Melissa Wells (politician)
{{Short description|American politician (born 1983)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Melissa Wells
| image = Melissa Wells (53568277327).jpg
| caption = Wells in 2024
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|10|03}}
| birth_place =
| residence = Baltimore, Maryland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| state_delegate = Maryland
| district = 40th
| term_start = January 9, 2019
| term_end =
| alongside = Marlon Amprey, Frank M. Conaway Jr.
| predecessor = Antonio Hayes
| successor =
| constituency = Baltimore City
| party = Democrat
| occupation =
}}
Melissa R. Wells (born October 3, 1983) is an American politician who has served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 40 since 2019.
Early life and career
Wells was born on October 3, 1983. She attended University of California at Riverside in 2006, where she earned a B.A. degree in political science and law and sociology. She later attended American University in 2010, where she earned a M.A. degree in public policy. After graduating, she worked as a policy assistant for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies until 2014 and as a field advisor at Triple Point Interactions and program associate at PolicyLink until 2015. She is currently the regional director of the Baltimore-DC Building Trades Union.{{cite web |title=Melissa R. Wells, Maryland State Delegate |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa18036.html |website=Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher=Maryland State Archives |access-date=December 16, 2023 |date=August 31, 2023}}
In the legislature
File:Bill Testimony HB634 - 2 6 2025 (54311378068) (cropped).jpg
Wells was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 9, 2019. She served as a member of the Environment and Transportation Committee from 2019 to 2022, afterwards serving in the Ways and Means Committee. In November 2019, Wells unsuccessfully ran for assistant majority leader of the House of Delegates, losing to state delegate Wanika B. Fisher in a 25-13 vote among the class of freshman Democratic legislators.{{cite news |last1=Kurtz |first1=Josh |title=Freshman House Dems Choose New Assistant Majority Leader |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2019/11/11/freshman-house-dems-choose-one-of-their-own-as-assistant-majority-leader/ |access-date=January 17, 2022 |work=Maryland Matters |date=November 11, 2019}} Since 2020, she has served as Deputy Majority Whip. Since 2023, she has served as chief deputy majority whip.
Political positions
=Criminal justice and policing=
In March 2019, Wells voted against a bill that would allow Johns Hopkins University to have its own private police force.{{cite news |last1=Broadwater |first1=Luke |title=Baltimore legislative delegation approves Hopkins police force after Cummings 'begs' for help to stop killings |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2019/03/12/baltimore-legislative-delegation-approves-hopkins-police-force-after-cummings-begs-for-help-to-stop-killings/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 12, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Kurtz |first1=Josh |title=Emotions Still Raw Over Hopkins Police Bill |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2019/03/12/emotions-still-raw-over-hopkins-police-bill/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |work=Maryland Matters |date=March 12, 2019}}
During the 2021 legislative session, Wells introduced bills that would require prosecutors to undergo implicit bias training,{{cite news |title=Bills aim to limit implicit bias in Maryland judicial system |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2021/02/24/bills-aim-to-limit-implicit-bias-in-maryland-judicial-system/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=February 24, 2021}} and another that would create a referendum in Baltimore on transferring control of the Baltimore Police Department back to the city.{{cite news |last1=Stole |first1=Bryn |title=Baltimore voters to decide on taking back full local control of the city police department |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2021/04/08/baltimore-voters-to-decide-on-taking-back-full-local-control-of-the-city-police-department/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=April 8, 2021}}
=Environment=
In March 2022, Wells said that she would "reluctantly" vote for the Climate Solutions Now Act, an omnibus bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent by 2030, saying that she felt that the bill "did not do enough to ensure strong labor standards".{{cite news |last1=Shwe |first1=Elizabeth |title=House Set to Debate Sweeping Climate Legislation — With Amendments to Senate Bill |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/03/27/house-set-to-debate-sweeping-climate-legislation-with-amendments-to-senate-bill/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |work=Maryland Matters |date=March 27, 2022}}
=Gun policy=
During the 2019 legislative session, Wells voted against a bill that would allow school resource officers to carry guns in Baltimore schools.{{cite news |last1=Broadwater |first1=Luke |title=Baltimore delegates vote to kill state House bill allowing school police officers to carry guns inside schools |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2019/03/16/baltimore-delegates-vote-to-kill-state-house-bill-allowing-school-police-officers-to-carry-guns-inside-schools/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 16, 2019}}
=Housing=
During the 2021 legislative session, Wells introduced legislation to codify and extend the state's COVID-19 pandemic eviction moratorium until April 2022, and another that would extend judges' ability to delay eviction proceedings.{{cite news |last1=Roberts |first1=Angela |title=Maryland housing advocates, lawmakers discuss bills to reform eviction process, stem housing crisis |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2020/12/29/maryland-housing-advocates-lawmakers-discuss-bills-to-reform-eviction-process-stem-housing-crisis/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=December 29, 2020}} In 2022, she introduced a bill that would allow judges to grant a recess in eviction proceedings to allow parties to seek legal representation.{{cite news |last1=Leckrone |first1=Bennett |title=Fair Housing Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Allow Local Just-Cause Eviction Laws |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/02/01/fair-housing-advocates-urge-lawmakers-to-allow-local-just-cause-eviction-laws/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |work=Maryland Matters |date=February 2, 2022}}
=Social issues=
During the 2022 legislative session, Wells introduced legislation to prohibit auto insurers from using a policy holder's credit score to set rates. The bill was heavily amended following auto insurance industry lobbying{{cite news |last1=DePuyt |first1=Bruce |title=House Democrats Advance Industry-Amended Auto Insurance Measure |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/03/12/house-democrats-advance-industry-amended-auto-insurance-measure/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |work=Maryland Matters |date=March 12, 2022}} before passing the Maryland House of Delegates and did not receive a vote in the Maryland Senate.{{cite news |last1=Mirabella |first1=Lorraine |title=Consumer advocates face setback in blocking auto insurers from weighing Maryland policy holders' credit scores |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2022/04/01/consumer-advocates-face-setback-in-blocking-auto-insurers-from-weighing-maryland-policy-holders-credit-scores/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=April 1, 2022}}{{cite web |title=Legislation - HB0436 |url=https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0436 |website=mgaleg.maryland.gov |access-date=December 16, 2023}}
=Transportation=
During the 2019 legislative session, Wells introduced a bill that would cap Maryland Transit Administration fares at a monthly rate.{{cite news |last1=Campbell |first1=Colin |title=MTA to raise transit fares for buses, subway, light rail, Mobility shuttles in June |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2019/05/14/mta-to-raise-transit-fares-for-buses-subway-light-rail-mobility-shuttles-in-june/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=May 14, 2019}}
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Maryland House of Delegates District 40 Democratic primary election, 2018{{cite web
| title = Official 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates
| work = Maryland State Board of Elections
| url = https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2018/results/primary/gen_results_2018_1_01640.html }}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Nick Mosby (incumbent)
|votes = 6,306
|percentage = 20.6
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Melissa Wells
|votes = 4,423
|percentage = 14.4
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Frank M. Conaway Jr. (incumbent)
|votes = 4,230
|percentage = 13.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Westley West
|votes = 3,099
|percentage = 10.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Gabriel Auteri
|votes = 2,905
|percentage = 9.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Terrell Boston-Smith
|votes = 2,867
|percentage = 9.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Sanjay Thomas
|votes = 1,646
|percentage = 5.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Sarah Matthews
|votes = 1,361
|percentage = 4.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Latia Hopkins
|votes = 1,231
|percentage = 4.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Anees Abdul-Rahim
|votes = 1,075
|percentage = 3.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Brian Murphy
|votes = 898
|percentage = 2.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Timothy Mercer
|votes = 370
|percentage = 1.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Blair DuCray
|votes = 240
|percentage = 0.8
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Maryland House of Delegates District 40 election, 2018{{cite web
| title = Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates
| work = Maryland State Board of Elections
| url = https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2018/results/general/gen_results_2018_2_01640.html
| date = December 11, 2018}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Nick Mosby (incumbent)
|votes = 19,726
|percentage = 30.5
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Melissa Wells
|votes = 18,952
|percentage = 29.3
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Frank M. Conaway, Jr. (incumbent)
|votes = 16,767
|percentage = 25.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Green Party (United States)
|candidate = Joshua Harris
|votes = 8,833
|percentage = 13.6
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
|votes = 485
|percentage = 0.7
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Maryland House of Delegates District 40 election, 2022{{cite web
| title = Official 2022 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates
| work = Maryland State Board of Elections
| url = https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2022/general_results/gen_results_2022_7_59.html
| date = December 7, 2022}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Melissa Wells (incumbent)
|votes = 20,872
|percentage = 32.7
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Frank M. Conaway, Jr. (incumbent)
|votes = 20,052
|percentage = 31.4
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Marlon Amprey (incumbent)
|votes = 19,778
|percentage = 31.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Zulieka A. Baysmore
|votes = 2,852
|percentage = 4.5
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
|votes = 328
|percentage = 0.5
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{C-SPAN|132884}}
{{Maryland House of Delegates}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wells, Melissa}}
Category:Democratic Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Women state legislators in Maryland
Category:African-American state legislators in Maryland
Category:21st-century African-American women politicians
Category:21st-century African-American politicians
Category:20th-century African-American women
Category:21st-century members of the Maryland General Assembly