On Thursday, Republicans successfully secured a second delay in the advancement of a bill aimed at redrawing the state’s congressional districts ahead of this fall’s midterm elections. However, House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk made it abundantly clear that this latest postponement would be final.
“Alright, the chair will not permit a second postponement of this bill tomorrow,” Peña-Melnyk asserted from the podium. “Let’s be clear: If you have amendments, bring them tomorrow, and we will address this bill then. Be sure to submit them. There will not be another delay.”
The House commenced preliminary discussions on House Bill 488 on Thursday, just two days following its approval by the committee. This occurred less than a week after the legislation was introduced, introduced as a “conceptual” map on January 21. If Peña-Melnyk adheres to her timeline, the bill could be passed to the Senate as soon as next week.
Peña-Melnyk’s firm reminder followed approximately an hour of debate focusing on a single Republican amendment. The House leader commended the chamber for maintaining a civil discourse on what she deemed an emotionally charged matter for both parties.
“Children were here witnessing our proceedings, and it was heartwarming to see how we set a positive example for them,” Peña-Melnyk commented, referring to some delegates who brought their children to the floor due to school closures from snow.
Democrats aimed to expedite the bill’s passage, which contains amendments for the Maryland Constitution.
Initially introduced last Friday, the bill was scheduled for a hearing in the House Rules Committee, which was postponed from Monday to Tuesday due to winter weather. After a lengthy five-hour testimony on Tuesday, the committee voted strictly along party lines to advance it to the full House for further consideration.
The bill proposes to reshape all eight of Maryland’s congressional districts, with a particular emphasis on enhancing competitiveness in the 1st District, currently represented by the sole Republican in Congress, Rep. Andy Harris. The proposed changes would see the 1st District, which encompasses the entire Eastern Shore, lose some areas in the upper Shore, extending instead into Anne Arundel and Howard counties across the Chesapeake Bay.
When the bill reached the House, members of the House Freedom Caucus, with the backing of conservative Republicans, requested and received a one-day delay to prepare amendments in anticipation of an extended debate.
During Thursday’s session, the House spent about an hour discussing an amendment proposed by House Minority Leader Jason C. Buckel (R-Allegany) that sought to mandate future congressional districts to be compact, contiguous, and sensitive to communities of interest. These criteria mirror those applied to state legislative districts during their formation.
Buckel’s amendment intended to codify a “novel ruling” from a 2022 decision by Judge Lynne A. Battaglia, who had invalidated a proposed congressional redistricting plan that lacked compactness and contiguity.
“This amendment holds you to standards you already adhere to in your legislative districts,” Buckel argued. “What benefits you, being good for the state, should equally apply to those congressmen in Washington, D.C., because it serves the best interests of our state.”
Conversely, the amendment would negate language introduced by bill sponsor Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles), which prevents the compact and contiguous stipulation for congressional districts.
“The standards for our legislative body, the General Assembly, do not apply to the U.S. congressional maps we create, and that is precisely what this amendment contends,” Wilson explained. “It argues that Judge Battaglia’s ruling was incorrect, a fact supported by historical context and subsequent legal actions.”
The amendment proposed by Buckel was ultimately rejected with a vote tally of 39-98.
The session concluded when Del. Matt Morgan (R-St. Mary’s) introduced a second amendment which was then followed by invoking a House rule that permitted a one-day delay, granted before Peña-Melnyk’s insistence that everyone come prepared for the discussions on the bill the next day.
