Delegate Patterson advocates for Caitlin's Law to aid sickle cell students in Maryland

The Education, Energy, and Environment (EEE) Committee of the Maryland General Assembly convened on March 27, 2025, to discuss House Bill 1352, aimed at supporting students with sickle cell disease (SCD) in higher education. Delegate Edith Patterson, the bill's sponsor, opened the session by sharing her personal experience with a student affected by SCD, highlighting the significant challenges these students face in balancing health and academic responsibilities.

Delegate Patterson emphasized that while students with sickle cell disease typically possess normal learning abilities, the unpredictable nature of their condition can lead to frequent pain crises, fatigue, and other complications that hinder their academic performance. House Bill 1352 seeks to address these issues by encouraging the Maryland Department of Health to develop educational campaigns and tailored programs that provide necessary accommodations for affected students. This includes collaboration with healthcare providers to ensure schools can manage medical needs during crises and training for educators to better understand and respond to the needs of these students.

Patterson proposed an amendment to rename the legislation "Caitlin's Law" in honor of Caitlin Adams, the student whose experience inspired the bill. She urged the committee to support the bill, which has garnered backing from the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland and various advocacy organizations, and has already passed the House unanimously.

Following Delegate Patterson's remarks, Tamika Hoffman, founder and executive director of the Sickle Cell Coalition of Maryland, provided testimony in support of the bill. Hoffman, who identifies as a "sickle cell warrior," shared her own struggles navigating university life with the disease. She highlighted the difficulties faced by students aged 18 to 25, who often encounter skepticism from professors regarding their health conditions, despite being registered with disability services. Hoffman described the impact of pain crises, which can lead to extended absences from classes, complicating their academic journey.

The committee's discussions underscored the importance of House Bill 1352 in promoting educational equity and ensuring that students with sickle cell disease receive the support they need to succeed academically. The meeting concluded with a call for further consideration of the bill, which aims to establish a framework for better accommodating the unique challenges faced by these students in Maryland's higher education institutions.