BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Maryland lawmakers will return to Annapolis on Monday for a special session that could shape how congressional districts are drawn for years to come.
Despite months of debate over redistricting, lawmakers will not vote on a new congressional map. Instead, they’ll consider a proposed constitutional amendment that would change the framework governing how future congressional maps are drawn. If the amendment wins the support of three-fifths of both the House and Senate, it will appear on the November ballot, giving Maryland voters the final say.
Here’s what you need to know before lawmakers gavel in Monday morning.
The General Assembly will convene at 10 a.m. Monday for the start of a special session scheduled to run through Aug. 5, though legislative leaders have suggested it could wrap up sooner if business is completed.
At noon, a joint committee hearing will begin on the proposed constitutional amendment. Lawmakers will hear testimony from no more than 50 members of the public before the proposal moves to the House and Senate for debate and votes.
The General Assembly will vote on a constitutional amendment that Democratic leaders say would clarify how Maryland’s Constitution applies to congressional redistricting following a 2022 court ruling that struck down the state’s previous congressional map.
Senate President Bill Ferguson says the proposal is about changing the rules, not drawing new districts.
“This is not about a map, it’s about the rules that govern map making,” he said in a video posted to social media.
Ferguson says the amendment will give Maryland more flexibility if future congressional maps face legal challenges.
“If we pass this constitutional amendment, and voters approve it, it means in future times we’ll be in a position of strength with options, not a position of weakness where we’ve already had a court reject our opportunity,” he said.
The proposal follows months of debate over congressional redistricting.
Last fall, Gov. Wes Moore created a redistricting advisory committee after calling for Maryland to respond to a changing national redistricting landscape. During this year’s legislative session, the House of Delegates approved a congressional map that would have shifted Maryland’s congressional delegation from 7-1 Democratic to 8-0 Democratic. The Senate never took up the proposal, with Ferguson citing legal concerns tied to the 2022 court ruling.
Republican lawmakers argue the special session is less about legal clarity and more about partisan politics.
“We know the intent,” Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey said. “They want to gerrymander. They want to eliminate the only Republican voice in the state of Maryland.”
Hershey also questioned why lawmakers are returning to Annapolis for redistricting instead of addressing issues he says voters are raising on the campaign trail.
“Nobody’s talking about redistricting,” Hershey said. :They’re talking about the cost of energy, They’re talking about affordability.”
Follow Political Reporter Mikenzie Frost on X and Facebook. Send tips to mbfrost@sbgtv.com.
Local Story
