BY ERIN REED | On Thursday, Maryland’s Senate Finance Committee heard Senate Bill 119, a bill that would make Maryland a sanctuary state for transgender individuals and providers fleeing other states.
The bill would add gender-affirming care to a law passed last year that shields abortion patients and providers from out-of-state prosecution and investigations.
Many more individuals testified in favor of the bill than against it, including Maryland state government officials who remarked on its necessity.
If passed, the law would make Maryland the 12th state, not counting D.C., to do so. The bill includes several protections for trans individuals.