oversee compliance and develop template language access plans

Sets implementation deadlines of July 1, 2027 for the Governor's Office of Immigrant Affairs and July 1, 2028 for all principal state departments, with annual reporting requirements to the Advisory Group by September 30 each year