Constitutional Law

Md. Court Rejects Ballot Attempt To Overturn Anti-Discrimination Law

Maryland’s top court today blocked a measure from appearing on the November ballot that would overturn a county law barring discrimination against transgender people. In a brief order, the Maryland Court of Appeals reversed a lower court ruling that had allowed the ballot initiative to proceed. The initiative was being pushed by a group called Maryland Citizens for Responsible Government. The group formed last year, after the Montgomery County Council unanimously passed a law that prohibits discrimination against transgender people. The group was founded by some of the same people who also mounted an unsuccessful campaign against a Montgomery County public school policy of teaching that homosexuality is innate.

More than a dozen states and almost one hundred cities have similar anti-discrimination laws in place. Dana Beyer, a transgender woman and legislative aide to the Montgomery Count council member who championed the anti-discrimination law, lauded the court’s decision, telling The Washington Post that, “Everybody deserves the right to a free life without discrimination.”

Full post as published by ACS Blog on September 09, 2008 (boomark / email).