Joanne C. Benson Explained

Joanne Claybon Benson
State Senate:Maryland
District:24th
Term Start:January 12, 2011
Predecessor:Nathaniel Exum
State Delegate2:Maryland
District2:24th
Term Start2:January 9, 1991
Term End2:January 12, 2011
Predecessor2:Francis J. Santangelo Sr.
Successor2:Tiffany T. Alston
Birth Date:11 March 1941
Birth Place:Roanoke, Virginia, United States
Residence:Hyattsville, Maryland
Education:Bowie State College (BS)
The Catholic University of America (MA)
Party:Democrat
Occupation:Educator
Signature:Joanne Benson signature.svg

Joanne Claybon Benson (born March 11, 1941) is an American politician who represents District 24 in the Maryland State Senate. She formerly represented District 24 in the Maryland House of Delegates.

Early life and education

Benson was born on March 11, 1941, in Roanoke, Virginia. She attended South Hagerstown High School and then graduated from Bowie State College with a Bachelor of Science in education in 1961. She later attended The Catholic University of America where she earned her Master of Arts in curriculum instruction in 1972.[1]

In the legislature

Benson was a member of House of Delegates from 1991 to 2011. She served on the House Health and Government Operations Committee and its health occupations subcommittee, long-term care subcommittee, and its minority health disparities subcommittee.[1] She is also a member and former chair of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland.[2] She still presides at the Caucus meetings, providing an inspirational prayer as the Caucus' chaplain.[3]

In 2010 she defeated incumbent state senator Nathaniel Exum[4] and was sworn into office in January 2011. In 2020 she was selected to be the Senate's Deputy Majority leader and has been chairman of the Senate Rules committee since 2019.[1]

In 2019, Benson worked with Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper to commute the sentence of Curtis Brooks, who had been sentenced as a juvenile to life in prison without parole.[5] [6]

Political positions

Gun control

During the 2019 legislative session, Benson introduced legislation to ban the manufacture or sale of privately made firearms.[7]

Marijuana

In 2022, Benson voted against legislation to legalize recreational marijuana in Maryland.[8] She also voted against a bill to place a referendum legalizing recreational marijuana on the 2022 ballot.[9]

Minimum wage

In 2019, Benson voted in favor of legislation to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour, but expressed disappointment with the date's effective date of 2025.[10]

Social issues

In 1991, Benson voted in favor of legislation to protect the right to abortion in Maryland.[11]

Benson opposed the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, a bill introduced in 2011 to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland, saying that she did not view gay marriage as a civil rights issue.[12] Although she was absent for the vote on the bill, she said she would have voted against it.[13] In 2012, she voted against the Civil Marriage Protection Act.[14]

In 2022, Benson supported legislation to provide paid family leave to all Maryland workers, saying that paid family leave "should not be viewed as a privilege, but as something that is humane and just".[15]

Taxes

In 2013, Benson voted in favor of legislation to raise fuel taxes in Maryland.[16]

Transportation

During the 2021 legislative session, Benson introduced legislation to hold the Maryland Department of Transportation to promises it made for the widening of Capital Beltway and Interstate 270 and modernizing the American Legion Memorial Bridge.[17] The bill passed the House of Delegates by a vote of 101–35 in March,[18] but did not receive a vote in the Senate.[19]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Joanne C. Benson, Maryland State Senator . msa.maryland.gov . Maryland Manual Online . 13 October 2020 . October 20, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201020050215/https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/05sen/html/msa12185.html . live .
  2. News: Hall . Wiley . Blacks in legislature look for some respect . June 11, 2022 . . December 8, 1994 . June 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220612013902/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1994-12-08-1994342169-story.html . live .
  3. Web site: About Us . marylandblackcaucus.org . The Legislative Black Caucus of maryland . 11 April 2022 . May 23, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220523012644/https://marylandblackcaucus.org/about/ . live .
  4. News: Linskey . Annie . Walker . Andrea . Ferguson topples Baltimore Senator Della . June 11, 2022 . . September 15, 2010 . October 1, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151001173731/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-09-15/news/bs-md-legislative-primary-results-20100914_1_ferguson-topples-political-newcomer-senators . live .
  5. News: Kazanjian . Glynis . Lawmakers Welcome Home Man Sentenced as Teen to Life in Prison . June 11, 2022 . . July 9, 2019 . June 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220612013855/https://www.marylandmatters.org/2019/07/09/lawmakers-welcome-home-man-sentenced-to-life-as-a-teen/ . live .
  6. News: Chason . Rachel . At 15, he was part of a robbery that ended in murder. On Monday, Maryland welcomed him home. . June 11, 2022 . . July 8, 2019 . November 27, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221127120344/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/a-triumph-of-hope-maryland-leaders-welcome-home-man-sentenced-at-age-15/2019/07/08/66784c06-9f58-11e9-85d6-5211733f92c7_story.html . live .
  7. News: Gaines . Danielle . A Quick Look At Some of the First Bills Filed in the General Assembly . June 11, 2022 . . January 9, 2019 . April 4, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220404032028/https://www.marylandmatters.org/2019/01/09/a-quick-look-at-some-of-the-first-bills-filed-in-the-general-assembly/ . live .
  8. News: DePuyt . Bruce . Gaskill . Hannah . With Scant Enthusiasm, Lawmakers Approve Marijuana Legalization Bills . June 11, 2022 . . April 1, 2022 . June 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220605030634/https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/04/01/with-scant-enthusiasm-lawmakers-approve-marijuana-legalization-bills/ . live .
  9. News: DePuyt . Bruce . With a Key Deadline Looming, the Senate Approves Marijuana Legalization Measures . June 11, 2022 . . March 31, 2022 . June 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220612013855/https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/03/31/with-a-key-deadline-looming-the-senate-approves-marijuana-legalization-measures/ . live .
  10. News: Wood . Pamela . Maryland Senate advances version of minimum wage bill that would give small businesses until 2028 to reach $15 . June 11, 2022 . . March 7, 2019 . June 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220612013856/https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-minimum-wage-senate-committee-20190307-story.html . live .
  11. News: Roll-call votes of House and Senate on the abortion bill . June 11, 2022 . . February 19, 1991 . June 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220612013854/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1991-02-19-1991050110-story.html . live .
  12. News: Bykowicz . Julie . Linskey . Annie . Undeclared lawmakers to decide fate of gay marriage . June 11, 2022 . . February 7, 2011 . June 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220612013900/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2011-02-07-bs-md-senate-gay-marriage-20110206-story.html . live .
  13. News: Linskey . Annie . Senate denies request by Benson to vote late . June 11, 2022 . . February 25, 2011 . June 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220612013855/https://www.baltimoresun.com/bs-mtblog-2011-02-senate_denies_request_by_benso-story.html . live .
  14. News: How Md. senators voted on same-sex marriage . June 11, 2022 . . February 23, 2012 . June 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220612013858/https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/bs-md-senate-same-sex-roll-call-20120223-story.html . live .
  15. News: Gaines . Danielle . Senate Leaders Vow to Pass Paid Family Leave Policy This Year . June 11, 2022 . . February 24, 2022 . April 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220426092429/https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/02/24/senate-leaders-vow-to-pass-paid-family-leave-policy-this-year/ . live .
  16. News: Senate roll call on gas tax . June 11, 2022 . . March 29, 2013 . June 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220612013901/https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/bs-xpm-2013-03-29-bs-md-senate-roll-call-gas-20130329-story.html . live .
  17. News: DePuyt . Bruce . Measure Would Lock Hogan Administration In to Promises on Highway Widening . June 11, 2022 . . February 25, 2021 . September 28, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210928123909/https://www.marylandmatters.org/2021/02/25/bill-would-lock-hogan-administration-in-to-promises-on-highway-widening/ . live .
  18. News: DePuyt . Bruce . Leckrone . Bennett . Kurtz . Josh . As House Pushes Through Dozens of Bills, Lawmakers Temporarily Fall Down a Deep Well . June 11, 2022 . . March 22, 2021 . February 23, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220223062537/https://www.marylandmatters.org/2021/03/22/as-house-pushes-through-dozens-of-bills-lawmakers-temporarily-fall-down-a-deep-well/ . live .
  19. News: DePuyt . Bruce . P3 'Promises' Bill Unlikely to Get a Vote, Committee Chairman Says . June 11, 2022 . . April 10, 2021 . June 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220612013854/https://www.marylandmatters.org/2021/04/10/p3-promises-bill-unlikely-to-get-a-vote-committee-chairman-says/ . live .

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