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| Maryland Del. Kathy Szeliga (R) |
When is a public hearing not a public hearing? When the public is not allowed to testify at the hearing. That's going to be the case in Room 130 of the House Office Building in Annapolis on January 29, 2025 at 1:00 PM, when the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee holds a hearing on House Bill HB156, the Fairness in Girls' Sports Act. The hearing is one of several at which the committee has barred the public from being able to offer oral testimony. Only the sponsor of the bill, Del. Kathy Szeliga (R), will be allowed to testify during the hearing.
"I’m disappointed to inform you that the Committee has decided to NOT ALLOW oral testimony from citizens during the hearing," Szeliga wrote in an email to constituents yesterday. "This means I will be the sole voice presenting the overwhelming support this issue has garnered across Maryland. The positive response to my recent op-ed in The Baltimore Sun—spanning all demographics and party lines—demonstrates how much this common-sense legislation resonates with Marylanders."
If passed, HB156 would require "certain interscholastic and intramural junior varsity and varsity athletic teams or sports sponsored by certain schools to be expressly designated based on biological sex; prohibiting certain entities from taking certain adverse actions against a school for maintaining separate interscholastic and intramural junior varsity and varsity athletic teams and sports for students of the female sex; and providing that certain individuals have the right to bring a civil action under certain circumstances."
The inability of the public to speak not only means that those supporting the bill will not be heard during the hearing, which is the apparent intent of the committee, but neither will the voices of those in Maryland who are opposed to it. We've seen in recent years that, as more citizens become engaged on certain issues like zoning and school curriculums, governing bodies put greater and greater restrictions on speech and participation in public hearings. The Montgomery County Council began to place a limit on the number of citizens who could speak during public hearings, for example, when this was never done in the past. In contrast, public hearings before the Washington, D.C. City Council and some jurisdictions in Northern Virginia literally continue into the night, until every person who wished to speak has been heard. Across the country, citizens have been given less time to speak, and even face eviction or arrest if their 1st Amendment-protected speech triggers megalomaniacal elected officials.
Those who wish to submit written testimony on HB156 can still use these instructions, and register to submit their comments, or to simply check a box that indicates support or opposition. But as any experienced activist can tell you, there is no substitute for the power of - and greater public and media attention to - oral testimony at hearings. Which is why your elected officials are trying to silence your voice - literally.
25 comments:
Hey, what else would you expect from people who ram through legislation without listening to constituents. Totalitarianism at its finest.
Shocker said by no one. And MD not among the many states drafting legistlation to ban cell phones during school. And NY is doing this. MD also among the wacko states sueing President Trump on the birthright citizenship issue. MoCo refuses to turn over illegals who have ICE detainers saying that's not their job. Well, whose job is it then exactly? Total lunacy from a place that the late, great Dr. Charles Krauthammer, called the bluest state in the country. Lots of use on the Old Geo'twn Rd bike lanes too lately. Not. Traffic has been horrific along that entire stretch from Cedar all the way to Rockville. Jammed. Never will change. Ever.
JAC, why is Maryland a "wacko state" for suing to defend birthright citizen? The exec order is unconstitutional.
The 14th amendment is clear, and the SCOTUS has upheld it before, at least twice, declaring that the Constitution protects birthright citizenship and that the children of undocumented immigrants are still U.S. citizens.
And by the way, Trump has repeatedly out-and-out lied in saying the U.S. is the only country that has birthright citizenship. 32 other countries plus two territories have birthright citizenship like ours (referred to as "unrestricted" or "automatic"), and an additional 32 countries have birthright citizenship with some restrictions.
To quote Trump himself, "I know it. You know it. Everyone knows it."
Thanks
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-with-birthright-citizenship
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/08/that-time-the-supreme-court-said-the-constitution-definitely-protects-birthright-citizenship/440133/
“Birthright citizenship issue”? It’s called the 14th amendment to the US Constitution ratified in 1868. So you don’t agree with it? I do agree with you that the bike lanes on OGR are ridiculous and should be restored to cars.
Four of Trump's kids were born to non-citizens. Ivana and Melania were not U.S. citizens when they gave birth to Trump's kids.
Our Democrats are horrible people. Why do the sheeple of Maryland keep voting for them?
2:05 - Most ridiculous thing I've ever seen are the destruction of roadways for bike lanes that are rarely used. I understand 14 amendment. This will be looked at s quite possibly amended as it should be.
1:54 - I understand what the 14 amendment is and what it says. But there are compelling arguments to end the birthright practice and the 14th may indeed be amended as it should.
Read "the spirit' behind the 'law,' by the writer, Senator Jacob Howard. That should be enough to discern the law's intended reach.
The 14th Amendment isn't clear and references to the previous SCOTUS cases a century ago do not apply to what's happening now.
"subject to the jurisdiction thereof" is a key definition most likely going to the current SCOTUS to decide. 1:54's internet law degree is going to cause some bedwetting when things don't go their way, (much like Brandon's 28th Amendment declaration).
5:53 - that's what I was alluding to. Absolutely correct.
The SCOTUS will throw the 14th case base at #47 so fast his head will spin. He thinks he's the King of some country and that everything he makes a EO for will happen. The 14th is Rock solid.
Because Republicans suck even more...
I think it would show the federal government who's in charge by directly opposing the new administration's immigration directives and reiterate Montgomery County's sanctuary status. Wes Moore should also get involved by declaring the state a safe haven for even those undocumented who have criminal records.
5:20 - That's not good for anyone just ask Aurora, CO among many others. Lunatics like Pritzger in IL, Hoecul in NY and others are dangerous and would be wise to tread lightly bucking Homan and Trump. Moore isn't of that ilk but still should not double down or somehow be proud to harbor and protect illegals in MD but rather aide the feds in removing the bad hombres as Trump family said. Can't we start there? Lastly, any so-called sanctuary city or state is acting in direct violation of federal law and that's a fact. Look it up if you need to.
Hi JAC, We'll see what happens. No doubt Trump et al. will appeal all the way to SCOTUS. @1:54
@9:03 "Rock solid" - The internet said so, therefore it is...
What about Presidents who have criminal records?
@10:06 Please take you meds for TDS.
@6:08 5:20 is hoping Elrich & Moore expose themselves to the consequences of violating Title 8, U.S. Code § 1324.
These Lawfare prosecutions are all the more reason to convene a 'Select Committee' to look at the
2020 election results and determine whether Obiden was "duly elected," if he (they) were not then let's start undoing Obidens' (sic) disastrous policies and lawfare.
Yawn. If there was election fraud don’t you think that evidence would have been presented in the 60 court cases brought by the GOP?
7:56 Reading is fundamental but what can one expect from people that think everything on CNN/MSNBC is factual. Not one case was dismissed on evidence as there is plenty of video documentation of actual fraud. Dismissed on standing but one can also go and look at the raw voting numbers versus actual registered voters.
Video evidence? Yeah, ok.
This is why the left will lose in the coming cycles by overwhelming numbers which we're all here for.
@1:54 et al. The 14th has been amended numerous times already. For example, it only granted the right to vote to male citizens aged 21 and up. Women gained the right to vote in 1920, American Indians did not gain it until 1948, and the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1971. The birthright clause was solely to ensure citizenship for former slaves, the last of whom died in 1940. Most civilized nations do not allow unrestricted birthright citizenship: nowhere in the UK, Ireland, any country in mainland Europe. Australia, NZ, etc.
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