A spirit of change was alive and well in the packed chambers of the State House as Maryland lawmakers convened for the 445th Session of the General Assembly Wednesday.
The beginning of this year’s session marked a special moment as state lawmakers entered the legislative term preparing for a new Democratic administration and returned to a semblance of normalcy nearly three years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the next 90 days, legislators are expected to tackle a number of significant issues including regulation of recreational marijuana, gun control, education and the state budget and budget surplus.
In the Senate, the seat for president did not change as Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-46) was re-elected to serve his second term after being nominated by Sen. Brian J. Feldman (D-15).
“President Ferguson succeeded the longest-serving senate president in United States history and faced the inevitable question everyday of ‘what would our former president have done’ and he embraced this challenge and charted his own panel successfully,” said Feldman. “No one is asking what the former senate president would have done anymore, they ask ‘what would Bill think’ and that is a testament to what he has done.”
In his address, Ferguson touched on multiple issues across the state specifically referencing transportation, climate change, affordable child care and cost of living.
“These are not Democratic problems nor Republican problems, these are Maryland problems that exist in each and every one of our districts and the truth of today is that solving these challenges will come from the individuals in this room who have been charged by their constituents to shape the future,” said Ferguson.
In the position of president pro tem, Sen. Malcolm Augustine (D-47) was nominated by Sen. Melony Griffith (D-25).
“For the past three years it has been a great honor to serve as the president pro tem alongside President Bill Ferguson, so when the opportunity presented to nominate a new president pro tem, I had a sense of what he was looking for,” said Griffith. “Combining subject matter expertise, professional achievements, hard work, compassion for community and love of family, I have to nominate Sen. Augustine.”
Augustine was elected to the position unanimously.
“Our president is an inclusive leader who is committed to best practice policy and budgetary decisions on behalf of all Marylanders and I am honored and super excited to be a part of the team,” said Augustine.
In the House of Delegates, leadership held steady as House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-10), and Speaker Pro Tem Sheree Sample-Hughes (D-37A) were reelected to their positions.
Sample-Hughes reflected on the historic nature of the 2023 legislative term as the new administration prepares to take the helm, reminding both incumbent and freshman delegates of the need for adaptability and flexibility to work for their constituents.
“We work in this chamber, and your light is valued, and collectively, we will illuminate the dark areas and improve where improvement is needed for our people, together,” she said.
Jones said her priority for the session is to rebuild the state government, emphasizing the high vacancy rate across state agencies and the crucial need for state employees to have a functioning government.
“This is Annapolis. In Annapolis, and in this chamber, we get things done, and we do it in decency and in order,” she said. “We respect each other, we work across the aisle and across the hall — and plus, we start on time.”
