Here’s what Gov. Moore and Dan Cox promised Marylanders with disabilities

Gov. Wes Moore and Republican gubernatorial nominee Dan Cox pledged Thursday to protect the rights of Marylanders with disabilities and respond to changes in federal disability policy as they outlined plans to improve access to healthcare, transportation and voting.

The promises come as Marylanders with disabilities and their advocates face uncertainty over federal protections for community-based services, as well as questions about the state’s own disability policies. A recent report by Spotlight on Maryland found that more than 200 appeals involving people denied disability benefits allegedly went unprocessed beyond a 90-day deadline. Moore’s administration also cut $127 million from the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration’s (DDA) fiscal 2027 budget — a point of contention during the 2026 legislative session’s budget negotiations.

The Maryland Disabilities Forum, a nonprofit advocacy group that promotes civic engagement for individuals with disabilities, hosted the virtual event, which the organization said drew over 500 attendees. While Moore and Cox were asked to outline their policy on disability rights, they were not asked about the DDA cuts.

Ande Kolp, executive director of advocacy group Arc Maryland, said advocates wrote questions intended to address a “cross-disability” perspective instead of emphasizing cuts. Kolp added that one of the forum’s goals was to “ensure people were aware of their voting rights and the accommodations that are available to them.”

“It is vital for voters to know where their candidates stand on issues that matter to them, whether that be the economy, housing, transportation, or services they need to live, learn, work, and thrive,” Kolp said in an email to The Sun.

Here’s what the candidates said — and what their proposals could mean for Marylanders with disabilities.

Community-based care and federal protections

The candidates were asked how they would protect the right of people with disabilities to receive services in community settings rather than be unnecessarily institutionalized, following a federal court ruling that vacated community-integration provisions in a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rule. The provisions were part of a 2024 rule implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Cox said he would issue an executive order directing Maryland to recognize and incorporate Olmstead protections into state policy, and would push the General Assembly to pass legislation codifying those protections in state law. Cox’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment on what the order would direct agencies to do and how it would add to existing law.

“That means that every action of the executive department in Maryland will act on behalf of the vulnerable,” Cox said. “We will vigorously and aggressively establish a timeline to pass into law the Olmstead protections.”

Moore said he would direct his administration to continue providing services in the most integrated settings and “make modifications where necessary to make sure that government programs are open and available to people with disabilities.”

He also pledged to direct the Maryland Department of Disabilities to develop Americans with Disabilities Act training for state agency personnel and explore additional policy changes.

Reforming Maryland’s transit system

Cox and Moore also spoke about their plans to address the availability and dependability of transit services for Marylanders with disabilities, after being presented with concerns including long wait times and accessibility.

For example, Central Maryland Transportation Alliance last year gave the Baltimore region an overall grade of D, citing persistent problems with transit access, long commutes, pedestrian safety and aging infrastructure. Baltimore City in 2024 also spent $44 million to settle a lawsuit brought by residents and an advocacy group who sued in 2021, alleging “widespread and ongoing” violations of the federal accessibility requirements.

The governor pointed to his administration’s current efforts to make transportation more inclusive, including upgrading vehicles in Baltimore’s Lightrail System with low floors “so people can easily roll on board.”

Cox said he would increase resources for inter-county transit systems, including funding and the number of vehicles.

Voting rights

The candidates were also asked about how they would facilitate access to voting, particularly as advocates raised concerns about the efficiency of current state systems that allow voters who are blind or low vision to cast their votes.

Cox referenced a 2020 bill he introduced that would require movie theaters to provide access to closed-captioning technology as an example of how he could increase access. The bill stalled in Maryland’s House Economic Matters Committee.

Moore said the recent gutting of the federal Voting Rights Act compounds on individuals with disabilities’ access to the ballot box. He added that supporting a proposed constitutional amendment on state redistricting rules would contribute towards protecting voting rights.

Maryland’s general election is Nov. 3, and early voting runs Oct. 22-29, with polling centers open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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