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ACLU Forces Sweeping Improvements At Baltimore City Jail (08/18/2009)
BALTIMORE – The American Civil Liberties Union and the Baltimore-based Public Justice Center today announced an agreement with Maryland state officials that will lead to dramatic improvements in the quality of medical and mental health care provided to detainees at the Baltimore City Jail and effectively settles major portions of a longstanding class-action lawsuit.

ACLU Challenges Unlawful Banning Of Tenants' Families And Invited Guests From Public Housing (08/12/2009)
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Protecting the rights of families to make decisions about their own homes, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Maryland filed a lawsuit today challenging a policy that unlawfully bans certain individuals from being on or near public housing in Annapolis, Maryland, even when they are invited guests of tenants. Under the policy, Annapolis public housing residents who allow banned friends and family members into their homes are subject to eviction. The lawsuit was filed against the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis (HACA) and the Annapolis Police Department on behalf of residents of Annapolis public housing as well as family and friends of those residents who have been prevented from visiting and participating in raising and caring for their children, parents, grandchildren and other relatives.

ACLU of Maryland Launches Immigrants Rights Project (12/10/2008)
BALTIMORE – With the filing of Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) requests with local governments across the state to help gather information regarding local laws and policies towards immigrants, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today announced the creation of our first Immigrants Rights Project. The new initiative will be headed by Skadden Fellow Ajmel Quereshi, who will spend two years in the ACLU of Maryland's office to address a broad range of legal issues affecting the rights of all immigrants in the state.

Maryland State Police's Heavily Redacted Spy Files on Peaceful Activists Show No Illegal Activity, Broader Time Period (11/19/2008)
BALTIMORE - Disturbed by the heavily redacted documents turned over by the Maryland State Police (MSP), which nonetheless reiterate the total lack of any suspected crimes, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today joined with our clients to demand full disclosure and to expose the dangerous and seemingly haphazard way in which state police spies entered the names and personal information of peaceful activists into their criminal intelligence database as suspected terrorists. More questions are raised than answers provided by the pages of blacked out text and scanty information contained in the documents thus far released by the MSP.

Leaders of Chesapeake Climate Action Network Wrongfully Named As Terrorists, Tracked in Maryland State Police Criminal Database (10/23/2008)
SILVER SPRING, MD – Deeply troubled at learning that leaders of a large environmental advocacy organization in Maryland have received letters from the Maryland State Police (MSP) informing them that they have been named as terrorists in MSP's database, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today joined with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) and the leaders of several other environmental organizations and state legislative leaders dedicated to fighting for the environment in rallying for justice and passage of legislation to ensure such spying never again happens in Maryland.

MD ACLU Calls on Governor to Let Innocent People Erroneously Named as Terrorists to Copy Their Files and Benefit from Counsel (10/09/2008)
BALTIMORE - Alarmed that 53 innocent people who were wrongful targets of Maryland State Police (MSP) spying are getting letters this week from the MSP saying that they have been mistakenly listed as terrorists in a government database but that they cannot make copies of their files or bring their lawyer with them to review their files, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today is urging Governor Martin O'Malley to reverse this wrong-headed and unlawful policy. The law entitles individuals to a copy of their files and to have a lawyer accompany them to review the files.

ACLU of Maryland Filing Public Information Requests on Behalf of Wide Range of Advocacy Groups from Across Maryland (09/30/2008)
BALTIMORE - Pursuing the full story about covert spying on peaceful political groups by the Maryland State Police (MSP), the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today is filing additional Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) requests on behalf of 32 advocacy groups and more than 250 individuals associated with those groups from across the state and political spectrum. The MPIA requests are being filed with the MSP, the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Office, and every local police department in places where demonstrations were held by the groups.

ACLU of Maryland Lawsuit Uncovers Maryland State Police Spying Against Peace and Anti-Death Penalty Groups (07/17/2008)
BALTIMORE – The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today made public what it called "shocking" documents obtained through a Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) lawsuit, revealing that the Maryland State Police (MSP) engaged in covert surveillance of local peace and anti-death penalty groups for over a year from 2005-2006. The organization expressed alarm at the incomprehensible spying revealed in 43 pages of summaries and computer logs, none of which refer to criminal or even potentially criminal acts, other than a few isolated references to plans for completely nonviolent civil disobedience.

ACLU of Maryland Champions Religious Liberty of Christian Ministry for the Homeless in Elkton (07/08/2008)
BALTIMORE - Defending the fundamental right to religious liberty guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland has filed suit on behalf of the Meeting Ground, a church dedicated to serving the homeless, and its pastor, Reverend Carl Mazza, whose efforts to open a day center for homeless individuals as part of their religious mission has been wrongfully blocked by the Town of Elkton. The case, which was filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, contends that the Town's actions deprive the Meeting Ground and its members of their rights to freely exercise their religious faith under the U.S. Constitution and under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).

ACLU Calls For End To Mandatory Prayer At U.S. Naval Academy (06/25/2008)
BALTIMORE – The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Maryland are urging the U.S. Naval Academy to stop forcing midshipmen to participate in the Academy's compulsory "noon meal prayers."

ACLU of Maryland Files Lawsuit to Obtain Information Related to Government Spying on Peace Groups (06/12/2008)
BALTIMORE - Concerned that the Maryland State Police (MSP) are hiding information related to surveillance of local peace activists and groups, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today filed a lawsuit against the MSP for refusing to disclose a record in response to a public information request. Following a disturbing national trend of government surveillance of political and religious groups, the Maryland ACLU has been seeking information from federal and state agencies to learn whether such surveillance has happened in the Free State.

ACLU of Maryland Launches "Real ID, Real Exposed" Campaign on College Campuses; Video Details Danger of Identity Theft (04/17/2008)
BALTIMORE - As part of a growing national movement in opposition to implementation of the federal Real ID Act by the states, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland has launched a campaign to educate young people and all Marylanders about why Real ID should be rejected. The "Real ID, Real Exposed" campaign features a video on YouTube, posters, postcards, website, and Myspace page designed to raise the profile of Real ID in Maryland and help organize the increasing number of people and organizations who oppose this misguided law.

ACLU Of Maryland Blasts New Real ID Regulations (01/15/2008)
ANNAPOLIS, MD – The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today is condemning the final regulations for the federal REAL ID Act issued by the Department of Homeland Security on Friday. The new regulations delay implementation of the law until 2017, but the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) has indicated it is intent to move forward in Maryland with Real ID. That is why the ACLU is calling on Maryland to join 17 other states in rejecting Real ID implementation.

New Plaintiffs Join ACLU Illegal Arrests Lawsuit, Call on City Police to Finally End Unconstitutional Practices (12/18/2007)
BALTIMORE ­ Charging that Baltimore City police continue to arrest thousands of people without just cause each year, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today added new plaintiffs to its lawsuit against the Baltimore City Police Department ­ amending the case to challenge wrongful arrests that took place since the filing of the lawsuit in 2006. The legal filing includes an original plaintiff in the lawsuit who was wrongfully arrested for a second time, a young man who was illegally arrested twice in the same summer, and four plaintiffs who were wrongfully arrested while engaged in protected First Amendment activity.

ACLU of Maryland Alarmed As Senate Poised to Cut Public Education "Thornton" Funding (11/07/2007)
The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today expressed alarm that the Budget Reconciliation Act (SB1), as amended yesterday by the Budget & Taxation Committee and expected on the Senate floor for a vote this morning, leaves a nearly $200 million shortfall in public education funding for fiscal 2009 and another $300 million reduction in fiscal 2010. SB1 amends the historic Bridge to Excellence in Education Act by deleting the built-in increase for inflation; the inflation factor was recommended by the "Thornton" Commission to ensure that education funding would hold its value over time.

African American Leaders Launch "Maryland Black Family Alliance" (10/25/2007)
BALTIMORE – In a landmark effort to foster dialogue within black communities across Maryland on the principles of fairness, justice and equality for all families, a group of prominent Maryland African American allies of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities gathered today at Morgan State University to announce the formation of the Maryland Black Family Alliance (MBFA). The founding members of the MBFA come from all walks of life -- elected officials, ministers, professors, medical doctors and community activists. The group is a growing coalition of black families and leaders of many faiths who know that discrimination is wrong and that it damages everyone when any group of Americans is excluded from the legal protections that other Americans enjoy.

ACLU Sues Maryland State Police for Withholding Public Records and Overcharging for Documents Related to "Driving While Black" Lawsuit (09/26/2007)
TOWSON, MD – Charging that the Maryland State Police (MSP) are flouting the letter and spirit of the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA), the American Civil Liberties Union teamed with Venable, LLP to file a lawsuit today against the MSP for improperly withholding records and imposing excessive costs for records it is producing. The case was filed in Baltimore County Circuit Court on behalf of the Maryland State Conference of NAACP Branches in order to force MSP to produce information and documents relating to its compliance with a federal court order in the organizations’ "Driving While Black" litigation.

ACLU and Equality Maryland Denounce 4 to 3 Decision by Maryland High Court Denying Marriage Protections for Same-Sex Couples (09/18/2007)
ANNAPOLIS, MD - The American Civil Liberties Union and Equality Maryland today denounced the divided Maryland Court of Appeals decision upholding a state law that bars same-sex couples from marrying and accessing the hundreds of family protections provided to married couples and their children under state law.

ACLU and Equality Maryland Denounce 4 to 3 Decision by Maryland High Court Denying Marriage Protections for Same-Sex Couples (09/18/2007)
ANNAPOLIS, MD - The American Civil Liberties Union and Equality Maryland today denounced the divided Maryland Court of Appeals decision upholding a state law that bars same-sex couples from marrying and accessing the hundreds of family protections provided to married couples and their children under state law.

Students in Kent County School Drug Sweep Case Win Landmark Settlement (08/06/2007)
KENT COUNTY, MD - Three years after taking a courageous stand against excessive police action at their public high school, two young women from Kent County have won what the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland is calling the most significant settlement of a school search case in Maryland history - including $285,000 in monetary damages and written apologies from both the school system and Sheriff's Department.

ACLU of Maryland and Maryland Disability Law Center Hail Governor for Signing New Accessible “Paper Trail” Bill (05/17/2007)
The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland and the Maryland Disability Law Center (MDLC) joined today to celebrate a shared victory for all Maryland voters in the enactment of an election law requiring Maryland’s voting system to produce voter verified paper records. The law, HB 18/SB 392, also contains model standards for voters with disabilities.

ACLU Hails General Assembly for Passing Maryland Voting Rights Restoration Bill (03/27/2007)
BALTIMORE - After many years of advocacy based on the fundamental principle of democracy, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today hailed passage of legislation by both houses of the General Assembly to restore the right to vote to individuals who have paid their debt to society. Last week, the Senate voted 28-17 in favor of SB 488, and last night the House passed the legislation by a vote of 78-60. Now, the bill goes to the desk of Governor Martin O'Malley.

State of Maryland Withdraws Subpoena for Lawyer’s Computer and Personnel Records (03/02/2007)
ANNAPOLIS, MD - In a move hailed as a victory by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, Attorney General Douglas Gansler is withdrawing a subpoena demanding production of a civil rights lawyer’s computer hard drive and personnel records. This is the latest development in a long-running voting rights dispute between the Maryland Green Party and the State Board of Elections.

ACLU Applauds Maryland Governor for Testifying in Support of Repealing the State’s Death Penalty (02/21/2007)
BALTIMORE, MD - The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today hailed the remarkable appearance of Governor Martin O’Malley, who personally testified in support of repealing the state’s death penalty. The ACLU of Maryland is seconding the call for capital punishment to finally be abandoned as a fundamentally flawed and failed policy.

ACLU Challenges Baltimore County Sign Ordinance That Unconstitutionally Restricts Political Speech (02/02/2007)
BALTIMORE - Alarmed that Baltimore County has elected - for the second time in a decade - to waste taxpayer resources trying to restrict the free speech rights of it own residents, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today filed suit seeking to overturn a new county law that unconstitutionally limits when individuals can place political signs on their private property.

ACLU of Maryland and Green Party Challenge State Subpoena of Civil Rights Lawyer's Computer and Personnel Records (01/29/2007)
BALTIMORE, MD - Contending that a government subpoena demanding production of a civil rights lawyer's computer hard drive and personnel records violates principles of privacy and attorney-client privilege, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland has appealed to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals to quash the subpoena.

ACLU and Equality Maryland Urge Maryland High Court to Strike Down Law Banning Same-Sex Couples from Marriage (12/04/2006)
ANNAPOLIS, MD – A group of same-sex couples and a gay widower appeared before Maryland’s highest court today to urge the court to strike down a state law that bars same-sex couples from marriage and the hundreds of family protections provided to married couples and their children. The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Maryland brought the legal challenge in cooperation with Equality Maryland arguing that Maryland law barring same-sex couples from marriage and its many family protections violates the state constitution.

Maryland Psychologists, Social Workers, and Child Welfare Advocates Speak Out in Support of Marriage for Same-Sex Couples (11/30/2006)
BALTIMORE – In advance of oral arguments before Maryland’s high court, prominent Maryland psychologists, social workers, and child welfare advocates spoke out today in support of marriage for same-sex couples. At a press conference this morning at the Maryland chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, representatives of these groups stressed extensive, consistent scientific evidence showing that children raised by lesbian and gay couples develop as well as children raised by heterosexual couples.

Maryland Psychologists, Social Workers, and Child Welfare Advocates Speak Out in Support of Marriage for Same-Sex Couples (11/30/2006)
BALTIMORE – In advance of oral arguments before Maryland’s high court, prominent Maryland psychologists, social workers, and child welfare advocates spoke out today in support of marriage for same-sex couples. At a press conference this morning at the Maryland chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, representatives of these groups stressed extensive, consistent scientific evidence showing that children raised by lesbian and gay couples develop as well as children raised by heterosexual couples.

Maryland Civil Rights Organizations Seek Extended Deadline for Absentee Ballots (11/04/2006)
BALTIMORE -- Alarmed over the "unfolding catastrophe regarding undelivered absentee ballots," a broad coalition of non-partisan civil rights groups has called on the state Board of Elections to extend the deadline for mailing those ballots. The concerns and call were expressed in a letter sent to state elections officials, legislative leaders, and Governor Robert Ehrlich on Friday.

ACLU Seeks Information on Government Spying on Baltimore Peace Groups (08/30/2006)
BALTIMORE -- Following reports that Baltimore peace groups have been targets of illegal spying, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today filed public information requests with federal and state authorities. The ACLU said it is concerned that the disturbing national trend of government surveillance of political and religious groups may also be happening here in the "Free State."

ACLU of Maryland Declares Victory as High Court Unanimously Rules Pregnancy Prosecutions Are Illegal (08/03/2006)
BALTIMORE, MD – The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland applauded today’s decision by the Maryland Court of Appeals unanimously ruling that the reckless endangerment statute does not apply to women who take drugs while pregnant.

ACLU Challenges Maryland’s Death Penalty (01/20/2006)
BALTIMORE – The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today called for an immediate halt to executions in the state. The lawsuit, filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court, says the regulations that govern the state’s administration of the death penalty violate the law.

Maryland Court Says State Cannot Bar Same-Sex Couples from Marriage Protections (01/20/2006)
BALTIMORE - A Maryland circuit court ruled today that it is a violation of the state constitution to deny same-sex couples the numerous protections provided to married couples. The American Civil Liberties Union and Equality Maryland hail the decision as an historic step toward the ability of same-sex couples to legally marry in the state.

ACLU of Maryland Calls for Acclaimed Books to be Returned to School Shelves (12/08/2005)
WESTMINSTER, MD – Following a petition drive by Winters Mill High School students, he American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland is calling for an end to the censorship that has stripped several books from the shelves of school libraries.

ACLU Calls on Public Schools Across Maryland to Protect Students’ First Amendment Rights (11/29/2005)
BALTIMORE -- Acting on behalf of public school students who have been harassed or punished for declining to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland is calling on school officials to take action to ensure that teachers and administrators understand the First Amendment rights of students.

ACLU and Students Challenge Drug Sweep at Maryland High School (11/03/2005)
BALTIMORE -- Two Kent County families and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today filed a lawsuit challenging a warrantless, investigative drug sweep at Kent County High School, during which drug-sniffing dogs were deployed. The lawsuit charges police and school officials with violating students' rights by seizing and searching their bags and subjecting them to humiliating bodily searches without just cause.

Maryland Religious Leaders Join Together to Support Marriage for Same-Sex Couples (08/29/2005)
BALTIMORE - Religious leaders from throughout the state convened today at a local church to express their support for providing same-sex couples with the legal protections of marriage. The gathering took place on the eve of a hearing on the constitutionality of Maryland law that bars same-sex couples from marriage. The lawsuit, brought by the American Civil Liberties Union with the support of Equality Maryland, the state's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy organization, was filed on behalf of nine same-sex couples and a recently widowed man.

ACLU and PJC Urge Maryland Board to Reject Contract with Company Known for Providing Deficient Medical Care in Prisons (06/01/2005)
ANNAPOLIS, MD -- Citing Correctional Medical Services' poor record for dispensing medical care to prisoners, the American Civil Liberties Union and Public Justice Center today urged Maryland's Board of Public Works to reject a proposed contract with the for-profit company.

Maryland Officials Seek to End Federal Consent Decree Despite Persistent Constitutional Violations at Baltimore Jail (08/25/2004)
BALTIMORE -- At a hearing today before U.S. District Court Judge Frederick Motz, the American Civil Liberties Union and Public Justice Center countered Maryland officials' attempt to end a federal consent decree governing conditions at the Baltimore City Detention Center, where constitutional violations persist.

Not-So-Super Tuesday for Unaffiliated Voters: ACLU Challenges Judicial Elections in Maryland (03/02/2004)
LEONARDTOWN, MD -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today took over an expedited election lawsuit challenging the state's practice of excluding unaffiliated voters from participation in judicial primaries.

ACLU Releases Expert's Report on Maryland's Inadequate School Facilities (01/13/2004)
BALTIMORE -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today released a report documenting a 5 to 10 percent differential on achievement tests between students in adequate school buildings and those in older buildings. At a minimum, the cost of remedying the school facility issues that most immediately impact student achievement is estimated at $2.5 billion.

Court Asked to Revive Lawsuit Against Baltimore Jail to Protect Detainees from Deplorable Conditions (12/18/2003)
BALTIMORE - Citing deplorable living conditions at the Baltimore City Detention Center that violate a federal consent decree, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Public Justice Center today filed a motion to enforce crucial provisions of the decade old order.

ACLU Stands Up for Stand-Ups (10/07/2003)
BALTIMORE--The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today filed a lawsuit on behalf of a popular street performer who was banned from the city's Inner Harbor in October 2002 for making a joke deemed to be ""insensitive"" by Harborplace personnel.

ACLU Returns to Court on Behalf of Women at Medical Risk in Sweltering Baltimore City Jail (08/06/2003)
BALTIMORE -- Attorneys representing hundreds of women confined in the Women's Detention Center (WDC) here will appear before U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz today to force state officials to abide by an order issued last summer to protect women at medical risk because of excessive heat in the jail's dormitories, the American Civil Liberties Union announced today.

ACLU of Maryland Urges State Officials to Consider Public School Students in Debate Over "Trigger" Clause in Education Funding Law (07/09/2003)
BALTIMORE, MD-A current debate among state officials over a clause in a law meant to activate or ""trigger"" new statewide education funding for public schools in the state, should not prevent that funding from moving forward, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland said today.

Federal Court in Maryland Affirms Right of Houseboat Resident to Run for Political Office (06/23/2003)
BALTIMORE -- Ending an unusual election rights case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, a federal district court judge today ruled that a man living on a houseboat in Port Deposit can vote and run for public office in that town.

National Anti-PATRIOT Movement Nears Nation's Capital as Baltimore City Council Adopts Pro-Civil Liberties Resolution (05/20/2003)
BALTIMORE - The American Civil Liberties Union hailed passage yesterday evening of a pro-civil liberties resolution by the Baltimore City Council, making the largest city in Maryland the 108th community nationwide to officially express concern over unnecessary erosions of basic privacy and personal liberty in post-9/11 America.

Elks Club with History of Discrimination is No Place for a County-Sponsored Banquet, Says ACLU of Maryland and NAACP (05/19/2003)
BALTIMORE-Citing a local Elks Club's century-long record of discrimination against African Americans, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland and a local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People today urged the Anne Arundel County Fire Department not to hold a county-sponsored banquet at the facility this Thursday.

ACLU of Maryland Defends Right of Anti-War Group to Hold Weekly Vigils in Baltimore Harbor Area (04/10/2003)
BALTIMORE--Saying that laws here that govern public demonstrations may violate free speech rights, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today filed a lawsuit in federal district court on behalf of members of an anti-war group who assemble in the popular Inner Harbor area for weekly, silent vigils.

ACLU, Civil Rights Groups and Maryland Officials Reach Landmark Racial Profiling Settlement (04/02/2003)
ANNAPOLIS, MD--After months of delays and false starts, the Maryland Board of Public Works today approved a historic settlement ending the practice of racial profiling on the state's highways, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland announced.

University of Maryland Students Seek to Overturn Free Speech Ban at College Park Campus (03/06/2003)
GREENBELT, MD-The American Civil Liberties Union and a private Washington law firm today filed a lawsuit on behalf of students at the University of Maryland at College Park who are challenging a university policy that places unreasonable restrictions on outdoor public speaking and leafleting on the university's 1,500-acre campus.

ACLU of MD and Civil Rights Groups Decry Further Stalling on Landmark Racial Profiling Settlement (02/05/2003)
ANNAPOLIS, MD - After state officials here once again put off consideration of a negotiated settlement in a landmark racial profiling lawsuit, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland and the NAACP said today that they are disappointed and are considering "next steps." The class-action lawsuit brought national attention to the issue of "driving while black or brown."

ACLU of Maryland and Civil Rights Groups Decry Postponement of Vote on Landmark Racial Profiling Settlement (01/08/2003)
BALTIMORE-The ACLU of Maryland and civil rights groups today accused state officials of foot-dragging after Governor-elect Robert Ehrlich postponed a vote to settle a landmark racial profiling lawsuit at the state Board of Public Works. The class action lawsuit brought national attention to the issue of "driving while black."

ACLU Declares 10 Commandments Case Successful; Dismisses Federal Lawsuit Against City of Frederick (12/03/2002)
BALTIMORE-Declaring that its court challenge to a Ten Commandments monument successfully established the principle that religious monuments may not be located on government property, the ACLU of Maryland today dismissed its suit against the City and County of Frederick.

Maryland Community Becomes Latest to Speak Out Against Repressive Bush Administration Measures, USA Patriot Act (10/29/2002)
TAKOMA PARK, MD -- In a move hailed by the American Civil Liberties Union as a sign of continuing grassroots unease about the Bush Administration's response to the terrorist attacks, the Takoma Park City Council last night adopted a sweeping resolution protesting federal measures that violate civil liberties.

Maryland Stays Execution and Becomes Second State to Declare Death Penalty Moratorium; ACLU Applauds Governor's Courage (05/10/2002)
WASHINGTON-The American Civil Liberties Union's Capital Punishment Project applauds the leadership of Governor Parris Glendening of Maryland, who stayed the execution of Wesley Eugene Baker and announced a moratorium on all executions in the state pending the release later this year of a state study which examines racial biases in capital cases. 

ACLU of Maryland Applauds Education Funding Increase; Calls It Important Step Toward Educational Adequacy for Schoolchildren (05/06/2002)
BALTIMORE--In what is being hailed as a visionary school plan, Maryland Governor Parris Glendening will today sign the Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act into law-- a move that will increase statewide education funding by $1.1 billion over five years. An American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland lawsuit brought on behalf of underserved urban schoolchildren has served as the catalyst for this unprecedented appropriation that will ultimately benefit all of Maryland's schoolchildren. 

ACLU of Maryland Voices "Continued Concerns" Over Sex Offender Registry Website (04/22/2002)
BALTIMORE-- The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland continues to have concerns

ACLU of Maryland Announces Hotline for Immigrants To Be Questioned by FBI (12/14/2001)
BALTIMORE-In response to the Department of Justice's plan to interview thousands of Middle Eastern men across the country, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today announced the creation of a "Know Your Rights" telephone hotline for the approximately 85 men in the state who have been targeted for questioning by the FBI. 

ACLU Wins Release of Details of Baltimore Police Department's $250,000 Secret Fund (12/10/2001)
BALTIMORE--In a victory for the principle of open government, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today won the release of information about a secret $250,000 fund established for the Baltimore City Police Department. 

Maryland's Antidiscrimination Act Goes into Effect After ACLU Defeats Attempts to Derail Landmark Law (11/21/2001)
BALTIMORE--Gays and lesbians in Maryland will have immediate equal protection in housing, employment and accommodations today as the state's Antidiscrimination Act of 2001 goes into effect, following legal action by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland. 

Appeals Court Finds Maryland State Police Liable For Gender Discrimination in 'Trooper Dad' Case (11/08/2001)
RICHMOND, VA -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today applauded the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision to disallow the Maryland State Police to escape liability for their discriminatory treatment of a state trooper who was denied leave from work to care for his newborn child because the police department limited parental leave of absence to 'mothers only.'

ACLU and Community Group Challenge Secret Baltimore Police Fund for "Clandestine" Operations (06/21/2001)
BALTIMORE--The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today filed a lawsuit seeking to uncover how a secret $250,000 fund for high-tech surveillance equipment is being spent by local police. 

Annapolis Will Not Appeal Federal Court's Rejection Of "Loitering While Black" Law in ACLU Challenge (04/26/2001)
ANNAPOLIS, MD - The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today commended the Annapolis City Council's decision to not appeal the March 30, 2001 federal court ruling striking down the city's loitering ordinance. 

Appeals Court Hears Arguments Today in Case of MD 'Trooper Dad' Denied Family Leave (01/26/2001)
RICHMOND, VA --The American Civil Liberties Union will appear before a federal appeals court here today to argue against the Maryland State Police Department's appeal of a $375,000 jury award to Kevin Knussman, the state trooper who was illegally denied leave from work to care for his newborn daughter because he is male.

ACLU Announces Model Settlement in Maryland Disability Rights Challenge (12/19/2000)
BALTIMORE, MD--The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland and the Maryland Disability Law Center today announced their settlement of a federal court lawsuit filed last April on behalf of a disability rights advocate against the city of Cambridge.

ACLU Challenge Ends Student Drug Testing in Maryland Schools (08/17/2000)
EASTON, MD -- In a national first, Maryland school officials who removed 18 high school students from final exam review classes and forced them to have their urine tested on the stage of their school auditorium agreed last night to cease all student drug testing in county schools and pay damages to the students, effectively conceding that the harms of school drug testing outweigh the benefits.

ACLU Wins Appeal in Public Housing Desegregation Suit (07/14/2000)
BALTIMORE, MD -- In a major victory for Baltimore City public housing residents, a federal appeals court this week put a stop to the city's 60-year pattern of building public housing in only poor, minority areas of Baltimore.

Suspending Rastafarian Police Officer for Wearing Dreadlocks Violates Religious Liberty, ACLU Says (07/11/2000)
BALTIMORE, MD -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today called on the Baltimore Police Department to reinstate a suspended Rastafarian police officer who wears his hair in locks for religious reasons.

ACLU of MD Asks Court to Throw Out Annapolis 'Anti-Loitering' Law (07/06/2000)
BALTIMORE, MD -- In a motion filed today on behalf of the local NAACP, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland asked a federal judge to rule Annapolis' anti-loitering law unconstitutional on the grounds that it violates free speech rights and is enforced mainly against African Americans, Hispanics and public housing residents.

Handheld Computers to Track Traffic Stops in Montgomery County, Maryland (06/27/2000)
ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND -- According to a story in today's Montgomery Journal, police officers in Montgomery County will be issued one more piece of equipment to go along with their handcuffs and uniforms - handheld computers.

Students and Parents Challenge "Rumor Mill" Drug Testing at Maryland High School (05/02/2000)
BALTIMORE, MD -- In what is believed to be the first legal challenge to student drug testing in the state, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland and a private law firm filed suit here today in federal district court on behalf of a group of Easton High School students and their parents.

ACLU, NAACP Ask Court to Approve "DWB" Class Action Lawsuit Against Maryland State Police (03/08/2000)
BALTIMORE, MD--Led by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Maryland NAACP, a group of 14 minority motorists today asked a federal judge to approve their request to file a class action challenge to racial profiling by the Maryland State Police.

In Historic Settlement with ACLU, Maryland Clears Last of its Sodomy Laws From the Books (01/19/1999)
BALTIMORE--In the first deal of its kind, state officials agreed to a court order that will clear the last of Maryland's outmoded sodomy laws from its books, the American Civil Liberties Union announced today.