As the 2025 Maryland General Assembly kicks off this week, Harford County’s state representatives say they are focusing on issues such as juvenile justice and the budget deficit.

Sen. Jason Gallion (R, District 35)

Gallion, elected to the Maryland Senate in 2019, is a member of the Education, Energy and the Environment Committee and said his three main priorities this session are the state budget deficit, juvenile crime issues and what he called the “energy crisis.”

“All three of these issues directly affect us at home here in Harford County and my priority is to be a voice against tax and fee increases that hit our already struggling working families,” Gallion said. “I believe our government needs to look inward before going to our citizens to reduce this deficit.”

His focus on energy stems from what he said is Maryland being a “net importer of electricity” — meaning that Maryland imports electricity from other states because the state does not produce enough of its own to meet its needs.

Gallion maintained that years of green energy policy has put the state on an “unsustainable path forward” that has already resulted in higher energy prices.

“These increases will not only be felt in our households but at the grocery store as well,” Gallion said. “My goal this session is to identify a path forward that ensures Maryland is holding its weight when it comes to energy production and easing the burden on ratepayers.”

Citing the fatal Joppatowne High School shooting that occurred last September, Gallion said the state’s Child Interrogation Act needs to be revisited as he believes the law, in its current form, is “irresponsible, unsafe and hinders law enforcement from doing their job.”

“I opposed this legislation initially and would support an outright repeal of the Child Interrogation Act,” Gallion said.

Sen. Mary-Dulany James (R, District 34)

James represented District 34A in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1999 to 2015 before being elected to serve District 34 in the Maryland Senate in 2022.

“Harford county has been my home my whole life and I’m dedicated to bringing back Annapolis dollars to our county,” James said on her website. “I want to serve in the Maryland Senate to create good-paying jobs for our working families, improve our infrastructure, fund our schools, support our farms, and help families recover from the pandemic.”

This session, James, a business owner, is focused on increasing job growth and helping small businesses; improving infrastructure to repair bridges and roads; protecting Harford’s farmland and its portion of the bay; addressing public safety; supporting schools; and making health care more affordable and accessible

Del. Mike Griffith (R, District 35A)

The 447th Maryland General Assembly is Griffith’s sixth session.

His focus this session will be on two juvenile justice bills centered on schools following both the Joppatowne High School fatal shooting and the murder of Kayla Hamilton by a 16-year-old who officials say illegally entered the U.S. in 2022 and who, while under investigation for murder, attended Edgewood High School, unbeknownst to school officials.

The first bill aims to give school systems access to the juvenile sexual offender list and the second bill aims to expand the offenses committed by students outside of school that must be reported to the school system, commonly referred to as “reportable offenses.”

Griffith’s bill — written in cooperation with the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office and Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler — would add certain sexual offenses, threats of mass violence and suspicion of violent felonies to the reportable offenses list.

If passed, Griffith said the bill will have “guardrails” that allow only the state’s attorney to inform the school system’s superintendent — preventing students and parents from knowing of offenses allegedly committed by students.

“This will allow the superintendent the opportunity to decide how to best move forward with the matter,” Griffith said.

He also plans to work on foster care reform; a bill to eliminate the tax on retirement income for veterans and a bill to waive vehicle registration fees for veterans who are 100% disabled; and a bill to expand Harford’s access to funding for school resource officers.

Del. Susan McComas (R, District 34B)

McComas was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2002 representing District 35B. In 2015, she transitioned to District 34B.

First and foremost, McComas said, her goal this session is to “do no harm.”

“I will not be supporting any increased taxes and fees,” McComas said. “Maryland needs to lead the nation by living within our means.  Our constituents have been pummeled by inflation on food, gasoline and services.”

Priorities McComas has this session include:

  • The codification of the factors considered by judges before they award joint or sole custody of children and set visitation schedules. She said the bill is supported by the Maryland Bar Association.
  • Notifying the public when children in the care of the Department of Social Services suffer serious harm or death, should prosecutors not object to public notification.
  • Getting Maryland an “appropriate and inclusive” state song.

“As one of the original 13 colonies, a border state during the Civil War and some of the most iconic institutions in education, medicine, art, sports and technology, we need a state song sooner rather than later,” McComas said.

Del. Lauren Arikan (R, District 7B) 

Arikan was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2018.

Replying to a request for comment on her legislative priorities this session, she said: “I’ll be working on banning the chemical transition of minors with gender dysphoria, because it’s child abuse.”

Harford’s other four representatives, Sen. J.B. Jennings (R, District 7), Del. Andre Johnson (D, District 34A), Del. Steven Johnson (D, District 35A) and Del. Teresa Reilly (R, District 35A) did not respond to a request for comment on their priorities for the 2025 session, which began Wednesday and ends April 7.

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