Joanne C. Benson

Joanne Claybon Benson
Benson in 2013
Member of the Maryland Senate
from the 24th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 12, 2011
Preceded byNathaniel Exum
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 24th district
In office
January 9, 1991 – January 12, 2011
Preceded byFrancis J. Santangelo Sr.
Succeeded byTiffany T. Alston
Personal details
Born (1941-03-11) March 11, 1941 (age 83)
Roanoke, Virginia, United States
Political partyDemocratic
Residence(s)Hyattsville, Maryland
EducationBowie State College (BS)
The Catholic University of America (MA)
OccupationEducator
Signature

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

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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

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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

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Gun control

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

Marijuana

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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

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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

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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

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

Transportation

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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]

Electoral history

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Maryland House of Delegates District 24 Election, 1990[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sylvania W. Woods Jr. 10,954 32
Democratic Joanne C. Benson 10,954 32
Democratic Nathaniel Exum 10,954 32
Republican Edward J. Turner 2,307 7
Maryland House of Delegates District 24 Election, 1994[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joanne C. Benson 15,086 34
Democratic Nathaniel Exum 15,057 34
Democratic Carolyn J. B. Howard 14,708 33
Maryland House of Delegates District 24 Election, 1998[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joanne C. Benson 20,137 34
Democratic Carolyn J. B. Howard 20,123 34
Democratic Darren Swain 19,396 33
Maryland House of Delegates District 24 Election, 2002[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joanne C. Benson 18,125 34.3
Democratic Michael L. Vaughn 17,333 32.8
Democratic Carolyn J. B. Howard 17,309 32.7
Write-In 71 0.1
Democratic Eugene F. Kennedy (Write-In) 36 0.1
Maryland House of Delegates District 24 Election, 2006[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joanne C. Benson 19,081 33.5
Democratic Carolyn J. B. Howard 19,007 33.4
Democratic Michael L. Vaughn 18,806 33.0
Write-In 66 0.1
Maryland Senate District 24 Democratic Primary Election, 2010[25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joanne C. Benson 6,178 53.8
Democratic Nathaniel Exum 5,311 46.2
Maryland Senate District 24 Election, 2010[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joanne C. Benson 27,222 99.7
Write-In 92 0.3
Maryland Senate District 24 Election, 2014[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joanne C. Benson 29,692 99.2
Write-In 238 0.8
Maryland Senate District 24 Election, 2018[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joanne C. Benson 44,568 99.2
Write-In 338 0.8

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Joanne C. Benson, Maryland State Senator". msa.maryland.gov. Maryland Manual Online. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  2. ^ Hall, Wiley (December 8, 1994). "Blacks in legislature look for some respect". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  3. ^ "About Us". marylandblackcaucus.org. The Legislative Black Caucus of maryland. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  4. ^ Linskey, Annie; Walker, Andrea (September 15, 2010). "Ferguson topples Baltimore Senator Della". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  5. ^ Kazanjian, Glynis (July 9, 2019). "Lawmakers Welcome Home Man Sentenced as Teen to Life in Prison". Maryland Matters. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  6. ^ Chason, Rachel (July 8, 2019). "At 15, he was part of a robbery that ended in murder. On Monday, Maryland welcomed him home". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  7. ^ Gaines, Danielle (January 9, 2019). "A Quick Look At Some of the First Bills Filed in the General Assembly". Maryland Matters. Archived from the original on April 4, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  8. ^ DePuyt, Bruce; Gaskill, Hannah (April 1, 2022). "With Scant Enthusiasm, Lawmakers Approve Marijuana Legalization Bills". Maryland Matters. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  9. ^ DePuyt, Bruce (March 31, 2022). "With a Key Deadline Looming, the Senate Approves Marijuana Legalization Measures". Maryland Matters. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  10. ^ Wood, Pamela (March 7, 2019). "Maryland Senate advances version of minimum wage bill that would give small businesses until 2028 to reach $15". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  11. ^ "Roll-call votes of House and Senate on the abortion bill". The Baltimore Sun. February 19, 1991. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  12. ^ Bykowicz, Julie; Linskey, Annie (February 7, 2011). "Undeclared lawmakers to decide fate of gay marriage". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  13. ^ Linskey, Annie (February 25, 2011). "Senate denies request by Benson to vote late". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  14. ^ "How Md. senators voted on same-sex marriage". The Baltimore Sun. February 23, 2012. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  15. ^ Gaines, Danielle (February 24, 2022). "Senate Leaders Vow to Pass Paid Family Leave Policy This Year". Maryland Matters. Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  16. ^ "Senate roll call on gas tax". The Baltimore Sun. March 29, 2013. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  17. ^ DePuyt, Bruce (February 25, 2021). "Measure Would Lock Hogan Administration In to Promises on Highway Widening". Maryland Matters. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  18. ^ DePuyt, Bruce; Leckrone, Bennett; Kurtz, Josh (March 22, 2021). "As House Pushes Through Dozens of Bills, Lawmakers Temporarily Fall Down a Deep Well". Maryland Matters. Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  19. ^ DePuyt, Bruce (April 10, 2021). "P3 'Promises' Bill Unlikely to Get a Vote, Committee Chairman Says". Maryland Matters. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  20. ^ "1990 Gubernatorial General Election Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  21. ^ "1994 Gubernatorial General Election Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  22. ^ "1998 Gubernatorial General Election Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  23. ^ "2002 Gubernatorial General - Official Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  24. ^ "Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for Legislative District 24". Maryland State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  25. ^ "Official 2010 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for State Senator". Maryland State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  26. ^ "Official 2010 Gubernatorial General Election results for State Senator". Maryland State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on July 3, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  27. ^ "Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for State Senator". Maryland State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  28. ^ "Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for State Senator". Maryland State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
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