Maryland LCV Congratulates New House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 19, 2025) — The Maryland League of Conservation Voters (Maryland LCV) congratulates new House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk, following state legislators’ vote on Tuesday to elect her to lead the Maryland House of Delegates.
“Maryland LCV is looking forward to working with Speaker Peña-Melnyk in her new role, which often serves as the engine of progress for policy in the state. She has long been a champion for the environment and environmental justice in the House of Delegates, and she has demonstrated a willingness to address difficult issues head on. When others might hold a finger to the wind, Peña-Melnyk leads with urgency and a sense of moral clarity. These are valuable and needed qualities in times of uncertainty,” said Maryland LCV Executive Director Kim Coble.
“Maryland is well-positioned to pave a path forward on environmental priorities, at a time when our world is begging for swift, meaningful movement,” Coble said.
Speaker Peña-Melnyk will be responsible for guiding the House of Delegates’ legislative agenda, as well as overseeing its 141 members and naming committee leaders. She pledged in her acceptance speech to “lead with heart.”
Speaker Peña-Melnyk is the first Afro-Latina and first immigrant to lead the Maryland Statehouse, and takes over from former Speaker Adrienne Jones, the first Black woman to serve as speaker.
“We extend our gratitude to former Speaker Jones for her long public service, including her path-charting role as Speaker for the last six years,” Coble said. “From the Climate Solutions Now Act to the Forest Conservation Act, millions of Marylanders today and many more in the generations to come will breathe cleaner air, drink cleaner water, lead healthier lives, and cherish the immense natural resources Maryland’s managed to preserve because of policies her leadership led to.”
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About Maryland LCV: The Maryland League of Conservation Voters educates and activates people to take equitable and just political actions for clean water, healthy air, and climate-resilient communities for everyone in Maryland. Through political action, education, and accountability, Maryland LCV has been the state’s leading environmental advocacy organization for over 40 years.
Contact: Darcy Costello
301-204-9875
dcostello@fblaw.com