Chair of Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland to step down

(WBFF) — Del. Jheanelle Wilkins will step down from her role as Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland after being appointed the chair of a separate committee, according to a statement.

Wilkins had served as chair of the caucus since December 2022. She will assume the role of Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee after being appointed by new Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk

ALSO READ | Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates highlights crime reduction in re-election bid

“Her tenure marks a defining era for the Caucus, characterized by an intentional focus on the Caucus’ policy agenda, unwavering unity behind its purpose, and connection to the communities we serve,” the statement announcing the move read. “From the outset of her leadership, Chair Wilkins brought a vision that was both expansive and grounded, strengthening the Caucus internally while elevating its stature within the General Assembly and across the state.”

According to that statement, the Caucus championed over 40 bills and key budget items that passed across the three most recent legislative sessions. Those initiatives included:

• Addressing Black maternal health with several successful bills, including the Black Maternal Health Act of 2024.
• Expanding health insurance coverage for breast cancer, lung cancer, and biomarker testing.
• Addressing prescription drug affordability by working in coalition to pass the Prescription Drug Affordability Act, expanding the state’s drug affordability authority.
• Mandating a $750,000 Maryland Department of Health public education campaign to address cancer disparities.
• Expanding access to early detection of heart disease through calcium score testing.
• Securing the Second Look Act to address over-sentencing and overrepresentation of Black people in Maryland prisons.
• Passing the Maryland Reparations Commission, a historic step toward confronting and remedying the lasting harms of slavery and state-sanctioned discrimination.
• Reforming public safety and justice policy, including expungement reform, parole access for elderly and medically vulnerable individuals, creating a correctional ombudsman, reentry support for returning citizens, and ending unjust cannabis searches.
• Protecting and strengthening community schools and funding for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
• Improving public education by addressing chronic absenteeism, the Maryland teacher shortage, restorative practices in schools, and student loan debt.
• Championing HBCU funding and protecting HBCUs from program duplication.
• Delivering unprecedented state procurement reform and improving the Black business contracting landscape, including in the areas of forecasting, Board of Public Works transparency, extending the MBE program, and increasing the Small Business Reserve Program goal to 15%.

Maryland’s General Assembly will convene for its next legislative session beginning on January 14.