Jan 09, 2009  |  By: AMY CAVANAUGH  | COMMENTS     

Despite past statements of support, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) this week through a spokesperson declined to say whether he would sign bills extending marriage rights to same-sex couples and barring discrimination based on gender identity.

“We’re out there with legislative folks to see if there’s anything solid in the works on those issues,” said Shaun Adamec, a spokesperson for the governor. “It’s very difficult for us to respond with a position on legislation that doesn’t yet exist.”

The comments come as Maryland lawmakers prepare to reconvene in Annapolis for the 2009 session. No gay bills have yet been introduced for the session, which begins Jan. 14.

O’Malley previously told the Blade in two, separate interviews that he supports efforts to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples. He also voiced support of laws in Baltimore and Montgomery County that bar discrimination based on gender identity.

In a 2007 interview, O’Malley said that he would sign a marriage bill so long as it contains a provision exempting religious institutions.

“Without infringing on anyone’s faith, that would be a law I should sign,” he said.

He reconfirmed his interest in signing a marriage bill during an August 2008 interview with the Blade at the Democratic National Convention, at which time he also spoke in favor of barring discrimination based on gender identity.

O’Malley noted that Baltimore passed a bill barring such discrimination while he was mayor. He also said that he was supportive of efforts to pass a similar law in Montgomery County, which were successful.

“We did it in the city of Baltimore and dogs and cats didn’t fall from the sky,” he said. “I think it would probably be a good thing for Montgomery County to do. I don’t have the legislation in front of me, but if it’s like what we did in Baltimore, it caused no problems whatsoever.”

Adamec said this week that O’Malley was ready to sign a civil unions bill.

“The governor has been publicly supportive of civil unions, and that is where he believes consensus can be made,” Adamec said. “He has said in the past and continues to say that if a civil unions bill were to cross his desk, he would sign it.”

But Kate Runyon, the executive director of Equality Maryland, said the organization would not pursue civil unions this year.

“At this point in time, we don’t have the votes for civil unions, so we’re going to wait and move forward when we have the full support we need to go for full [marriage] rights instead,” she said.
Carrie Evans, Equality Maryland’s policy director, said efforts to pass the Religious Freedom & Civil Marriage Protection Act, which would allow same-sex marriage, would continue with an eye toward victory after the state’s next major election cycle.

“Our goal this year with the Religious Freedom & Civil Marriage Protection Act is to increase co-sponsorship of the bill,” she said. “It’s unlikely before the 2010 election cycle — when all the elected officials are up for re-election — that we’ll be likely to increase co-sponsorship, but we’re trying to get some additional African-American sponsors. We’re keeping the issue front and center in legislators’ minds about the discrimination same-sex couples face.”

Evans said Equality Maryland would work toward making “changes in legislation through 2010 and then pass a full marriage bill in 2011.”

“In this and the next session,” she said, “we want to add really meaningful, smaller protections.”

Trans bill tops group’s wish list

Evans said the transgender bill has more promising prospects due to the addition of a new house sponsor.

Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s County) is from the same region as Sen. Anthony Muse (D-Prince George’s County), a member of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee and a perennial roadblock to the measure’s passage.

“The bill failed by one vote in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee,” Evans said. “Del. Peña-Melnyk has a good working relationship with Sen. Muse, and he and she can have some discussions about the importance of this in a way that previous co-sponsors who didn’t have the geographical relationship could not.”

Evans said she hopes O’Malley will come out strongly in support of the anti-discrimination bill.

“He has said time and time again that he will sign it,” she said. “He made it happen as mayor in Baltimore City … and he could come forward and say why he thought it was important to do as mayor and why transgender people in Maryland should be protected.”

The anti-discrimination bill would add gender identity to state laws that prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations and credit based on certain factors, such ...