Delegate Bonnie Cullison

01/30/2026

After months of reflection and soul searching, I have decided not to run for a fifth term in the Maryland House of Delegates. These last 16 years have been an amazing opportunity to work with so many people committed to public service and helping all Marylanders have more opportunities for a better life. I am grateful to my district mates, Del Vaughn Stewart and Charlotte Crutchfield and Senator Ben Kramer for all their support and for being the most wonderful team partners. I am especially grateful to my Chief of Staff of the last eleven years, Brigida Krzysztofik, who enabled me to assume new responsibilities and succeed. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Speaker Joseline Pena Melnyk, who trusted me to find ways to help others and gave me the foundation to be an effective legislator. I will complete this term, so I will continue to be on the job as a D19 delegate until January 2027. Then Marcia and I can start taking winter vacations and enjoy the golden years. Thank you to the residents of D19 for believing in me and allowing me to serve.

cullisonformaryland.com

04/11/2024

So grateful to be a part of the AMAZING HGO team! We work for policies that work for all Marylanders! Thank you Chair JPM for your leadership!

03/07/2024

The House passed HB814 – Juvenile Law - Reform by a vote of 126-6. Thank you to Chair Clippinger, Vice Chair Bartlett, and the entire Judiciary Committee for working to put rehabilitation front and center in this bill. By strengthening oversight within the Department of Juvenile Services, we will ensure that children are treated fairly and held accountable to their treatment plans. HB814 will hold every aspect of our juvenile system accountable – DJS, law enforcement, state’s attorneys, and our youth. Waiting for the Senate version to come to the House Floor.

The House is on track to give final approval this week, while the Senate could take up its version tomorrow.

03/06/2024

The MD House passed HB569 – Credit for All Language Learning (CALL) Act by a vote of 137–1 which provides people who are learning English to receive credit for that coursework in the same way that English speakers get credits for learning other languages. Another example of providing more equity in opportunities for all students.

Providing credit for multilingual learners for their language courses would help them successfully navigate coursework and complete degrees without further barriers to education, three professors write.

03/05/2024

On 3/6 I will be sitting at the witness table with two of the most remarkable people I have ever met. They have overcome incredible physical challenges and now just want to be able to take advantage of life’s opportunities. I will present HB822 to help them have the resources they need to live life to the fullest.

To hear their stories sign into https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Meetings/Day/03062024?budget=show&cmte=hgo&updates=show&ys=2024rs at 1:00.

03/04/2024

Today (Mar 4 at 1:00) the House Rules Committee will hold hearings on a joint resolution, HJ008, that condemns Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian hate, and antisemitism, and reaffirms the commitment of the General Assembly to promoting a State that values diversity, tolerance, and inclusion. It encourages educational institutions, governmental bodies, and community organizations to engage in initiatives that raise awareness about the harmful effects of Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian hate, and antisemitism. It also commits the General Assembly to support legislation and policies that address and counteract hate based on ethnicity and religion and to work toward creating an environment that is free from discrimination for all residents of Maryland.

To watch go to https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Meetings/Day/03042024?budget=show&cmte=house&updates=show&ys=2024rs

03/03/2024

What’s happening in the House this week?

Defining sexual assault has been a policy/political process for MD. However, HB0496 is a bi-partisan bill being considered in the subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee on Weds. 03/06. This bill will remove the use of force or threat of force as a requirement in charging for second-degree r**e.

More: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0496?ys=2024rs

Watch the subcommittee hearing: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Meetings/Week/03032024?budget=show&cmte=jud&ys=2024rs

02/29/2024

I worked as a public school educator for 32 years, ending in 2010. During those years, most of the time schools felt like a safe place. Things have changed… There have been 190 school shootings since 2018 in which at least one person was killed. As a result, students practice drills in the event there is someone with a gun in their school. This is frightening and truly disheartening. To respond to this issue the MD House passed HB 416 – Public Schools – Active Shooter Safety Drills or Trainings – Requirements (138-0). This bill establishes procedures to help reduce the potential mental health impacts these drills have on our students.

The bill requires:
- Age-appropriate drills and conversations about them;
- Notification before and after drills sent to families;
- Drills designed with trauma-informed care; and
- A requirement that schools send home safe gun-storage information annually and provide additional support for students/staff with a disability or who have experienced trauma.

Explore the data on school shootings that have resulted in injuries or deaths.

02/27/2024

This year juvenile justice has been a major topic for the MD General Assembly. The Judiciary Committee passed HB 814, The Juvenile Justice Act, unanimously. It has been amended based on recommendations from the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) and other groups.

A few key things the bill does:

DJS must communicate electronically--not through US Mail--when they decide not to go forward with a case

When police officers arrest a child they are required to write a report and send it to DJS

10-12 year olds are required to come under DJS supervision if they (1) commit crimes of violence, (2) posses hanguns or other fi****ms, (3) torture animals, (4) make sexual contact

Kids will be put closer to services faster since DJS would be required to make an intake decision in two days if DJS refused to detain the child after a police officer requests a child be detained

The House Judiciary Committee has advanced an amended version of a bill designed to address the rise in certain crimes among juveniles.

02/25/2024

At the beginning of every floor session in the MD General Assembly, we say the Pledge of Allegiance. The last line is “...and liberty and justice for all.” It struck me last week that it does not end with “all citizens” or “all born in the 50 United States” or “all who have some documented papers.” I would like to think that what was really intended was “all people.” And I would also like to think that “justice” includes “social, economic and health justice.” That is why I sponsored and am fighting for the HB728, the Access to Care Act, which passed in the House. Ultimately, this bill would allow folks living, working and paying taxes in MD to BUY at full price health care insurance on our Health Benefit Exchange. I am hopeful that the bill is successful soon in the Senate so that it will make its way to the Governor’s desk this session. Thank you to the many groups and coalitions who have worked with me on this bill.


Joseline Peña-Melnyk
Maryland Health Care for All!

02/15/2024

More than 70% of Marylanders believe that adults should have options and autonomy to make quality of life decisions when we have a terminal illness and a less than 6 months to live. Passage of HB403/SB443 would provide those options. Hearing in the House is 2/16; to sign up to testify, go to Sign In to MyMGA Tracking (https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Account/Login?registerId=Tracking).

To watch, at 1:00 go to https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Meetings/Day/02162024?budget=show&cmte=hgo&updates=show&ys=2024rs

02/12/2024

In Maryland, we have taken steps to provide access to health care for all who live in our great state. HB748/SB705 (sponsored by me and Senator Antonio Hayes) would allow every resident to purchase insurance on our Maryland Health Benefit Exchange regardless of legal residency status. At the hearing, I was proud to be surrounded at the table by the support of every agency that major health entity in the state, including the Maryland Health Department, the Maryland Insurance Department, the Maryland Health Care Commission, the Hospital Services Cost Review Commission and the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. We all agreed–this is right for people and right for the state.

To watch the House hearing, go to

Health and Government Operations Committee streaming session for Thursday, February 8, 2024 @ 1:00 PM