Maryland Governor Snubs LGBTQ Rights During First 24 Hours on the Job

WASHINGTON, DC, January 23, 2015 — In his first day in office, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has taken executive actions to exclude LGBTQ people from nondiscrimination policies. In addition to blocking LGBTQ protections against discrimination in the Medicaid program, the Governor recently issued an Executive Order on state employee conduct that omits gender identity as a protected category.

“We are extremely disappointed by Governor Hogan’s intentional exclusion of LGBTQ people from state policies designed to eliminate barriers to fairness and equality. The Governor’s actions in the first 24 hours in office underscores the fact that LGBTQ advocates must redouble our efforts to ensure that LGBTQ people in Maryland are fully protected against discrimination and have access to the health care they need,” said Rea Carey, National LGBTQ Task Force Executive Director.

In 2011 and 2012, the National LGBTQ Task Force worked on the ground in Maryland and provided technical assistance to build capacity to secure voter approval of the law that extended the right to marry to same-sex couples. For much of the last decade, the organization has also provided advocacy, organizing, and infrastructure support to push for the passage of the Fairness for All Marylanders Act.

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