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.
*hb0899*
HOUSE BILL 899
P1 5lr1890
By: Delegates Wolek and Solomon
Introduced and read first time: January 30, 2025
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 6, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
General Provisions – Commemorative Months – Muslim American Heritage and 2
Jewish American Heritage Months 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Governor annually to proclaim certain months as Muslim 4
American Heritage and Jewish American Heritage months; requiring the 5
proclamations to urge certain organizations to observe the months with certain 6
programs and activities; and generally relating to Muslim American Heritage and 7
Jewish American Heritage months. 8
BY renumbering 9
Article – General Provisions 10
Section 7–501 through 7–503 and 7–504 through 7–507 11
to be Section 7–502 through 7–504 and 7–506 through 7–509, respectively 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 14
BY adding to 15
Article – General Provisions 16
Section 7–501 and 7–505 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 19
Preamble 20
2 HOUSE BILL 899
WHEREAS, There are over 350,000 Muslim Marylanders who currently reside in 1
the State and, for generations, have contributed to enriching the artistic, business, 2
academic, and public service communities thereby significantly increasing the vibrancy of 3
Maryland; and 4
WHEREAS, There are over 250,000 Jewish Marylanders who currently reside in the 5
State and, for generations, have contributed to enriching the artistic, business, academic, 6
and public service communities thereby significantly increasing the vibrancy of Maryland; 7
now, therefore, 8
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 9
That Section(s) 7–501 through 7–503 and 7–504 through 7–507 of Article – General 10
Provisions of the Annotated Code of Maryland be renumbered to be Section(s) 7–502 11
through 7–504 and 7–506 through 7–509, respectively. 12
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read 13
as follows: 14
Article – General Provisions 15
7–501. 16
(A) THE GOVERNOR ANNUALLY SHA LL PROCLAIM THE MONT H OF JANUARY 17
AS MUSLIM AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IN RECOGNITION OF THE 18
CONTRIBUTIONS THAT MUSLIM AMERICANS HAVE MADE T O THE STATE. 19
(B) THE PROCLAMATION SHALL UR GE EDUCATIONAL AND CULT URAL 20
ORGANIZATIONS TO OBS ERVE MUSLIM AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH PROPERLY 21
WITH APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS , CEREMONIES , AND ACTIVITIES. 22
7–505. 23
(A) THE GOVERNOR ANNUALLY SHA LL PROCLAIM THE MONT H OF MAY AS 24
JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IN RECOGNITION OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS 25
THAT JEWISH AMERICANS HAVE MADE T O THE STATE. 26
(B) THE PROCLAMATION SHAL L URGE EDUCATIONAL A ND CULTURAL 27
ORGANIZATIONS TO OBS ERVE JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH PROPERLY 28
WITH APPROPRIATE PRO GRAMS, CEREMONIES , AND ACTIVITIES. 29
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 30
October 1, 2025. 31