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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®of Maryland |
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RSC (2012-2) Marriage Equality
SB 241 (The President by request of Administration/Ferguson et al.) Civil Marriage Protection Act would legalize same sex marriage in Maryland. New to the bill this year is added language which prohibits “an official of a religious order or body authorized to perform a marriage ceremony from being required to solemnize or officiate a particular marriage or religious rite of a marriage in violation of the constitutional right to free exercise of religion.” A hearing was held in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, and, in a rare appearance before a committee, the governor testified in favor of the bill which he has made a priority this session.
HB 438 – Civil Marriage Protection Act - (The Speaker by request of Administration), Anderson et al was crossfiled on February 1, 2012 with a hearing scheduled on February 10, 2012 in the House Judiciary Committee. It has also been assigned to the House Government Operations Committee which has not yet scheduled a hearing.
An opposition bill, HB 474 (Dwyer et al.) Maryland Marriage Protection Act would add a new section to the Maryland constitution to establish that marriage between one man and one woman shall be the only legal union in this state. This would be submitted to the voters of Maryland for adoption or rejection. This bill has also been assigned to the House Judiciary and Health and Government Operations Committees.
NOTE: Bills listed as "The Speaker (By Request of Administration)", "The President (By Request of Administration)" or "Committee Chair (By Request of Department) are bills proposed by the Governor and his agencies and are not proposals of the Speaker of the House, the President of the Senate, or the respective Committee Chair. They are listed with the official title of a legislator rather than the Governor due to requirements in the Maryland Constitution.
Sherry Hyman
