Transgender Law Case Heats Up in MoCo

Proponents of broad new protections for transgender individuals in Montgomery County were headed back to court today.

Attorneys with Equality Maryland and Lambda Legal - a national gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy group - planned to ask a Circuit Court judge in Rockville to invalidate a referendum seeking to repeal the law passed unanimously by the County Council last fall.

Opponents of the measure, with the group Citizens for Responsible Government, have collected enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot, according to the county Board of Elections.

But proponents have been reviewing the validity of those signatures and say they do not meet the required legal standard.

"There is a high standard that must be met when it comes to attacking a duly-enacted law by referendum," Natalie Chin, a Lambda Legal staff attorney said in a statement.