By Linsey Pecikonis (Annapolis, Maryland) APR 9 | Today, the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, by a vote of 7 - 4, sent House Bill 235, the Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act - to the full Senate for consideration where a vote is expected on the bill before the end of the legislative session on Tuesday. House Bill 235 extends legal protections to transgender Marylanders in the areas of credit, housing and employment, has been gaining traction as worked its way through a labyrinth of legislative hurdles in the past few weeks.
At one point it nearly died in the senate after a lobbying effort by constituents and elected officials, including the seven members of the Maryland legislature LGBT caucus, prompted Senate president Mike Miller to move the bill to the judicial proceedings committee. After week of hectic and intensive lobbying efforts led by Equality Maryland, it was agreed to hold hearings on the measure.
There was an amendment to the definition of gender identity that is considered friendly. The bill will now go to the Senate floor. Advocates continue to shore up the votes but remain confident. Once the bill moves through the Senate, the bill will be added to the concurrence calendar in the House to approve the amended language. With a strong bipartisan bill in the House time remains a challenge, but advocates insist that the votes are there.
Maryland State Senator Jamie Raskin, (D) said:
"With HB 235, we’re fighting hard to see to it that we have civil rights protections for all our citizens in housing, employment and access to credit. Some people thought that this was too much for us to handle after we passed the same-sex marriage bill but I’m convinced we can maintain both thoughts at the same time. Indeed, it’s the same thought — equal rights for all."
Legislative colleague and the measure's House sponsor, Delegate Joseline Pena-Melynk,(D), noted:
"Despite heavy opposition that relied on false testimony, the JPR committee saw the necessity of HB 235 and passed this bill to the floor. I am proud of their leadership in the Senate on this bill that will ban discrimination for some of Maryland's most vulnerable citizens. As a mother and public servant, I am proud to see HB 235 pass out of JPR. The bottom line is that discrimination is wrong."
In a press statement released after the vote Equality Maryland's Executive Director, Morgan Meneses-Sheets said:
"With the favorable passage out of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, the Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act (HB 235) is poised to have a Senate vote. Equality Maryland is committed to seeing this bill through and ensuring that it becomes law this year. While this amendment creates an extra step, we'll keep up the fight. Pro-equality Marylanders have rescued this bill once, and they'll do it again.We remain grateful for and impressed with the amount of grassroots support that has surrounded this bill. Little over a week ago, the many declared this bill dead, and yet, here we are. We must continue to work hard and take this incredibly important first step in ending discrimination against our transgender community. This is simply about fairness and justice - this is truly about being the Free State."
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