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Jones Names Atterbeary House Ways and Means Chair, Announces Other Leadership Changes

Del. Vanessa Atterbeary (D-Howard). Photo by Danielle E. Gaines.

Following a series of departures, House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) shook up committee leadership Tuesday, appointing House Judiciary Committee Vice Chair Vanessa E. Atterbeary (D-Howard) as chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and making several other key appointments.

“Delegate Atterbeary has proven herself to be a leader that can bring members together, forge consensus and create meaningful change,” Jones said in a statement Tuesday. “I’m confident she is the right person to lead the House Ways and Means Committee into the future.”

Atterbeary is taking on the role formerly held by Del. Anne. R. Kaiser (D-Montgomery), who announced last month that she would be stepping down as committee chair to create and lead a new Public Leadership Institute and grow her teaching role at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy.

Kaiser, who hasn’t indicated if she will seek a sixth term during the 2022 election, was transferred to the House Government and Operations Committee on Tuesday.

Del. David Moon (D-Montgomery) will fill Atterbeary’s former role as the Judiciary Committee’s vice chair.

“Delegate Moon has been a champion for social justice and a force for change in the Judiciary Committee since arriving in Annapolis in 2015,” said Jones. “He will hit the ground running as Vice Chair.”

Del. Brian Crosby (D-St. Mary’s) will serve as the House Economic Matters Committee’s vice chair — a role recently vacated by former Del. Kathleen M. Dumais (D-Montgomery), who was appointed to a Montgomery County Circuit Court judgeship by Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) last week.

“In just a short time in Annapolis, Brian Crosby has created coalitions and built relationships with entrepreneurs, labor leaders, and advocates across the ideological spectrum that will serve him well as the Vice Chair of Economic Matters,” Jones said of his appointment.

Dumais also served as the Property & Casualty Insurance Subcommittee chair for the  Economic Matters Committee and will be replaced by Del. Ned Carey (D-Anne Arundel). And she co-chaired the General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, where she will be replaced by Del. J. Sandy Bartlett (D-Anne Arundel).

Del. Lorig Charkoudian (D-Montgomery) will take over Carey’s prior role as chair of the Economic Matters Unemployment Insurance Subcommittee.

Del. Tony Bridges (D-Baltimore City) was tapped to replace former Del. Keith E. Haynes (D-Baltimore City) as the chair of the Public Safety and Administration Subcommittee for the House Appropriations Committee.

Haynes abruptly announced his decision to retire over the summer.

“Overall, these appointments today reflect the growing diversity of the State and the House of Delegates,” said Jones.

Also on Tuesday, Jones announced new standing committee assignments of several delegates:

  • Delegates Nick Charles (D-Prince George’s) and Rachel Muñoz (R-Anne Arundel), who was sworn in this week, will serve on the Ways & Means Committee.
  • Del. Cheryl S. Landis (D-Prince George’s) will sit on the Health & Government Operations Committee.
  • Del. Roxane Prettyman (D-Baltimore City) will be on the Environment & Transportation Committee.
  • Del. Haven Shoemaker (R-Carroll) will move from Ways and Means to the Judiciary Committee.
  • Del. Stephanie Smith (D-Baltimore City), will move from Ways and Means to the Appropriations Committee.

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Jones Names Atterbeary House Ways and Means Chair, Announces Other Leadership Changes