MARYLAND (WBFF) — Maryland Democrats are pushing a bill that would update the state constitution to use gender-neutral language — a plan some Republican women described as a waste of time.
With less than 30 days remaining in the Maryland legislative session, lawmakers are juggling a series of issues, including rising costs of living, an exodus of residents leaving for other states, heated immigration debates and a billion-dollar deficit. Those issues have prompted debates about what the Maryland General Assembly should prioritize during the current legislative session.
ALSO READ | Taxpayer program pushes gender identity in rural Maryland: ‘Women might have a penis’
Two dozen Democratic members of the House of Delegates recently introduced a bill to update gendered language in the Maryland Constitution and Declaration of Rights.
House Bill 1488 would replace language such as “mankind” with “humanity,” “man” with “person,” and “his” with “their.” Additionally, it would remove male pronouns when referring to God and to specific government positions.
Maryland Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller testified in favor of the legislation this month, describing it as “a very important bill.”
“Every generation has a choice: Leave democracy smaller than when we found it or make it bigger. A constitution is not just a record of the past. It’s a guide for the future,” Miller said during a House Government, Labor, and Elections Committee hearing.
Three Republican women in the Maryland House of Delegates told Spotlight on Maryland that Democratic leadership is wasting time that could be used to help their constituents.
“They really want us to do something about making Maryland more affordable to stay in,” Del. April Miller, R-Frederick County, said of her constituents. “This does not seem to be high on their list.”
“It’s so embarrassing,” Del. Lauren Arikan, R-Harford County, said. “I think it’s more election year antics. The Democrats feel like they should just put anything in that their base might enjoy.”
“I don’t think this is a good use of the legislature’s time,” Del. Kathy Szeliga, R-Baltimore County, said. “I’m not offended by the constitution. I understand that the words in there, ‘he and him,’ are generally generic terms. It does not affect my job.”
The bill’s lead sponsor, Del. Dana Jones, D-Anne Arundel, did not respond to the following questions:
Spotlight on Maryland asked Gov. Wes Moore’s office if he supports the bill and whether he sees it as an effective use of time. A spokesman for Moore’s office said Lt. Gov. Miller’s comments in favor of the bill speak for the administration.
Republicans said their Democratic colleagues need to spend more time focusing on real issues.
“It seems to be a little bit more of a virtue signal,” Del. Miller said of the bill.
“It just sends the message that they don’t care,” Arikan said. “They don’t care at all. They don’t care about kitchen table issues right now. They don’t care about the really important things that are making it hard for folks to pay their bills for them to survive.”
Spotlight on Maryland is a joint venture by The Baltimore Sun, FOX45 News and WJLA in Washington, D.C. Have a news tip? Call 410-467-4670 or email SpotlightOnMaryland@sbgtv.com. Contact Patrick Hauf at pjhauf@sbgtv.com and @PatrickHauf on X.
Local Story
