Weldon wants to expand a program that now gives preference for state contracts to businesses that employ people with disabilities. Under his proposal, that preference would be extended to include businesses owned by people with disabilities.

The bill passed the House of Delegates unanimously Friday and now heads to the Senate, where a vote is expected this week.

Cindy Freeman, director of workforce development at Goodwill Industries of Monocacy Valley, Inc., helped about 80 Frederick County residents with disabilities look for jobs last year.

Community prejudice can make their job searches difficult, she said. Also, many people with disabilities live sheltered lives before they graduate from high school. They do not know how to apply for jobs, use a computer, interview or communicate their limitations to employers.

Employing those with disabilities can be beneficial for employers, however, because employees with disabilities often stay for many years in positions that would otherwise have high turnovers, Freeman said.

"It's not just about charity; they can actually be productive. We have some clients that stay for 10 years, for example, so you do get the benefit of that because if someone stays, you don't have the training cost."

Her agency helps people find jobs through the state contract preference program. Goodwill bids for a project and promises at least 75 percent of the staff will have a disability. In exchange for that promise, the state considers Goodwill's contracts first.

Freeman said the program allows people to get a job and build up experience before the contract runs out -- typically in three years.

For instance, the local Goodwill has a contract to provide courier service for the Maryland Highway Administration from Baltimore to Cumberland.

The man they hired has a learning disability. He is able to drive and make deliveries, but before he got the job, he had trouble working.

In previous jobs, employers asked him to do paperwork and use a computer, and he wasn't able to.

As a courier, he makes about $10 an hour, and Freeman hopes the experience will help him find a similar job when the contract expires.

Goodwill also has a contract to clean rest areas on U.S. 15 and I-70; most of those positions pay about eight dollars an hour.

Freeman thinks businesses owned by those with disabilities should get the same preference, because it will help them establish themselves.

"For them to get that type of preference, equal to ours, makes a lot of sense," she said.

The best of both worlds

Weldon, a Republican who represents Frederick and Washington counties, said he proposed the measure because of his work on the Frederick County Workforce Development Board. The board spent a lot of time helping people with disabilities find jobs, and he thought the state should also support those who employ themselves or others with disabilities.

"The state awards like 8 billion in procurements every year, so if we could get some of the money to folks that have disabilities, it seems like that would be the best of both worlds," Weldon said.

Maryland Works Inc. is the coordinating entity for the state program giving preference to contracts with community service agencies like Goodwill.

President and CEO Bob Hofmann said extending that program to businesses owned by people with disabilities is the next step in helping the disabled become employed.

In the 1960s, most people with disabilities were put into institutions and were never able to work. In the 1970s, they began to have sheltered employment opportunities. Now, some individuals are able to have a career, and he hopes soon those with an entrepreneurial spirit will own their own businesses.

Because of that shift in thinking, organizations that help the disabled find jobs have started to offer training and other support for those who want to start small businesses.

Hofmann said some of those people will start companies that can grow and employ several people, like a painting business. Others will have a "micro-business," in a field like landscaping, where they take on enough work only for themselves.

Those businesses would give them flexibility to work around their disabilities.

Preference in state contracts would help individuals set up businesses. The preference would be greater if those businesses employed a higher percentage of people with disabilities.

Under Weldon's program, the total dollar value would be capped so businesses can't depend on the program.

Maryland Works estimates $500,000 in contracts could be awarded the first year.

"The goal isn't to have folks come in and stay forever, it's for them to come in and get a leg up and use that to be independent," Hofmann said.

Post your comments » Round 2: Snow expected to fall today, Wednesday Fast on the heels of the largest 24-hour snowfall to hit the Frederick County since 1983, meteorologists are predicting another round of heavy snow and wind to hit today. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning Monday afternoon for the area, including Frederick County, and said 10 to 20 inches of snow is possible by Wednesday night. Weather-related closings, delays A list follows of weather-related closings and cancellations for this week. Fire and police blotter Police search for robber School closures cause makeup schedule revision Even though Frederick County Public Schools are closed today -- using the sixth snow day this school year -- the school system will not hold school on the Monday Presidents Day holiday as the first scheduled snow makeup day. Crowds pay respect to fallen marine Even U.S. Marines couldn't hold back tears Monday at the viewing of their colleague, Sgt. David Smith. The procession to the Frederick Christian Fellowship Church was led by Frederick County Sheriff's deputies. Dressed in full military regalia, Marines carried Smith's casket into the church followed by family members as more Marines stood at attention.