Peña-Melnyk elected next Md. House speaker

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Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk made history on Tuesday when she was unanimously elected as the 109th speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates.

She is the second woman and first Afro-Latina to hold the position — both distinctions she touched on in her remarks after the vote. 

“As a Dominicana, as an American, as an Afro-Latina … a friend, a mother, a wife, I will carry those experiences with me into every decision as we confront real challenges facing Maryland: affordability, access to quality education and health care, public safety, economic opportunity and the responsibility to build a future that is sustainable and just,” Peña-Melnyk said upon being sworn-in.

The Democrat from Maryland’s 21st district, which includes parts of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties, came to this position thanks to a unique process.

Last week, Gov. Wes Moore, also a Democrat, announced that the General Assembly would convene a rare special legislative session to elect a new House speaker after Speaker emeritus Adrienne A. Jones, D-Baltimore County, announced she was stepping down from the position.

Peña-Melnyk, 59, was nominated during a House Democratic Caucus meeting in quick order Tuesday morning, when the doors closed at 10:05 a.m. By 10:19, an overwhelming “aye” could be heard from the caucus, followed by applause.

Upon the close of the meeting, which lasted just 41 minutes, Peña-Melnyk said she was “humbled and honored” to be nominated by her colleagues and pledged to be “an inclusive leader.”

“I’m going to lead with my colleagues,” said Peña-Melnyk. “This House belongs to all of us.”

Peña-Melnyk also paid homage to Jones, whom she said “leaves big shoes” for her to fill. Jones, 71, will maintain her seat as a representative of Baltimore County’s 10th district.

“She was a transformative leader,” said Peña-Melnyk. “When you look at the way she led … with integrity, with honor and balance, I hope I can do that, as well.”

When the House gaveled in to finalize her election, Del. Mary Lehman, D-Anne Arundel and Prince George’s, stood to officially nominate Peña-Melnyk, calling her a friend and mentor.

Lehman noted that Peña-Melnyk had participated in public service all her life, first as a child who translated for other immigrants at the public service office in New York City.

“A remarkable journey for a self-described ‘island girl’ from the Dominican Republic,” said Lehman. “A woman who is tough and tenacious, but also unfailingly kind, compassionate and humble — rare traits together in any line of work, rarer still in politics.”

In a show of bipartisan support for the ascending speaker, Del. Thomas S. Hutchinson, R-Dorchester, offered the close of the nominations. Hutchinson said that, as his committee chair, she was a “leader that was always willing to understand — regardless of what side of the aisle on which you stand.”

“You know, she often says at the end of a conversation or at the end of a hearing, ‘Have a blessed day.’ Those aren’t mere words that come out of her mouth,” Hutchinson said. “Those are words that come out of her heart and she truly, truly means it. She wants everyone to have a blessed day, and today, we are having a blessed day.”

The new speaker’s history, from the Dominican Republic to the State House

Peña-Melnyk was elected to the House of Delegates in 2006. She has served on the House Health and Government Operations Committee throughout her tenure.

In 2019, Peña-Melnyk was tapped to serve as the committee’s vice chair alongside former chair Shane Pendergrass, D-Howard. Peña-Melnyk became the committee chair in 2022 when Pendergrass did not seek reelection.

During her time in the General Assembly, she has been an advocate for reproductive justice, civil rights, mental health policy and eradicating health disparities among Marylanders.

She was also a founder and the first chair of the Legislative Latino Caucus.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Peña-Melnyk immigrated to the United States as a child. She described the first years of her life on the island, living in a small, wooden house with a tin roof — “one that had holes where the rain would come through.” She said she didn’t have indoor plumbing and used dried corn husks and old newspaper as toilet paper.

“There were many days when there was no food,” said Peña-Melnyk during her speech. “Those memories are not shared for sympathy. They are reminders of where I come from, and the resilience that hardship can forge.”

She moved to the United States at age 8, where she said her family similarly struggled. Her mother never missed work, even when running a fever, and her family subsisted on social services to survive.

After growing up in New York City, she became the first in her family to attend college and law school,  receiving a bachelor’s of arts in criminal justice from Buffalo State College and a law degree from the University at Buffalo School of Law.

Peña-Melnyk previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., as well as a member of the College Park City Council. She is a mother of three.

‘Dawning of a new era’

Her speakership was hailed by education, health and environmental advocates, lobbyists, county executives and constitutional officers, alike.

“This is the dawning of a new era in Annapolis, where the question that guided us will be, ‘What’s the most we can do?'” said Jamie DeMarco of DeMarco Advocacy.

Senate President Bill Ferguson, D-Baltimore City, said that her unanimous election is “a testament to her inclusive leadership, deep institutional knowledge, and lifelong commitment to public service.”

Maryland State Education Association President Paul Lemle said her tenure will continue the progress made to boost Maryland public schools and “to lift up the most vulnerable Marylanders in our communities.”

“We look forward to partnering with Speaker Peña-Melnyk to build on the work of Speaker Jones in improving resources for our public schools and opportunities for our students,” Lemle said in a statement. “As Maryland faces the challenges of chaotic and destructive budget actions from Washington, D.C., Speaker Peña-Melnyk will be a forceful leader to make sure that Marylanders — and the schools and services that we depend on — are protected and supported.”

Comptroller Brooke Lierman, a Democrat who served in the House with Peña-Melnyk, called her a “champion for Marylanders, a relentless representative for her constituents, and a consensus-builder among her colleagues.”

“I had the pleasure of working with her during my time in the House of Delegates and have continued to seek her counsel – Joseline Peña-Melnyk has always been a tenacious and principled colleague and a loyal friend,” said Lierman. “Maryland is fortunate to have her leadership and I commend the House for selecting her as its new Speaker – the first immigrant or Latina to serve in that role.”

Updated at 2:35 p.m. with additional information and quotes.