HB 785

Freedom to Read Act

Sponsor: Dana Jones (District 30A)Committee: Ways and MeansSubject: Education - MiscellaneousStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 129 (as of Nov 13, 2024)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Establishing a State policy that local school systems operate their school library media programs consistent with certain standards; requiring each local school system to develop a policy and procedures to review objections to materials in a school library media program; prohibiting a county board of education from dismissing, demoting, suspending, disciplining, reassigning, transferring, or otherwise retaliating against certain school library media program personnel for performing their job duties consistent with certain standards; etc.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (105)

MGA witness list

FAV 64FavorableFWA 2Favorable with amendmentsUNF 38UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Wilkerson, Alicelobbyist	Advance Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Taube, John	Allegany County Library System	Written (PDF)
FAV	Feldmann, Christine	Annapolis Pride	Written (PDF)
FAV	Auld, Skip	Anne Arundel County Public Library	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Alcantara-Antoine, Sonia	Baltimore County Public Library	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Duba, David	Bowie High School, Student Government	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bennett, Debby	Caroline County Public Library	Written (PDF)
FAV	Miller, Morgan	Cecil County Public Library	Written (PDF)
FAV	Baykan, Mary	Citizens for Maryland Libraries	Written (PDF)
FAV	Pitney, Christie	Forward Midwifery	Position only
FAV	Fitzwater, Jessica	Frederick County Executive	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kelly, James	Frederick County Public Libraries	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stewart, Laura	Free State PTA	Oral
FAV	Reynolds-Dominguez, Camilalobbyist	FreeState Justice	Position only
FAV	Farris, Jaden	GLSEN Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Brion-Meisels, Gretchen	Harvard Graduate School of Education	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Sunderman, Gail	League of Women Voters Maryland (LWVMD)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ward, Lindsay	MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hulme Tignor, Brittany	Maryland Association of School Librarians	Written (PDF)
FAV	Love, Tatanisha	Maryland Association of School Librarians	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mignardi, Donna	Maryland Association of School Librarians	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Jordan, Lisae Clobbyist	Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)	Position only
FAV	Browning, Jeremy	Maryland Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jones, Dana	Maryland General Assembly	Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Sutherland, Tiffany	Maryland Library Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bogdan, Henrylobbyist	Maryland Nonprofits	Position only
FAV	Edwards, Donna	Maryland State & DC AFL-CIO	Written (PDF)
FAV	Alexander, Michelle	Maryland State Education Association	Oral
FAV	Bost, Cheryl	Maryland State Education Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Padilla, Irene	Maryland State Library Agency	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Spangler, Adam	Office of Attorney General	Written (PDF)
FAV	Pittman, Steuart	Office of the Anne Arundel County Executive	Written (PDF)
FAV	Dye, Skip	Penguin Random House	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Sutherland, Megan	Prince George's County Memorial Library System	Written (PDF)
FAV	Vose, Thomas	Ruth Enlow Library of Garrett County	Written (PDF)
FAV	Teagle, Ashley	Southern Maryland Regional Library Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Blinder , Lee	Trans Maryland	Oral
FAV	Pironis, Kristen	Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bakos, Jenny	Washington County Free Library	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Barnett, Kathleen	retired	Position only
FAV	Towne, Ezra	self	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bronson, Jessica	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Buckler, Lauren	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Copper, Michele	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Counihan, Erin	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Jones, D., Delegate Jones, D.legislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Dowell, Arnessa	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Finch, Maida	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Flax, Jennifer	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Goldberg, Neal	Individual	Oral
FAV	Hollywood, Nicole	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Hopkins, Daniel	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jansen, Lloyd	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jasen, Debi	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Korona, Kristina	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kramer, Hayden	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Levitas, Daphne	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Novak, Wendy	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)