Playgrounds could become more inclusive with HB 5

MARYLAND – A bill to create inclusive playgrounds could be passed in Maryland’s General Assembly this year.

That’s with Delegate Wayne Hartman’s Education Playground Accessibility bill. The playgrounds will feature a communication board for non-verbal students which will include a set of pictures of the items at the park to help students communicate their issues. Delegate Hartman also says since Maryland is expanding its population this will be helpful for students whose first language isn’t English.

This is Delegate Hartman’s second year requesting the bill, due to funding and changing where the boards will go throughout Maryland. “But the fiscal note shows this is going to cost $800 to $2,000 per school. One of the school systems wrote back saying they expect the cost to be $3200 and here is the case where the government is being its own worse enemy,” he says.

Delegate Hartman says the bill doesn’t require a certain level of how elaborate the board needs to be, which will make it cheaper than officials expect.