Md. LGBTQ+ Caucus Celebrates Successful Efforts and Urges Action

Instead of focusing on making life better and more affordable for Americans, the Trump Administration and its cohorts are prioritizing attacks on LGBTQIA+ people -- and trans people in particular -- by taking away their health care, eroding their civil rights and nondiscrimination protections, and cruelly removing their ability to have necessary identity documents.

The Maryland Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus and our colleagues in the General Assembly are sounding the alarm and pushing back, because in Maryland, we will not allow bullies in the White House or anywhere else to hurt our communities.

This session the Caucus organized a first-ever, multi-organization, statewide LGBTQIA+ Advocacy Night in Annapolis, reaffirmed Maryland’s commitment to protecting gender affirming care, collaborated for a historic joint press conference with the Black Caucus, the Latino Caucus, the AAPI Caucus, the Women's Caucus, and the Jewish Caucus, and have thus far passed six critical bills for the LGBTQIA+ community.

We are proud that many of the Caucus' bills passed their chambers, including:

• Delegate Atterbeary - HB 161 - Comprehensive Health Education Framework 
• Delegate Fair and Senator Smith - HB 39/SB 356 - Carlton R. Smith Jr. HIV Modernization Act (passed both chambers)
• Delegate Korman and Senator Feldman - HB 324/SB 293 - County Board Member Antibias Training Act (passed both chambers)
• Delegate Allen and Senator Gile HB 699/SB 491 - General Provisions - Veterans Benefits - Honorable Discharge (passed both chambers)
• Delegate Ebersole and Senator M. Jackson - HB 1/SB 7 - See Someone, Save Someone Act (passed both chambers)
• Delegate Rosenberg - HB 718 - Health Insurance Coverage Protection Commission

Delegate Kris Fair and members of the Md.
LGBTQ+ Caucus

 "We are thankful that many of these bills have passed both chambers and are hopeful that the Senate will follow the House's lead on HB 161 and HB 718,” remarked Caucus Chair Delegate Kris Fair (D3 – Frederick), “though we only have three weeks left in session, we cannot let up now. Governor Moore needs to sign these bills, and we need to continue looking at the other priorities that have not yet passed.”

It is more important than ever for State Houses and Governors across the country stand up for LGBTQIA+ people and send a strong message that they are protected, loved, and valued members of our community. Maryland is proud to lead that charge. 

The members of the LGBTQ+ Caucus are:

EXECUTIVE MEMBERS

Delegate Kris Fair, Chair

Delegate Joe Vogel, Vice Chair

Delegate Anne Kaiser, Legislative Chair

Delegate Ashanti Martinez, Legislative Chair

Delegate Gabriel Acevero, Secretary

Delegate Dylan Behler

Delegate Luke Clippinger

Delegate Bonnie Cullison

Senator Mary Washington

Delegate Teresa Woorman

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Delegate Nick Allen

Delegate Heather Bagnall

Delegate J. Sandy Bartlett

Delegate Lorig Charkoudian

Delegate Charlotte Crutchfield

Delegate Eric Ebersole

Delegate Jessica Feldmark

Delegate Linda Foley

Delegate Cathi Forbes

Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo

Delegate Pam Guzzone

Delegate Anne Healey

Delegate Dana Jones

Delegate Aaron Kaufman

Delegate Ben Kramer

Delegate Mary Lehman

Delegate Robbyn Lewis

Delegate Lesley Lopez

Delegate Bernice Mireku-North

Delegate David Moon

Delegate Cheryl Pasteur

Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr

Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk

Delegate Andrew Pruski

Delegate Lily Qi

Delegate Sheila Ruth

Delegate Ryan Speigel

Delegate Karen Simpson

Delegate Jen Terrasa

Delegate Courtney Watson

Delegate Greg Wims

Senator Guy Guzzone

Senator Shaneka Henson

Senator Shelly Hettleman

Senator Nancy King

Senator Clarence Lam

Senator Karen Lewis Young

Senator Sara Love

Senator Jeff Waldstreicher

Senator Craig Zucker

Photos: Camila Reynolds-Dominguez