ANNAPOLIS — Maryland lawmakers will return to Annapolis next month for a three-day special session to consider placing a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would change the rules governing how the state draws congressional districts.
Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk announced Tuesday that the General Assembly will convene Aug. 3-5 to consider the proposal. If approved by a three-fifths vote in both chambers, voters would decide in November whether to amend the state constitution.
Democratic leaders said the measure is intended to clarify Maryland law following a 2022 court decision that struck down the state’s congressional map and amid what they described as growing uncertainty over federal voting rights protections. The proposal would not redraw district lines but would alter the constitutional framework for future maps.
Gov. Wes Moore praised the decision, saying Maryland “cannot sit on the sidelines” as voting rights and fair representation face challenges nationwide. Democratic leaders have not yet released the legislative language, but previous discussions centered on removing constitutional restrictions on how congressional districts may be drawn, including a prohibition on districts crossing the Chesapeake Bay.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans blasted the special session as a partisan effort to eliminate the state’s lone Republican member of Congress, U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, rather than address rising energy costs and other economic issues. Minority Leader Steve Hershey said Republicans would introduce legislation focused on utility bills, vehicle fees and other affordability concerns during the session.