 The statute, which would inspire future nondiscrimination ordinances in Baltimore and Howard County, was challenged in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County by anti-equality activists who wanted to force the statute to be subject to a popular vote.Shurberg argued extensively against the validity of the referendum petition, both before the Circuit Court and the Maryland Court of Appeals.The combined efforts of Shurberg and local LGBT organizations, including the National Center for Transgender Equality, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Lambda Legal, and Human Rights Campaign protected the statute, and would set the precedent for the 2014 passage of the Fairness for All Marylanders Act, a law that amended the state's nondiscrimination statute to include gender identity.