MD Marraige Amendment Hearing on Fri. 2/25/11 - Testify!

Note: If you plant to testify, please try to arrive early—before 11am—to sign up and get on the list early.  The other side is extremely organized, and will had people there before 9am on a frigid day.  If you can not get there early, other people can sign you up to testify, so please forward your name to me if you can’t get there early but still want to be on the list. If you miss your turn to testify, they will let you testify at the end.  Last week’s hearing ran until 8pm, but many people missed their chance to testify because they left early—please note that unless you are one of the “experts,”  the later you sign up, the later your testimony will be.  Please bring friends and family.  If anyone needs a ride to get to Annapolis, please let me know.]

We have been fighting the Senate bill 116 which redefines marriage.  Now the House of Delegates is taking up the issue with identical bills, House Bill 55 and House Bill 175.  Also Delegate Dwyer is sponsoring an amendment to the Maryland Constitution that defines marriage as  a man and a woman.  Marriage impacts everyone in the state.

Dear Supporters of Traditional Marriage:

We have a hearing date for the House Marriage Bills. Delegate Dwyer’s bill, the Constitutional marriage Amendment will be heard as well as the Same Sex Bills on Friday, February 25 at 1pm in the House Judiciary Committee room.

To read Delegate Dwyer’s bill: http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0963f.pdf

There are two same sex marriage bills being heard that day and they are HB 55 : http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0055f.pdf

And HB 175: http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0175f.pdf

Delegate Dwyer is asking for people willing to testify, either as a group, or individually, representing yourself as a citizen or if you represent a church or other organized group. You can testify for the Constitutional Amendment as well as against the same sex marriage bills.  If you testify, please be mindful of the language used; one senator claims that it was hateful language at the senate hearing that changed his vote. 

Please contact me as soon as possible so that I can help with testimony and sign in. ( 410-841-3047 or Don.Dwyer@house.state.md.us ) If you have never testified in Committee before, below are FAQs to help familiarize you to the process. Please feel free to call if you have any further questions or need further clarification.

If you are providing written testimony- you will need to bring 40 copies of your testimony. I will not have the manpower to make the copies here.

You may submit written testimony, give oral testimony, or both.

This is a crucial part of the legislative process, having a strong showing in support of, or in opposition to any bill can and does make a difference. Appearing in Annapolis before the committee sends a much stronger message than emails, please bring your friends and family. Also please note, the push is on in the gay community to pass same sex marriage this year- they will be here in force.

Again, thanks for your committed support, I look forward to seeing you on the 25^th.

Best Regards,

Louisa Baucom

Legislative Aide to:

Del. Don Dwyer, Jr.

Anne Arundel County

District 31

410-841-3047

www.delegatedwyer.com

Testifying in Annapolis FAQ