Maryland Lawmakers Are Thinking About a New Law That Would Stop Transgender Kids From Playing in Girls’ Sports

Democratic lawmakers in Maryland are being accused of violating people’s First Amendment rights. A committee in the General Assembly that is looking at a bill to prevent transgender students from playing girls’ sports has chosen not to allow any public comments on the bill.

Maryland House Bill 156 would stop transgender kids from competing in girls’ sports. This problem has caused a lot of debate across the country, but on Wednesday in Annapolis, things were much calmer because the public couldn’t speak about the law.

Republican Del. Kathy Szeliga created the “Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act” because she thinks that fairness and safety are at risk when real boys can compete in girls’ sports.

“I’ve had opponents reach out to my office saying they are disappointed they can’t speak in person against my bill, as well as people who support it,” Szeliga said.

Neither friends nor opponents could speak about the bill. The chair of the Ways and Means Committee decided that only Szeliga, who is the author of the bill, could talk.

“For all sponsor-only oral testimony bills, we accept unlimited written testimony and we do not time sponsors when they testify although we reserve the right,” said Democratic Del. Vanessa Attenbeary.

According to the General Assembly’s rules, if a bill has already been presented in a previous session, like the Fairness in Girls Sports Act, the committee does not have to listen to spoken comments from the public.

“They’re saying this bill has been mentioned before.” So, there will be no public evidence. “That’s a real First Amendment issue,” said Dan Nash from the Christ Reformed Evangelical Church.

Democrats have control of both the House and Senate in Maryland. However, some people who wanted to speak out say that Democrats are limiting their First Amendment rights by not allowing them to appear.

Due to the political situation in Annapolis, it’s very unlikely the bill will get approval from the committee. However, there is a related bill in the Senate, and supporters are hoping to speak at the meeting next month.