The flyer blasting California Senator Scott Wiener for his radical bills—legalizing prostitution, creating “safe” drug houses, easing penalties for HIV transmission, and pushing taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries for children—might look like West Coast extremism. But Marylanders should be paying close attention, because many of these same ideas have been copy-pasted into bills right here in Annapolis.
Supervised Drug Sites: Turning Neighborhoods Into “Injection Zones”
In California, Wiener pushed SB 57 to open state-funded drug dens under the banner of “harm reduction.” Maryland Democrats have repeatedly attempted the same. Bills from Delegate Dan Morhaim, Senator Shelly Hettleman, and Senator Brian Feldman sought to authorize “safe” injection sites in Baltimore and Montgomery County. These proposals would invite heroin and fentanyl use into our communities—on the taxpayer’s dime—while families already struggle with overdoses devastating their neighborhoods.
Rolling Back HIV Penalties: Protecting Carriers, Not Victims
California downgraded penalties for knowingly infecting someone with HIV. In 2025, Maryland Democrats followed suit. Delegate Kris Fair and Senator Will Smith championed HB 39/SB 356, repealing the state’s HIV criminal law. Supporters argued it was “stigmatizing,” but opponents warned it strips accountability and leaves innocent victims without protection.
Transgender Prisoner Housing: Safety for Inmates, or a Recipe for Abuse?
California passed SB 132, requiring biological males who identify as female to be housed in women’s prisons. Maryland Democrats pushed HB 426 and SB 761, nearly identical bills sponsored by Delegate Lesley Lopez and Senator Mary Washington. These would allow inmates to choose housing based on “gender identity,” regardless of biology. Women’s safety takes a back seat to progressive ideology.
Transgender Youth & Foster Care: A “Sanctuary” for Medical Experiments
California’s SB 107 drew national backlash for turning the state into a sanctuary for minors to receive hormones and surgeries without parental consent. Maryland lawmakers were quick to follow. Delegate Anne Kaiser and Delegate Kris Fair co-sponsored the Trans Health Equity Act (HB 283), forcing taxpayers to fund puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries—even for minors in foster care. Maryland also declared itself a “sanctuary state” for gender-affirming care, shielding doctors from out-of-state lawsuits.
What They Haven’t Done (Yet)
Not every California idea has landed here—at least not yet. Prostitution is still illegal in Maryland, and sodomy with minors remains a felony. But considering the direction of Annapolis politics, it’s not hard to imagine those debates coming soon.
A Progressive Blueprint, Paid by You
The pattern is clear: California Democrats set the agenda, and Maryland Democrats pick it up. Instead of tackling crime, education failures, or the exodus of families and businesses, the General Assembly devotes energy to fringe bills that undermine parental rights, public safety, and traditional values.
Maryland families deserve better than a legislature intent on following California’s lead. Annapolis should be solving problems—not importing them.
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