NewsState

Actions

Maryland lawmakers update policy on sexual harassment

Changes approved today
Posted
and last updated

By BRIAN WITTE
Associated Press

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- A panel of Maryland lawmakers has voted to update the General Assembly's policy on sexual harassment.

Under the changes approved Tuesday, the legislature will keep track of complaints made against legislators.

Those complaints will be reported to the Legislative Policy Committee annually at a public hearing. While the reports will not name anyone, they will include how each matter was handled and any punishment received by a legislator.

The General Assembly previously has not kept track of the number of complaints filed against lawmakers, and the public has had no way to know how many complaints are filed

The latest update comes after a wave of allegations against national political, entertainment and media figures, as well as sexual misconduct concerns in statehouses around the country.