Summary: Our entry point into legislative efforts in 2025 has been attempts to introduce a bill that would supervise demonstrations at schools in a manner consistent with the Tinker legal decision.  The process has been illuminating.  We interviewed a couple of dozen legislators.  Most have been willing to vote in favor of HoCoJAG’s draft bill, but we did not find legislator sponsors for the bill.  As in part detailed below, we did find opportunity to introduce our main asks into ongoing legislation efforts being considered in year 2025.  We established numerous positive relations with Maryland legislators, for ongoing and future efforts.

Maryland SB435/HB0086 – Requiring the governing board of each institution of higher education in the State and local school systems to designate a Title VI Coordinator.  HoCoJAG membership and Board provided oral and written testimony to the Energy, Education and Environment Committee, in support of SB435, with an amendment.  The amendment stipulates the Title VI Coordinator would also “take steps to schedule demonstrations, programs and activities in a manner to prevent creating a hostile environment for Title VI identifiable protected classes.”

Maryland SB0889 – Prohibits Distribution of Student’s Personal Information.  In coordination with Camera, HoCoJAG provided written testimony OPPOSED to SB0889 as the bill being overly broad, e.g. a student committing abuse may not be photographed or identified by name.  Residents or parents concerned with violent behavior during student demonstrations cannot document such behavior with a photo or identifying a student by name. 

Maryland SB0293/HB0324 – Requires that county Board of Education members undertake anti-bias training regarding antisemitism and Islamophobia.  HoCoJAG supports the initiative, but, through the Offices of Delegate Jessica Feldman we asked for amendments whereby the antibias training should also include Hinduphobia; the training should be conducted by nationally recognized experts in respect to the bias being addressed; and should be in compliance with the lesson learned from year 2025 settlements of the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education with Maryland school systems regarding biases in school systems. The bills are under consideration, but without the amendments which were considered to have added a fiscal burden.

Maryland HJ0002 – Supporting a Long-Term Ceasefire in Israel and Palestine Description: Stating that the General Assembly of Maryland conveys to Maryland’s Congressional Delegation its support for an immediate, long-term ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine, the return of all hostages, and delivery of adequate humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.
Recommendation: OPPOSE (send email)
Why: Seeks to leave Hamas in control of Gaza, language hostile to Israel

Maryland HB1124 – Nonprofit Organizations – Unauthorized Support of Israeli Settlement Activity Description: Prohibiting certain nonprofit organizations from aiding or abetting certain activity by the government of Israel or a citizen of Israel; authorizing the Attorney General or a certain person to bring a certain action against a nonprofit organization that violates the Act; and requiring the Secretary of State to remove a nonprofit organization from the Registry of Charitable Solicitation after receiving notice from the Attorney General or a prevailing plaintiff of a decision entered against a nonprofit organization.
Recommendation: OPPOSE (send email)
Why: Singles out Israel and non-profit organizations that support Israel

Maryland HB1181 – Antihate and Holocaust Education Description: Requiring the State Board of Education to develop certain curriculum standards and curriculum resources on or before January 1, 2025; requiring the State Department of Education to revise and enhance certain history and social studies frameworks to include certain instruction; requiring all public schools and certain nonpublic schools to include the revised and enhanced instruction in school curricula beginning in the 2025-2026 school year; etc.
Recommendation: SUPPORT

Maryland HJ0008 – Condemning Islamophobia, Anti-Palestinian Hate, and Antisemitism Description: Condemning Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian hate, and antisemitism; encouraging certain awareness initiatives; and committing to supporting certain legislation and policies.
Recommendation: OPPOSE
Why: Does not recognize Jews as an ethnic group, calls out anti-Palestinian Hate but not anti-Israeli hate, and the terms anti-Palestinian Hate and anti-Palestinian Racism (APR) are often used to identify Palestinian Arabs (and not Jews) as indigenous to the Levant, labels “denying the Palestinian narrative” racist, and legitimizes calls for the ethnic cleansing of half of the world’s Jews (see here).

Maryland HB0071 – Holocaust Education Assistance Grant Program Description: Establishing the Holocaust Education Assistance Grant Program in the Maryland State Department of Education to assist local school systems with Holocaust education in public schools; authorizing a local school system to apply to the Department for a grant from the Program to be used for teacher training or teaching materials; and requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $500,000 to the Program.
Recommendation: SUPPORT (send email)
Why: funds Holocaust education in Maryland public schools

Maryland SJ0005 – Supporting a Long-Term Ceasefire in Israel and Palestine Description: Stating that the General Assembly of Maryland conveys to Maryland’s Congressional Delegation its support for an immediate, long-term ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine, the return of all hostages, and delivery of adequate humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.
Recommendation: OPPOSE (cross filed with HJ0002) (send email)
Why: Seeks to leave Hamas in control of Gaza, language hostile to Israel

Maryland SB1058 – Educate to Stop the Hate Act Description: Requiring county boards of education to establish curriculum guides and courses of study that are aligned with certain content standards developed by the State Department of Education, and requiring the State Board of Education to withhold certain funds from county boards that fail to do so; establishing certain requirements for the Department’s process for developing, reviewing, and adopting certain content standards, curriculum standards, and curriculum resources; etc.
Recommendation: SUPPORT (send email)
Why: Antihate and Holocaust Education