DEADLINE TONIGHT, 6 PM: Submit testimony against the anti-mask bill, SB 0709 (Remote or in-person)
It’s urgent to submit testimony to help stop Maryland’s dangerous mask criminalization bills (SB 0709/HB1081)! Deadline is 6:00 PM on Mon. Feb. 24, 2025 [EASTERN STANDARD TIME].
The Senate version of Maryland’s anti-mask bill is scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday (Feb. 26) in the judiciary committee. Now through 6 p.m. this evening (Mon., Feb. 24), we have an opportunity to submit testimony on the bill.
It is vital to let the committee know that we’re watching and to voice how this legislation would deeply harm our communities.
There are three methods to testify:
Written testimony - due in the MyMGA portal by 6 p.m. tonight (Mon. Feb. 24)
Oral testimony, in person on Weds. Feb. 26 - registration is due today by 6 p.m.
Oral testimony, via Zoom on Weds. Feb. 26 - only 14 remote slots are available, registration is due today by 6 p.m.
View the sections below for instructions on how to submit written testimony online and/or register to provide oral testimony during the upcoming hearing.
Copy/Paste Written Testimony Template
Content written in brackets (ex. [we/I]) need to be customized.
February 24, 2025
The Honorable Chair Senator William C. Smith, Jr.
Chairman, Judicial Proceedings Committee
2 East Miller Senate Office Building
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
RE: OPPOSITION of Senate Bill 0709
(Criminal Law - Masked Intimidation - Prohibition (Unmask Hate Act)) - UNFAVORABLE
Dear Chair Smith and Judicial Proceedings Committee Members,
[ORGANIZATION NAME/My name is, I am a MD resident and I am writing to] urge you to vote unfavorably on House Bill 1081/Senate Bill 0709. Carve-outs for medical mask use are not enough to protect disabled people from the dangerous consequences of this bill. Anti-mask laws will only increase mask stigma, increasing harassment and discrimination against mask-wearers.
INCLUDE ONE-TWO REASONS DESCRIBING YOUR OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL. YOU CAN USE SAMPLES BELOW OR WRITE YOUR OWN:
Criminalizing masking is bad policy for public health. This is especially true right now, as the Maryland Department of Health recommends masking due to high hospitalization rates for COVID, influenza, and RSV.
Health exemptions for mask bans are impractical and unfair to enforce. The logistical challenges of verifying exemptions would result in inconsistent application and abuse, creating a civil rights and public health crisis.
It will also escalate biased law enforcement, which already disproportionately harms Marylanders who are Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color (BIPOC). And this legislation will create a chilling effect on anyone who simply wants to protect themself from airborne illness as they go about their lives.
For these reasons and more [we/I] ask that the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee give SB0709 an unfavorable report.
Sources: Jews for Mask Rights - Why Mask Bans Fail Jews and Other Marginalized Groups, https://www.jewsformaskrights.com/resources/the-dangers-of-the-unmaskhateny-mask-ban, Community Advocate, @cmmnctn.brkdwn, https://www.instagram.com/cmmnctn.brkdwn/
Written Testimony Submission Instructions
Source: Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee
Note: Any written testimony submitted to a committee is public testimony and therefore accessible to the public and cannot be removed.
The deadline to submit written testimony for the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing of SB 0709 is TODAY (Monday, Feb. 24) at 6 PM.
To register to provide oral testimony or submit written testimony, you MUST create an MGA account through the MGA website. View detailed instructions below.
Written testimony MUST be in a PDF format to be uploaded. View detailed instructions below.
Late testimony will be accepted but will not be uploaded in advance of the bill hearing and will be marked as late.
Please reach out to the Judicial Proceedings Committee Manager, Sandy Popp, 410-841-3623, AA_JPR@mlis.state.md.us on how to submit late testimonies.
Create a MyMGA Account
Prefer video? Click here for a tutorial.
In the upper right corner of the webpage, click “MyMGA” icon
Click “Register” in the drop-down menu
Create a new MyMGA Tracking Account by providing the required information
First Name
Last Name
Email
Password
Be at least eight characters long
Contain one or more numbers
Contain at least one or more lowercase and uppercase letters
Contain at least one or more special characters (!#$&%)
Confirm Password
Click “Register” at the bottom of the webpage
Go to your email inbox
Look for an email from no-reply@mlis.state.md.us
Open the email and click the link in the message body to complete registration
Submit Testimony
In the upper right corner of the webpage, click “MyMGA” icon
Click “Sign In” in the drop-down menu
Enter your email and password
On the left side of the screen, click the “Witness Signup” option
Note, you can only use the “Witness Signup” page between 8:00am and 6:00pm on weekdays
Find the Judicial Proceedings Committee
In the “Committees” filter at the top of the page, choose “Judicial Proceedings”
Or, scroll down the page until you find the committee in the list
Find SB0709 in the list of bills to be heard on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 - 1:00 PM (it should be the first bill in the list)
The row for this bill will display the following information
Bill ID: SB0709
Sponsor: Senator Waldstreicher
Description: Criminal Law - Masked Intimidation - Prohibition (Unmask Hate Act)
Click on the box to the left of the bill’s ID number to add a checkmark
Beneath the Bill ID, Sponsor, and Description, complete the “Organization”, “Position”, and “Testimony” fields
Organization: delete the “--Organization–” text and type in “self” or “private citizen” or “Not Applicable” or a name of an organization you will represent
Position: click on the field and select “Unfavorable” from the list of options
Testimony: choose one of the following
None
Written
In Person - Oral
In Person - Both
Virtual - Oral
Virtual - Both
If providing any written testimony, click the “Upload Files” button
The “Upload Files” window will open
Click the “Choose Files” button
Select any files you want to submit
Click the “OK” button to close the “Upload Files” window
At the top of the webpage, click the “Save” button to upload your files and save your signup
Oral Testimony Registration Instructions
Source: Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee
The deadline to register to testify orally at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing of SB 0709 is TODAY (Monday, Feb. 24) at 6 PM.
Witness testimony via pre-recorded video will not be allowed.
Late witness sign-up will not be allowed.
Up to 14 members of the public may provide virtual oral testimony via Zoom per bill.
To register to provide oral testimony or submit written testimony, you MUST create an MGA account through the MGA website. Click here for a tutorial or refer to the “Submit Testimony” directions above for written instructions.
Oral Testimony Details
Witness testimony will be timed. Witnesses will have two-minutes (2:00) to provide oral testimony.
At the discretion of the committee chair, or if a bill has more than 30 witnesses, each witness will have one-minute to testify (1:00). If that situation arises, the committee will notify witnesses.
For more information about audio/visual presentations, ADA accommodations, and more, please review the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee document.
More ways to take action
#NoMaskBanMD Phone Zap
Please join us on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. as we call and email the committee to demand they put an end to this dangerous legislation.
Follow @NoMaskBanMD on Instagram, Facebook and BlueSky
Help us spread the word on how to take action against mask bans in Maryland.