Maryland
Md. House committee advances transgender health care bill
HB 283 would require state Medicaid to cover gender-affirming treatment
The Maryland House of Delegates’ Health and Operations Committee on Wednesday advanced a bill that would require the state’s Medicaid program to cover gender-affirming treatment for transgender people.
House Bill 283, or the Trans Health Equity Act, passed by a 17-6 vote margin.
The committee held a hearing on the measure last month. The Maryland Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 28 heard testimony on an identical measure that has been introduced in the state Senate.
The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on Wednesday held a hearing on Senate Bill 761, which would improve conditions for trans and nonbinary people in the state’s correctional facilities. The House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 21 held a hearing on an identical measure, Senate Bill 453, or the Transgender Respect, Agency and Dignity Act.
The Maryland Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that would make Maryland a sanctuary state for transgender people who are seeking gender-affirming health care and providers who offer it.
Senate Bill 119 passed by a 33-13 vote margin.
State Sens. Clarence Lam (D-Anne Arundel and Howard Counties), Shelly Hettleman (D-Baltimore County) and Jeff Waldstreicher (D-Montgomery County) introduced SB 119. An identical bill has been put forth in the Maryland House of Delegates.
A law that requires Maryland’s Medicaid program to cover gender-affirming treatments took effect on Jan. 1.
Maryland
Protests interrupt Moms for Liberty meeting about removing books in Howard County schools
Guest speaker led book-removal campaign in Carroll County
BY KRISTEN GRIFFITHĀ | When a Howard County chapter of Moms for Liberty wanted to learn how to remove books from schools, they wereĀ met with a swarm of protesters sporting rainbow colors and signsĀ looking to send the message that such actions are not welcome in their district.
The conservative parentsā group met Monday night at Howardās Central Branch library in Columbia to brainstorm how they could get books they deemed inappropriate out of their childrenās school libraries. Their guest speaker for the evening was Jessica Garland, who led a successful book-removal campaign in Carroll County. The Howard chapter wanted the playbook.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
Maryland
Are Md. prisons out of bounds with federal requirements for trans prisoners?
Department of Correctional Services says transgender prisoners āhoused according to physical genitaliaā
BY BEN CONARCK | Nearly a year after formerly incarcerated transgender people testified to Maryland lawmakers about the troubling conditions they faced in state prisons and Baltimore jails, the agency in charge of their care continues to violate federal standards in how it houses trans prisoners, according to a coalition of trans rights advocates.
The Trans Rights Advocacy Coalition, bolstered by policy experts and attorneys, contends that while the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services has made some strides towards improving conditions, its policy of housing trans prisoners āaccording to physical genitaliaā violates the federal standard that those individuals should be housed on a case-by-case basis determined by health and safety and any security problems, among other factors. The group laid out its argument in a 15-page memo presented to the department and lawmakers this week.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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