March 9, 2026
by Andrea Grabenstein
ANNAPOLIS — Maryland’s Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus unveiled what members called their most ambitious agenda yet March 5, outlining a slate of bills aimed at expanding access to health care, strengthening protections against discrimination and ensuring school curriculum reflects the diversity of the state.
“It’s decency, it’s dignity, and it’s humanity,” caucus chair Del. Kris Fair, D-Frederick County, said.
A key education proposal, House Bill 627, sponsored by Del. Gabriel Acevero, D-Montgomery County, would establish a Commission on History, Culture and Civics in Education to make recommendations to the Maryland State Board of Education and the Maryland State Department of Education aimed at improving equitable learning outcomes.
Acevero said the commission would bring together independent scholars and professionals to help ensure public school curriculum reflects the diversity of Maryland, including the history, culture and contributions of various communities.
“It also addresses concerns that many parents of LGBTQ+ students and LGBTQ+ parents themselves have expressed about school curriculum and the fact that it has either dismissed or erased the contributions of our community,” Acevero said. “We are a proudly diverse state on the East Coast, and I think this is a signal to not just those communities, but to our students, that we see you.”
Legislators would not be involved in developing curriculum recommendations, Acevero said.
“This is not a politicization of education,” he said. “This is about an accurate reflection of history and the contributions of all groups.”
Another priority focuses on expanding access to HIV prevention medication. House Bill 1114, sponsored by Del. Ashanti Martinez, D-Prince George’s County, would authorize pharmacists to prescribe and dispense pre-exposure prophylaxis, commonly known as PrEP, for HIV prevention.
The bill would also require insurers to cover PrEP and remove barriers such as prior authorization, Martinez said.
“PrEP is 99% effective, but all the advancements in modern medicine don’t mean a thing if you can’t get them to those who need them,” Martinez said.
Fair also introduced House Bill 1531, which would establish the Helping Everyone Afford Life-Saving Treatments and Health Fund, known as the HEALTH Fund. The program would help uninsured and underinsured individuals access reproductive and gender-affirming care.
Fair said the proposal would not change insurers’ ability to collect premiums or physicians’ ability to responsibly prescribe medication.
Other legislation highlighted by the caucus includes:
House Bill 1589 and Senate Bill 626 — Birth Certificate Modernization Act. The legislation would update the process for changing birth certificates, allowing the use of an “X” gender marker and enabling parents who have legally changed their names to update those names on their children’s birth certificates.
Martinez said accurate identification documents are essential for many Marylanders and the proposal reflects the diversity of the gender spectrum.
“It can be hard enough scheduling a visit to a primary care provider, let alone updating a birth certificate,” he said. “This statute matches practices in real time.”
House Bill 513 — Hate Crime and Bias: Definitions of Sexual Orientation. The measure would update language used in state hate crime statutes to reflect modern definitions and improve enforcement.
House Bill 1209 and Senate Bill 950 — Conversion Therapy: Prohibition and Causes of Action. Sponsored by Sen. Cheryl Kagan, D-Montgomery County, the legislation would extend the statute of limitations for lawsuits related to injuries resulting from conversion therapy and establish procedures for victims seeking legal recourse.
Kagan said victims may not recognize the harm caused by conversion therapy until years later.
“In Maryland we respect the community, we are inclusive,” she said.
Del. Bonnie Cullison, D-Montgomery County, vice chair of the House Health and Government Operations Committee and a founding member of the caucus, said the legislation strengthens existing state law banning conversion therapy amid reports of increased efforts to promote the practice in other parts of the country.
House Bill 1380 — Insurance Coverage of Hormone Therapy and Birth Control. Modeled after a policy in Washington state, the bill would require insurance plans to cover a 12-month refill period for hormone therapy and birth control prescriptions.
Fair said the proposal would not affect insurers’ ability to collect premiums or physicians’ authority to prescribe medication.
House Bill 1011 — Study on Supporting Trans Students. The measure would create a workgroup to study ways to support transgender and gender-diverse students and develop statewide recommendations.
House Bill 628 — Foster Youth Transition Assistance. The bill would provide financial assistance to youth transitioning out of the foster care system.
The Maryland Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus was established in 2023 to raise awareness and provide information to members of the General Assembly about issues affecting LGBTQ+ communities across the state.
More information about the caucus is available through the Maryland Manual Online.
(410) 841-3134
Cheryl.Kagan@senate.state.md.us