Maryland Senate President Thomas Mike Miller Jr. Mike announced the appointment of Baltimore County Senator Dolores Kelley as a new member and Vice-Chair of the Judicial Proceedings (JPR) Committee in a 2016-07-15 press release. Kelley replaces the current Vice-Chair, Baltimore City Senator Lisa Gladden who had to take a leave of absence during the 2016 Session for chronic health problems. Baltimore City Senator Nathaniel McFadden temporarily took Gladden’s place on the Committee during her Session absence. Baltimore County Senator Robert “Bobby” Zirkin remains the Chair of the JPR Committee.

From the press release:

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., announced today the appointment of Senator Delores Kelley (D-10, Baltimore County), as a member and the Vice-Chair of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee .

“As one of the sharpest minds in the Senate, I am excited to have Senator Kelley bring her talents and hardworking approach back to the Judicial Proceedings Committee,” stated Senate President Miller. “Senator Kelley’s expertise and commitment to an array of issues including juvenile justice, domestic violence, consumer protections, and sentencing policy will be a tremendous asset for the committee. I look forward to continuing to work with her in this new role.”

Senator Kelley began her Senate service on the Judicial Proceedings Committee and she has remained active in areas of the Committee’s jurisdiction throughout her career. Among other roles, she has served as a member on: the Governor’s Task Force on Judicial Nominating Commissions; the Senate Special Committee Medical Malpractice Liability Insurance; the Family Violence Council; the Task Force on Common Ownership Communities; the Task Force to Study Identity Theft; and the Maryland Foreclosure Task Force.

Senator Kelley has been honored by numerous organizations for her work and dedication to these areas of public policy including receiving the Defender of the Defender Award from the Office of the Public Defender; the Legislator of the Year from the Domestic Violence Network of Maryland; The Champion for Children Award from the Maryland Foster Care Review Board; and the Annual Racial Justice Award from the YWCA of Greater Baltimore.  She currently serves as one of the Senate representatives on the Maryland State Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy, and has served on the Judicial Nominating Committee of the Legislative Black Caucus since 2001.

Further detail from a Baltimore Sun article (2016-07-15):

Kelley’s elevation creates a rare circumstance under which both the chair and vice chair of a General Assembly standing committee come from a single jurisdiction. …

“It’ll be hard work but I think I’m up for it,” said Kelley. She noted that she has frequently proposed bills in the committee’s jurisdiction and has appeared before the panel frequently to present them.

Kelley said she has not yet decided whether to seek re-election in 2018 but has been raising campaign money.

Gladden, who has multiple sclerosis, missed about half of this year’s legislative session with health problems after a fall. …

There has been public speculation, which Gladden has not confirmed, that she might resign her seat before next year’s legislative session because of health problems.

Useful Links

JPR Committee Webpage

Senator Kelley Webpage