EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0233*
HOUSE BILL 233
K3 5lr1028
HB 802/24 – ECM (PRE–FILED) CF SB 576
By: Delegates Vogel, Foley, Kaufman, Pasteur, Pena–Melnyk, Terrasa, Wims, and
Woorman
Requested: October 1, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Economic Matters
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 20, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Labor and Employment – Mandatory Meetings on Religious or Political Matters 2
– Employee Attendance and Participation 3
(Maryland Worker Freedom 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 2024 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 2 HOUSE BILL 233
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
INDICATED. 2
(2) “POLITICAL MATTERS ” MEANS MATTERS RELATI NG TO: 3
(I) ELECTIONS FOR POLITI CAL OFFICE; 4
(II) POLITICAL PARTIES ; 5
(III) PROPOSALS TO CHANGE : 6
1. LEGISLATION; 7
2. REGULATIONS ; OR 8
3. PUBLIC POLICY; OR 9
(IV) THE DECISION TO JOIN OR SUPPORT A POLITIC AL PARTY OR 10
POTENTIAL CIVIC , COMMUNITY , FRATERNAL, OR LABOR ORGANIZATIO N. 11
(3) “RELIGIOUS MATTERS ” MEANS MATTERS RELATI NG TO 12
RELIGIOUS BELIEF , AFFILIATION, AND PRACTICE OR THE DECISION TO JOIN OR 13
SUPPORT A RELIGIOUS ENTITY. 14
(B) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO AN EMPLOYER THAT IS A RELIGIOUS 15
CORPORATION, ORGANIZATION , OR ASSOCIATION , OR AN EDUCATIONAL 16
INSTITUTION OR SOCIE TY THAT IS EXEMPT FR OM THE REQUIREMENTS OF TITLE VII 17
OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 UNDER 42 U.S.C. § 2000E–1(A). 18
(C) AN EMPLOYER MAY NOT : 19
(1) DISCHARGE, DISCIPLINE, OR OTHER WISE PENALIZE OR 20
THREATEN TO DISCHARG E, DISCIPLINE, OR OTHERWISE PENALIZ E AN EMPLOYEE 21
BECAUSE THE EMPLOYEE DECLINES TO ATTEND O R PARTICIPATE IN AN 22
EMPLOYER–SPONSORED MEETING DU RING WHICH THE EMPLO YER COMMUNICATES 23
THE OPINION OF THE E MPLOYER REGARDING RE LIGIOUS MATTERS OR POL ITICAL 24
MATTERS; OR 25
(2) FAIL OR REFUSE TO HI RE AN APPLICANT FOR EMPLOYMENT AS A 26
RESULT OF THE APPLIC ANT’S REFUSAL TO ATTEND OR PARTICIPATE IN AN 27
EMPLOYER–SPONSORED MEETING DU RING WHICH THE EMPLO YER COMMUNICATES 28 HOUSE BILL 233 3
THE OPINION OF THE E MPLOYER REGARDING RELIG IOUS MATTERS OR POLI TICAL 1
MATTERS. 2
(D) THIS SECTION DOES NOT PROHIBIT AN EMPLOYER FROM: 3
(1) COMMUNICATING INFORM ATION THAT THE EMPLO YER IS 4
REQUIRED BY LAW TO C OMMUNICATE ; OR 5
(2) CONDUCTING A MEETING THAT INVOLVES RELIGI OUS MATTERS 6
OR POLITICAL MATTERS IF ATTENDANCE AND PA RTICIPATION ARE VOLU NTARY. 7
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 8
October 1, 2025. 9
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.