Member of Senate, January 11, 1995 to January 9, 2019. President Pro Tem, 2007-19. Member, Budget and Taxation Committee, 1995-2016, 2016-19 (vice-chair, 2011-15; public safety, transportation, economic development & natural resources subcommittee, 1995-99; education, business & administration subcommittee, 2000-07; health, education & human resources subcommittee, 2008-10; vice-chair, capital budget subcommittee, 2007-10, member, 2003-16; chair, pensions subcommittee, 2008-10, member, 1995-2016; health & human services subcommittee, 2011-15; public safety, transportation & environment subcommittee, 2015-16). Member, Joint Committee on Federal Relations, 1995-2003; Joint Committee on the Management of Public Funds, 1995-2006; Joint Subcommittee on Program Open Space and Agricultural Land Preservation, 1995-2006; Special Joint Committee on Pensions, 1995-2019 (chair, 2008-11); Joint Committee on Welfare Reform, 1996-2003; Senate Committee on Redistricting, 2001-02; Special Committee on Substance Abuse, 2001-06; Executive Nominations Committee, 2001-19; Joint Audit Committee, 2001-19 (senate chair, 2001-07); Joint Committee on the Selection of the State Treasurer, 2002, 2003, 2007; Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, 2002-19; Special Commission on Legislative Prayer, 2003. Majority Leader, 2003-07. Member, Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, 2003-10; Legislative Policy Committee, 2003-19 (management subcommittee, 2003-07); Spending Affordability Committee, 2003-19; Rules Committee, 2007-19 (vice-chair, 2003-06); Joint Legislative Work Group to Study State, County and Municipal Fiscal Relationships, 2009-10; Senate Committee on Reapportionment and Redistricting, 2011-12; Joint Committee on Transparency and Open Government, 2011-14; Work Group to Review Disclosure Requirements of the Public Ethics Law, 2012-13; Senate Special Committee on Ethics Reform, 2012-13; Special Joint Commission on Public Safety and Security in State and Local Correctional Facilities, 2013; Joint Committee on Gaming Oversight, 2013-19; Public Safety and Policing Work Group, 2015-16; Commission on Maryland Retirement Security and Savings, 2015-16; Joint Committee on Legislative Information Technology and Open Government, 2015-19; Judicial Proceedings Committee, 2016. Chair, Baltimore City Delegation, 1997-2010. Member, Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland (formerly Maryland Legislative Black Caucus), 1995-2019 (1st vice-chair, 1998-2000; 2nd vice-chair, 2000-02; member, historically black colleges & universities committee, 2001-19; chair, labor committee, 2000; member, state budget committee, 2000; historian, 2016-19). Member, National Conference of State Legislatures (budgets & revenue committee, 2007-19; education committee); Southern Legislative Conference (education committee, 2008-19).
Member, Governor’s Task Force on African-American Entrepreneurship in Baltimore City, 1996-99; Task Force on Charitable Giving (Maryland Gives!), 1996-2001; Small Business Development Center Network Advisory Board, 1997; Privatization Advisory Panel, Mass Transit Administration, 1997-98; Partnership Policy Council on Block Grants, 1998; Maryland Comprehensive Transit Plan Transit Advisory Panel, 1998-99; Study Panel to Review Economic Development Financing Programs, 1999. Vice-Chair, Task Force to End Smoking in Maryland, 1999. Member, Juvenile Offender Aftercare Assessment Team, 1999-2000; Joseph Fund Board, 1999-2001; Maryland Correctional Enterprise Management Council, (formerly State Use Industries Management Council), 1999-2015; Task Force to Study the Maryland Enterprise Zone Program, 2000; Council on Management and Productivity, 2000-04 (work group for reorganization options (dhmh), 2002-04); Commission to Coordinate the Study, Commemoration, and Impact of Slavery’s History and Legacy in Maryland, 2000-11; Baltimore Region Rail System Plan Advisory Committee, 2001-02. Co-Chair, Study Panel on Funding Needs of Trauma Centers, 2001-03. Member, Advisory Council on Offender Employment Coordination, 2001-04; State Council on Cancer Control, 2001-13; Task Force to Study Public School Facilities, 2002-04; Oversight Committee on Quality of Care in Nursing Homes, 2002-05; Maryland State Drug and Alcohol Abuse Council, 2004-08; Advisory Committee on the Naming of State Facilities, Roads, and Bridges, 2005-06; Task Force to Study Raising the Compulsory Public School Attendance Age to 18, 2006-07; Task Force on Minority Participation in the Environmental Community, 2006-07; Blue Ribbon Commission on Maryland Transportation Funding, 2010-12; Work Group to Consider Gaming Expansion, 2012; Commission on the Establishment of a Maryland Educators Service Memorial, 2013-16; Justice Reinvestment Coordinating Council, 2015-16. Member, Budget and Tax Chairs Committee, Eastern Regional Conference, Council of State Governments.
Member, City Council, Baltimore City, representing 2nd District, 1982-87. Member, Police Community Relations Council, Eastern District, 1982-; Off-Street Parking Commission, Baltimore City, 1983-87; Jail Industries Advisory Board, Baltimore City Jail, 1984-88; Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, Baltimore City, 1994-.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 3, 1946. Attended Baltimore City public schools; Baltimore City College High School; Morgan State College, B.A. (geography & history education), 1968, M.S. (history & social sciences), 1972. Educator. Teacher, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Baltimore, 1968-75. Head, Social Sciences Department, Lombard Junior High School, Baltimore, 1975-82. Principal, Paul Laurence Dunbar Adult Evening School, Baltimore, 1979-82. Coordinator of Community Affairs, Sojourner-Douglass College, 1985-88. Head, Social Studies Department, Southwestern Senior High School, Baltimore, 1987-88. Coordinator, Educational Opportunity Program, Lake Clifton/Eastern Senior High School, Baltimore, 1988-94. Work-Based Learning Manager, Baltimore Academies, Baltimore City Public Schools, 1997-98. Facilitator, Lake Clifton/Eastern Senior High School, Baltimore, 1998-. Life member, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), 1970-. Board of Directors, East Baltimore Community Corporation, 1971-. Member, Urban League, 1982- (african-american men’s leadership group, 1983-87); Lakewood Chase Improvement Association, 1982-; Eastside Neighborhood Association, 1983-. Board of Overseers, Baltimore Polytechnic High School, 1984-87; Advisory Committee, National Youth Sports Program, The Johns Hopkins University, 1984-87. Board of Directors, Helping Unite Baltimore (HUB), 1985-87. Advisory Board, Johns Hopkins Medical Plan, 1985-87. Chair, Urban Services Agency, 1985-88. Member, Advisory Committee, Department of Secondary Education, Morgan State University, 1985-. Board of Directors, RAISE, Inc., 1994-97. Member, Committee of 100 Associated Black Charities, 1994-; Advisory Board, Youth Fair Chance, 1994-. Board of Directors, 1 to 1: The Baltimore Mentoring Partnership, 1997. Delegate, Democratic Party National Convention, 2008. Member, Eastside Democratic Organization. Past secretary, Maryland Democratic Party. Past member, Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee. Member, Baltimore Alumni Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity; 100 Black Men of Maryland, Inc.; King David Lodge no. 18, Prince Hall Free Masons. Legislator Recognition Award, Maryland Association of Counties, 2002. Certificate of Appreciation, Maryland Municipal League, 2008. First Citizen Award, Maryland Senate, 2009. Lifetime Achievement Award, Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, 2009. Alumnus of the Year, Morgan State University, 2009. Champion of Education Award, Maryland Chapter, Council for American Private Education, 2015. Member, Southern Baptist Church, Baltimore, Maryland. Married; three children, five grandchildren.
