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Melissa Wells (politician)

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Melissa Wells
Wells in 2024
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 40th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 9, 2019
Preceded byAntonio Hayes
ConstituencyBaltimore City
Personal details
Born (1983-10-03) October 3, 1983 (age 41)
Political partyDemocratic
ResidenceBaltimore, Maryland

Melissa R. Wells (born October 3, 1983) is an American politician who has served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 40 since 2019.

Early life and career

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Wells was born on October 3, 1983. She attended University of California at Riverside in 2006, where she earned a B.A. degree in political science and law and sociology. She later attended American University in 2010, where she earned a M.A. degree in public policy. After graduating, she worked as a policy assistant for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies until 2014 and as a field advisor at Triple Point Interactions and program associate at PolicyLink until 2015. She is currently the regional director of the Baltimore-DC Building Trades Union.[1]

In the legislature

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Wells was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 9, 2019. She served as a member of the Environment and Transportation Committee from 2019 to 2022, afterwards serving in the Ways and Means Committee.[1] In November 2019, Wells unsuccessfully ran for assistant majority leader of the House of Delegates, losing to state delegate Wanika B. Fisher in a 25-13 vote among the class of freshman Democratic legislators.[2] Since 2020, she has served as Deputy Majority Whip.[1] Since 2023, she has served as chief deputy majority whip.[1]

Political positions

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Criminal justice and policing

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In March 2019, Wells voted against a bill that would allow Johns Hopkins University to have its own private police force.[3][4]

During the 2021 legislative session, Wells introduced bills that would require prosecutors to undergo implicit bias training,[5] and another that would create a referendum in Baltimore on transferring control of the Baltimore Police Department back to the city.[6]

Environment

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In March 2022, Wells said that she would "reluctantly" vote for the Climate Solutions Now Act, an omnibus bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent by 2030, saying that she felt that the bill "did not do enough to ensure strong labor standards".[7]

Gun policy

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During the 2019 legislative session, Wells voted against a bill that would allow school resource officers to carry guns in Baltimore schools.[8]

Housing

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During the 2021 legislative session, Wells introduced legislation to codify and extend the state's COVID-19 pandemic eviction moratorium until April 2022, and another that would extend judges' ability to delay eviction proceedings.[9] In 2022, she introduced a bill that would allow judges to grant a recess in eviction proceedings to allow parties to seek legal representation.[10]

Social issues

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During the 2022 legislative session, Wells introduced legislation to prohibit auto insurers from using a policy holder's credit score to set rates. The bill was heavily amended following auto insurance industry lobbying[11] before passing the Maryland House of Delegates and did not receive a vote in the Maryland Senate.[12][13]

Transportation

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During the 2019 legislative session, Wells introduced a bill that would cap Maryland Transit Administration fares at a monthly rate.[14]

Electoral history

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Maryland House of Delegates District 40 Democratic primary election, 2018[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nick Mosby (incumbent) 6,306 20.6
Democratic Melissa Wells 4,423 14.4
Democratic Frank M. Conaway Jr. (incumbent) 4,230 13.8
Democratic Westley West 3,099 10.1
Democratic Gabriel Auteri 2,905 9.5
Democratic Terrell Boston-Smith 2,867 9.4
Democratic Sanjay Thomas 1,646 5.4
Democratic Sarah Matthews 1,361 4.4
Democratic Latia Hopkins 1,231 4.0
Democratic Anees Abdul-Rahim 1,075 3.5
Democratic Brian Murphy 898 2.9
Democratic Timothy Mercer 370 1.2
Democratic Blair DuCray 240 0.8
Maryland House of Delegates District 40 election, 2018[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nick Mosby (incumbent) 19,726 30.5
Democratic Melissa Wells 18,952 29.3
Democratic Frank M. Conaway, Jr. (incumbent) 16,767 25.9
Green Joshua Harris 8,833 13.6
Write-in 485 0.7
Maryland House of Delegates District 40 election, 2022[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Melissa Wells (incumbent) 20,872 32.7
Democratic Frank M. Conaway, Jr. (incumbent) 20,052 31.4
Democratic Marlon Amprey (incumbent) 19,778 31.0
Republican Zulieka A. Baysmore 2,852 4.5
Write-in 328 0.5

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Melissa R. Wells, Maryland State Delegate". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. August 31, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  2. ^ Kurtz, Josh (November 11, 2019). "Freshman House Dems Choose New Assistant Majority Leader". Maryland Matters. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  3. ^ Broadwater, Luke (March 12, 2019). "Baltimore legislative delegation approves Hopkins police force after Cummings 'begs' for help to stop killings". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  4. ^ Kurtz, Josh (March 12, 2019). "Emotions Still Raw Over Hopkins Police Bill". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  5. ^ "Bills aim to limit implicit bias in Maryland judicial system". The Baltimore Sun. February 24, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  6. ^ Stole, Bryn (April 8, 2021). "Baltimore voters to decide on taking back full local control of the city police department". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  7. ^ Shwe, Elizabeth (March 27, 2022). "House Set to Debate Sweeping Climate Legislation — With Amendments to Senate Bill". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  8. ^ Broadwater, Luke (March 16, 2019). "Baltimore delegates vote to kill state House bill allowing school police officers to carry guns inside schools". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  9. ^ Roberts, Angela (December 29, 2020). "Maryland housing advocates, lawmakers discuss bills to reform eviction process, stem housing crisis". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  10. ^ Leckrone, Bennett (February 2, 2022). "Fair Housing Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Allow Local Just-Cause Eviction Laws". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  11. ^ DePuyt, Bruce (March 12, 2022). "House Democrats Advance Industry-Amended Auto Insurance Measure". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  12. ^ Mirabella, Lorraine (April 1, 2022). "Consumer advocates face setback in blocking auto insurers from weighing Maryland policy holders' credit scores". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  13. ^ "Legislation - HB0436". mgaleg.maryland.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  14. ^ Campbell, Colin (May 14, 2019). "MTA to raise transit fares for buses, subway, light rail, Mobility shuttles in June". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  15. ^ "Official 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  16. ^ "Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections. December 11, 2018.
  17. ^ "Official 2022 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections. December 7, 2022.
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