Adrienne A. Jones is the current Speaker

Speaker (politics)

The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...

 Pro Tem

Pro tempore

Pro tempore , abbreviated pro tem or p.t., is a Latin phrase which best translates to "for the time being" in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a locum tenens in the absence of a superior, such as the President pro tempore of the United States Senate.Legislative...

 of the Maryland House of Delegates

Maryland House of Delegates

The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...

, the first African American

African American

African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

 female to serve in that position in Maryland. She was appointed by Governor Parris Glendening

Parris Glendening

Parris Nelson Glendening , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 59th Governor of Maryland from January 18, 1995 to January 15, 2003...

 to fill the vacancy created by the death of Delegate Joan Neverdonn Parker in 1997.http://www.delegateajones.com/bio.html

Background

Born in Cowdensville, Maryland, an historic African American community located near Arbutus, in Southwest Baltimore County, Delegate Jones attended Baltimore County public schools. She graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County with a B.A.

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

 in psychology in 1976. She has served as the Director of the Office of Minority Affairs in Baltimore County (1989–95) and is the Executive Director of the Office of Fair Practices and Community Affairs in Baltimore County.

In the Legislature

Delegate Jones has been a member of House of Delegates since October 21, 1997, representing District 10. In addition to being Speaker Pro Tem, she is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and its public safety & administration subcommittee. She also provides leadership through the Legislative Policy, Spending Affordability, Rules and Executive Nominations and Legislative Ethics Committees. She is also a member of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland

Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland

The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland is an American political organization composed of African Americans elected to the Maryland General Assembly...

.

Legislative notes

• voted for Healthy Air Act in 2006 (SB154)
• voted against slots in 2005 (HB1361)
• voted for income tax reduction in 1998 (SB750)
• voted in favor of Tax Reform Act of 2007(HB2)

2006 General election results District 10

Voters to choose three:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Emmett C. Burns, Jr. Emmett C. Burns, Jr. Emmett C. Burns, Jr. is an American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. He is currently serving in his 4th term in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Maryland's District 10 in Baltimore County. Burns is currently a member of the Economic Matters...	29,140	34.2%	Won
Shirley Nathan-Pulliam Shirley Nathan-Pulliam Shirley Nathan-Pulliam is an American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party.-Background:Nathan-Pulliam was born in Trelawny, Jamaica on May 20, 1939...	28,544	33.5%	Won
Adrienne A. Jones	27,064	31.8%	Won
Other Write-Ins	370	0.4%