EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0802*
HOUSE BILL 802
K3 4lr0731
CF 4lr3311
By: Delegates Vogel, Charkoudian, and Stewart
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2024
Assigned to: Economic Matters
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Labor and Employment – Mandatory Meetings on Religious or Political Matters 2
– Employee Attendance and Participation 3
(Protecting Workers From Captive Audience Meetings Act) 4
FOR the purpose of prohibiting employers from taking certain actions against an employee 5
or applicant for employment because the employee or applicant declines to attend or 6
participate in employer–sponsored meetings during which the employer 7
communicates the opinion of the employer regarding religious matters or political 8
matters; and generally relating to employee attendance and participation in 9
employer meetings on religious or political matters. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Labor and Employment 12
Section 3–718 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Labor and Employment 18
3–718. 19
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANING S 20
INDICATED. 21
(2) “POLITICAL MATTERS” MEANS MATTERS RELATI NG TO: 22
(I) ELECTIONS FOR POLITI CAL OFFICE; 23 2 HOUSE BILL 802
(II) POLITICAL PARTIES ; 1
(III) PROPOSALS TO CHANGE : 2
1. LEGISLATION; 3
2. REGULATIONS ; OR 4
3. PUBLIC POLICY; OR 5
(IV) THE DECISION TO JOIN OR SUPPORT A POLITICAL PARTY OR 6
POTENTIAL CIVIC , COMMUNITY , FRATERNAL, OR LABOR ORGANIZATIO N. 7
(3) “RELIGIOUS MATTERS” MEANS MATTERS RELATI NG TO 8
RELIGIOUS BELIEF , AFFILIATION, AND PRACTICE OR THE DECISION TO JOIN OR 9
SUPPORT A RELIGIOUS ENTITY. 10
(B) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO AN EMPLOYER THAT IS A RELIGIOUS 11
CORPORATION , ORGANIZATION , OR ASSOCIATION , OR AN EDUCATIONAL 12
INSTITUTION OR SOCIE TY THAT IS EXEMPT FR OM THE REQUIREMENTS OF TITLE VII 13
OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 UNDER 42 U.S.C. § 2000E–1(A). 14
(C) AN EMPLOYER MAY NOT : 15
(1) DISCHARGE, DISCIPLINE, OR OTHERWISE PENALIZ E OR 16
THREATEN TO DISCHARG E, DISCIPLINE, OR OTHERWISE PENALIZ E AN EMPLOYEE 17
BECAUSE THE EMPLOYEE DECLINES TO ATTEND O R PARTICIPATE IN AN 18
EMPLOYER–SPONSORED MEETING DURING WHICH THE EMPLOYER COMMUNI CATES 19
THE OPINION OF THE EMPLO YER REGARDING RELIGIOUS MATTERS OR POLITICAL 20
MATTERS; OR 21
(2) FAIL OR REFUSE TO HI RE AN APPLICANT FOR EMPLOYMENT AS A 22
RESULT OF THE APPLIC ANT’S REFUSAL TO ATTEND OR PARTICIPATE IN AN 23
EMPLOYER–SPONSORED MEETING DURING WHICH THE EMPLOYER COMMUNI CATES 24
THE OPINION OF THE E MPLOYER REGARDING RELIGIOUS MATTERS OR POLITICAL 25
MATTERS. 26
(D) THIS SECTION DOES NOT PROHIBIT AN EMPLOYER FROM : 27
(1) COMMUNICATING INFORM ATION THAT THE EMPLO YER IS 28
REQUIRED BY LAW TO C OMMUNICATE ; OR 29
HOUSE BILL 802 3
(2) CONDUCTING A MEETING THAT INVOLVES RELIGIOUS MATTERS 1
OR POLITICAL MATTERS IF ATTENDANCE AND PARTI CIPATION ARE VOLUNTA RY. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FUR THER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 3
October 1, 2024. 4