Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening |
Compiled by GayToday
Annapolis, Maryland--Maryland appears on its way to becoming the 12th state
to ban discrimination against gay and lesbian people after a conservative
Senate committee late Tuesday passed out a bill that adds the words
"sexual orientation" to the state's existing civil rights law. |
The bill, SB 205, will now go before the full Senate, which is expected
to easily approve the measure. The House of Delegates, which has passed
similar legislation in the past only to see it die in Senate committee,
also is expected to approve it. Governor Parris Glendening, who has made
passage of the bill a priority, has pledged to sign it. The bill will ban
sexual orientation discrimination in the areas of employment, public
accommodations, housing, education and
health and welfare services.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force supported Maryland Free State Justice's
efforts to help secure passage of the bill by issuing action alerts,
operating phone banks, attending rallies and writing letters to NGLTF's Maryland
members. NGLTF staff also testified at hearings throughout the state in
favor of making the bill trans-inclusive. Unfortunately, the bill
passed by the Senate committee does not include transgender people.
NGLTF Executive Director Elizabeth Toledo, a Maryland resident, called
the committee's action "a tremendous achievement and a great starting
point for ending discrimination against the gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender community in Maryland."
"We must follow up this victory with action," Toledo said. "We applaud the
work of Free State Justice and the many activists who have worked
tirelessly for years to pass this important legislation. We will continue
our efforts to work for a day when no gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender person in Maryland faces discrimination because
of who they are."
Free State Justice, along with NGLTF and other groups, plans to continue working
to ensure that any amendments offered to the bill on the floor of the Senate or
House do not compromise the intent of prohibiting discrimination based on
sexual orientation.
Eleven states plus the District of Columbia currently ban sexual
orientation discrimination--Minnesota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts,
Connecticut, Hawaii, California, New Jersey, Vermont, Rhode Island,
New Hampshire and Nevada. In addition, Minnesota and the District of Columbia
ban discrimination based on gender identity.
Legislators in 21 states this year are considering bills that would
create or expand civil rights laws that include sexual orientation. States
that are among the most likely to see civil rights legislation approved
are Illinois and New York.
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Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:
Maryland's Governor Glendening
Makes an Emotional Appeal
Maryland Poll Shows Anti-Discrimination Bill's Support
Local Politics—Gay & Lesbian Style—is Coming of Age
Related Sites:
NGLTF's Legislative Update
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