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Adrienne Jones
//February 28, 2023
Adrienne Jones
Speaker of the House, Maryland House of Delegates
Adrienne Jones was ready to get down to business in January after being unanimously re-elected speaker by her colleagues. When she was first elected unanimously in 2019, she made history as the first Black and first woman speaker.
With big Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, and a new Democratic governor in Wes Moore, the Baltimore County Democrat has an ambitious agenda, including ensuring Maryland remains a safe state for those seeking an abortion, the legalized recreational cannabis industry has an equity component and the state invests in mental health services.
In January, Jones called an estimated 6,800 jobs open in state agencies “horrendous.”
“I think it’s one of the highest vacancy rates the state has ever seen,” said Jones, a District 10 delegate since 1997. “We anticipate having a healthy budget surplus that will give us enough funding to actually have new programs and new employees.”
In early February, Jones introduced a bill that would create a one-year service program for young residents. The legislation calls for service positions in place of higher education or careers that would provide mentoring and training while paying $15 an hour for at least 30 hours a week.
During her tenure as speaker, Jones has also addressed race-based economic and health disparities, advocated juvenile justice reforms and worked to ensure minority participation in the state gambling industry. She also has made leadership appointments that she says further reflect the diversity of the state.
Jones received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. In 2008, she received an honorary doctor of law from Goucher College.
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This profile is part of The Daily Record's Power Government & Lobbyist list for 2023. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at thedailyrecord.com>. |
