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Md. House committee to hold hearing on bill to ban transgender kids from sports teams

State Del. Kathy Szeliga (R-Baltimore County) introduced HB 47

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(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

A Maryland House of Delegates committee on Wednesday is scheduled to hold a hearing on a bill that would bar transgender children from joining school sports teams consistent with their gender identity.

State Del. Kathy Szeliga (R-Baltimore County) introduced House Bill 47, which is also called the Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act. State Dels. Lauren Arikan (R-Harford County), Brian Chisholm (R-Anne Arundel County), Mark Fisher (R-Calvert County), Robin Grammer, Jr. (R-Baltimore County), Thomas Hutchinson (R-Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot and Wicomico Counties), Nicholaus Kipke (R-Anne Arundel County), Robert Long (R-Baltimore County), Nino Mangione (R-Baltimore County), Susan McComas (R-Harford County), April Miller (R-Frederick County), Matthew Morgan (R-St. Mary’s County), Todd Morgan (R-Calvert and St. Mary’s Counties), Rachel Munoz (R-Anne Arundel County), Ryan Nawrocki (R-Baltimore County), Stuart Michael Schmidt, Jr. (R-Anne Arundel County) and Chris Tomlinson (R-Frederick and Carroll Counties) have co-sponsored the measure.Ā 

The House Ways and Means Committee will consider it.

“Policies with regard to participation in sports are easy to create; there should be no special allowances or rules for gender identity,” said Szeliga in a statement, according to WJLA. “Bodies play sports, not identities.”

“As a society, we can celebrate the differences of individuals but hold bodies accountable in sports,” added the Baltimore County Republican. “The future of every female athlete counts on it.”

The House Ways and Means Committee in 2022 killed the same bill that Szeliga introduced.

Democrats control both houses of the Maryland General Assembly. 

Governor Wes Moore, who is also a Democrat, last May signed the Trans Health Equity Act, which requires Maryland’s Medicaid program to cover gender-affirming treatments. The law took effect on Jan. 1.

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Maryland

What Anne Arundel County school board candidates think about book bans

State lawmakers passed Freedom to Read Act in April

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Parents in some Maryland school districts have organized campaigns to restrict the kinds of books allowed in school libraries. (Photo by Kylie Cooper/Baltimore Banner)

BY ROYALE BONDS | Parentsā€™ efforts to restrict content available to students in school libraries has become a contentious issue in Maryland. Conservative parent groups, such as Moms for Liberty, have been working to get books they believe are inappropriate removed from libraries in Carroll and Howard counties, sparkingĀ protests, new policies, and even aĀ state law.

The Freedom to Read Act, passed in April, sets standards that books cannot be removed from public and school libraries due to an authorā€™s background. Library staff that uphold the standard are protected under this act. The law, however, does not prohibit removing books deemed ā€œsexually explicit,ā€ the stated reason local Moms for Liberty chapters challenged school library books.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner website.

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Maryland

Christian Siriano to serve as grand marshal of Annapolis Pride Parade

Fashion designer is an Annapolis native

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Christian Siriano, an Annapolis native, won the fourth season of ā€œProject Runway,ā€ and has become one of the reality showā€™s most successful and visible stars. (Ā© Leandro Justen/Leandro Justen)

BY JOHN-JOHN WILLIAMS IV | Heā€™s conquered fashion week. His designs have slayed the red carpet during award season. And now Christian Siriano is coming home.

The Annapolis native will serve as grand marshal and keynote speaker June 1 for the annual Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival,Ā which is a major coup as the event enters its fourth year.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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Maryland

Md. governor signs Freedom to Read Act

Law seeks to combat book bans

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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (Public domain photo/Twitter)

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Thursday signed a bill that seeks to combat efforts to ban books from state libraries.

House Bill 785, also known as the Freedom to Read Act, would establish a state policy ā€œthat local school systems operate their school library media programs consistent with certain standards; requiring each local school system to develop a policy and procedures to review objections to materials in a school library media program; prohibiting a county board of education from dismissing, demoting, suspending, disciplining, reassigning, transferring, or otherwise retaliating against certain school library media program personnel for performing their job duties consistent with certain standards.ā€

Moore on Thursday also signed House Bill 1386, which GLSEN notes will ā€œdevelop guidelines for an anti-bias training program for school employees.ā€

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