Maryland HB 649 would authorize the Commission on Civil Rights to enforce broad anti-discrimination mandates against educational institutions — including private and religious schools — specifically regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. 

While protecting individuals from unlawful discrimination is important, this bill goes far beyond that principle. HB 649 would subject private religious schools to expanded state oversight and enforcement authority in ways that directly threaten institutional independence. 

For faith-based schools, this legislation raises significant concerns: 

• It expands government enforcement power over internal school policies. 
• It opens the door to litigation against religious schools for operating according to their sincerely held beliefs. 
• It erodes long-standing protections that allow private schools to maintain policies consistent with their faith and mission. 

Maryland has grudgingly respected the distinct role private and religious schools play in serving families. HB 649 represents a dramatic shift moving from respecting diversity of educational models to regulating them. 

Parents choose religious schools precisely because of their clear beliefs, mission, and community standards. The state should not undermine that choice by imposing mandates that conflict with a school’s faith commitments. 

HB 649 is a significant government overreach into private education and must be stopped.