Adrienne Jones Steps Down: A New Chapter for Maryland Politics

Maryland House of Delegates Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County), the first woman and the first Black legislator to hold the post, is stepping down after more than six years in the job.

Multiple sources confirmed that she had decided to retire before the 2026 legislative session. The announcement came as Jones called a meeting Thursday with leaders of the House’s standing committees.

For the better part of the month, Jones, 71, has been quietly absent. She did not attend a fundraiser for the House Democratic Caucus last month and sharply curtailed her schedule during that same time as behind-the-scenes jockeying to succeed her circulated Annapolis.

Neither Jones nor her staff responded to multiple requests for comment.

Her decision caps a difficult year for the speaker that included the sudden death of her son Brandon in February.

She surprised many when she filed for re-election in June.

Jones, a lawmaker with a nearly 30-year career, ascended to the rostrum as a compromise candidate following the death of her predecessor Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel).

Jones served 17 years as speaker pro tem under Busch and also served during that time as chair of the House Appropriations capital budget subcommittee.

Despite the pair of powerful posts, Jones was known as a quiet leader — a quality she brought to her time as speaker. In that role, Jones was known for a decentralized approach to guiding the chamber, allowing her committee chairs wider authority.

In some ways, Jones’ career was marked by being in the right place at the right time.

Jones worked in Baltimore County overseeing the county’s office of fair practices. She was not politically active at the time, but found herself vying to succeed Del. Joan Neverdon Parker, who died in 1997. Jones was backed by her boss, County Executive Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Baltimore County) and his political machine.

She took Parker’s seat on the House Appropriations Committee and became friends with Del. Maggie McIntosh, who later went on to chair the committee. The late Appropriations Chair Del. Howard “Pete” Rawlings (D-Baltimore City) became something of a mentor to her during that time.

She continued her quiet climb up the leadership ladder when Busch became speaker.

Busch’s death at the end of the 2019 session touched off a scramble to replace him.

Jones initially entered the fray but quickly put her support behind Del. Dereck Davis (D-Prince George’s), then chair of the House Economic Matters Committee. Davis however could not secure enough Democrats within his caucus. The Democratic Caucus sought a compromise candidate and they found one in Jones, who was later elected unanimously by the full House in a special session that lasted less than 15 minutes.

Jones has championed a number of social justice issues including increased funding for historically underfunded Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the state. She also threw her support behind ensuring equity licenses in the state’s newly opened recreational cannabis and sports gaming industries.

And she successfully backed efforts to enshrine the right to an abortion in the Maryland Constitution — a legislative effort backed by Busch before her.

In her first year as Speaker, Jones led the chamber in session truncated by COVID-19. It was a pandemic that would mark a large portion of her time as presiding officer.

Her departure touches off a new scramble to fill the void at the rostrum

Early candidates include House Appropriations Chair Ben Barnes and House Health and Government Operations Chair Joseline Pena-Melnyk, both Democrats who represent the same district that spans Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Counties.

Also on the list are House Economic Matters Chair Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles) and Del. Jheanelle Wilkins. (D-Montgomery) vice chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and chair of the Legislative Black Caucus.

Del. Vanessa Atterbeary (D-Howard), who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, had been considered a contender for the position, but announced earlier this year that she would not seek reelection to the House but instead would run for Howard County Executive. It is not clear if Jones’ sudden departure will change her plans.

– This story will be updated.

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