On January 1, 2024, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown launched the Civil Rights Division of the Office of the Attorney General of Maryland. The Division was established to implement the authority given to the Attorney General by the General Assembly to enforce State, federal, and local anti-discrimination laws. This expanded authority is a first in Maryland history and allows the Office, alongside its partners, to protect Marylanders no matter their race, color, religion or creed, sex, age, ancestry or national origin, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
The Civil Rights Division also houses the Office of the Attorney General’s work to combat hate in Maryland and staffing the Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention. The Division will continue the Attorney General’s work to ensure that there is no home for hate in Maryland.
On June 4, 2024, a new portal was announced with information on the work the Office of the Attorney General is doing to combat hate, a brand-new online reporting form, resources for anyone who has been impacted, a calendar of events, what the Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention is doing, and more. This portal supplements the Office of the Attorney General’s Hate Crimes Hotline (1-866-481-8361) and can be found at nohomeforhate.md.gov. Both the hotline and the portal are tools for Marylanders to find the resources they need after they have been the victim of hate or have witnessed a hate incident.
The Division is staffed by a team of lawyers, investigators, and paralegals who will investigate allegations of civil rights violations and pursue remedies, including changes to policies, practices, and procedures; restitution; and civil penalties. Claims brought by the Division will be on behalf of the State of Maryland and will be designed to address discriminatory practices that affect or impact beyond an individual claimant. The Division also does not have the authority to address civil rights violations by State or local governments or agencies. Individual claims and claims against governmental agencies will continue to be handled by the Maryland Commission for Civil Rights.
Reports of civil rights violations can be made to the Division by completing the Civil Rights Complaint Form. Complaints will be reviewed by the Division staff for potential enforcement actions.
The Division is also charged with implementing the Walter Lomax Act. This law was enacted to create a fair mechanism to provide compensation for persons wrongfully convicted of a felony and confined to prison. Qualified persons receive financial compensation, education and training relevant to life skills, job and vocational training, or financial literacy through the Department of Labor; health and dental benefits from the Department of Health; a State identification card through the Motor Vehicle Administration; and enrollment and payment of tuition and fees for attending a public higher education institution through the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
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