ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order Tuesday calling the Maryland General Assembly into special session on Dec. 16 to elect a new Speaker of the House of Delegates.
The action follows Speaker Adrienne A. Jones’s announcement last week that she will step down after six years leading the chamber. Jones, the first woman and first Black person to serve as Maryland House Speaker, assumed the role in 2019 after the death of Speaker Michael Busch.
The House of Delegates formally requested the special session to fill the leadership vacancy before the 2026 regular session begins Jan. 14.
Under Maryland law, the governor must issue a proclamation to convene a special session. The 141-member House will organize on Dec. 16 to elect Jones’s successor by majority vote during a floor session open to the public.
The special session may also address other pending matters before the 90-day regular session starts in January, though the primary focus remains electing a new speaker and organizing leadership teams.
Jones, a Baltimore County Democrat, guided the House through the COVID-19 pandemic, major criminal justice reforms, and multibillion-dollar budget packages. She announced her decision to step down during a closed-door Democratic caucus last week, citing a desire to return to committee work and mentor newer members.
The incoming speaker will lead a House that remains heavily Democratic with 102 members to 39 Republicans following the 2022 elections. Democrats in Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties are represented within the majority caucus, though Southern Maryland sends several Republicans to Annapolis as well.
Maryland is one of only a handful of states where the speaker is elected by the full House rather than appointed by party leadership. The position carries significant influence over committee assignments, bill flow, and budget negotiations with the Senate and governor.
The Dec. 16 session will convene at the State House in Annapolis. Proceedings are expected to begin at noon and will be streamed live on the General Assembly website.
