Maryland lawmakers made history on Tuesday, Dec. 16, with the unanimous election of Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk as Speaker of the House of Delegates.
The election marks the first time an Afro-Latina and an immigrant has held the powerful post.
Peña-Melnyk, a Democrat representing parts of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties, becomes the 109th Speaker of the House of Delegates and only the second woman of color to serve in the role, following her predecessor, Del. Adrienne Jones. First elected to the House in 2006, her elevation caps nearly two decades of legislative service in Annapolis.
Speaking to reporters after the voice vote, Peña-Melnyk reflected on a journey that began far from the marble halls of the State House.
“My journey did not begin in these chambers,” she said. Instead, it began “in a small wooden house with a thick tin roof” in the Dominican Republic, where her family struggled with poverty, food insecurity and unstable living conditions.
She stated that sharing those memories was not about eliciting sympathy, but about underscoring resilience. “They are reminders of where I come from and the resilience that hardship can forge,” she said.
Born in the Dominican Republic, Peña-Melnyk immigrated to the United States as a child, first settling in New York. She grew up in the Bronx, graduated from high school there and later earned a law degree from the University at Buffalo School of Law. Her legal career included work as a federal prosecutor, a public defender and a child neglect attorney. She is also a mother of three, including twins.
Colleagues from both parties credited her rise to a reputation built on diligence, empathy and fairness.
Del. Mary Lehman, who once served as an aide to Peña-Melnyk, described her as “tough and tenacious but also unfailingly kind, compassionate and humble.”
That sentiment was echoed across party lines. Del. Thomas Hutchinson, a Republican member of the House Health and Government Operations Committee, praised her willingness to listen and respect differing views. “She has always respected me and my values,” Hutchinson said as he closed nominations for speaker, ensuring Peña-Melnyk would be nominated without opposition.
Peña-Melnyk’s election comes amid heightened national debate over immigration enforcement, an issue many Maryland Democrats fear could soon have direct impacts in the state. For the new speaker, the issue is deeply personal. During Tuesday’s floor session, Del. Sandy Rosenberg read Emma Lazarus’ poem The New Colossus, famously associated with the Statue of Liberty, a nod to Peña-Melnyk’s immigrant roots and her family’s early years in New York.
Within the legislature, Peña-Melnyk is widely regarded as a leading authority on health care policy. Though she arrived at the House Health and Government Operations Committee with little formal health policy experience, colleagues say she quickly mastered the portfolio. She became vice chair of the committee before being named chair in 2022.
House Appropriations Chair Ben Barnes, who represents the same district and withdrew from the speaker’s race to support her, called Peña-Melnyk “for my money, the foremost expert in this state” on health care issues. Barnes described her not just as a colleague, but as family, praising her reliability and compassion.
Her path to the speakership was swift once her predecessor announced her decision. Jones revealed on Dec. 4 that she would relinquish the gavel while remaining in the House. An initial field of four candidates narrowed as Barnes and Dels. Jheanelle Wilkins and C.T. Wilson withdrew and backed Peña-Melnyk, clearing the way for a unanimous caucus vote.
Cheers reportedly spilled into the hallway following the closed-door Democratic Caucus meeting. Emerging afterward, Peña-Melnyk expressed gratitude and outlined an inclusive leadership style. “This House belongs to all of us,” she said.
She has already signaled changes ahead. Peña-Melnyk announced plans to create a seventh standing committee by splitting the Health and Government Operations Committee in two. Details on assignments and leadership are expected before the 2026 legislative session begins on Jan. 14.
As Maryland’s first Afro-Latina and immigrant speaker, Peña-Melnyk’s election represents both a personal milestone and a broader moment in the state’s political history—one shaped by perseverance, bipartisan respect and a commitment to inclusive governance.
