Members - Delegate Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk

Legislation Full Text Publications Media

Legislation

Session:

Delegate Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk

District

County

Prince George's and Anne Arundel

Committee Assignment(s)

Health and Government Operations Committee (Vice Chair)
Rules and Executive Nominations Committee

Annapolis Info

241 Taylor House Office Building
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401

Phone 410-841-3502 | 301-858-3502
Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3502
Fax 410-841-3342 | 301-858-3342

Interim Info

P.O. Box 1251
College Park, MD 20741

Phone 410-841-3502 | 301-213-3604
Fax 410-841-3342

Contact

joseline.pena.melnyk@house.state.md.us
2025 Contact Information

Party

Democrat

Legislation	Sponsorship Type Sort	Chamber Sort
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0015 /CH0674 (SB0085/CH0675) Title Creating Governor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0028 /CH0744 (SB0005/CH0745) Title Public Health – Implicit Bias Training and the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0059 (SB0147) Title Task Force on Higher Education Students With Chronic Health Conditions Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0078 /CH0749 (SB0052/CH0750) Title Public Health - Maryland Commission on Health Equity (The Shirley Nathan-Pulliam Health Equity Act of 2021) Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0123 /CH0070 (SB0003/CH0071) Title Preserve Telehealth Access Act of 2021 Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0297 /CH0092 Title Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission - Reporting and Sunset Extension Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0309 /CH0761 (SB0565/CH0762) Title Public Health - Data - Race and Ethnicity Information Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0340 Title Commercial Law – Retail Transactions – Cash Payments (Cash Transactions Preservation Act) Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0396 (SB0279) Title Public Health - Overdose and Infectious Disease Prevention Services Program Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0549 /CH0709 (SB0215/CH0710) Title Maryland Department of Health - Birth Registration - Gestational Carriers Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0554 /CH0471 (SB0507/CH0472) Title Division of Consumer Protection - Assisted Living Programs Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0568 Title Human Services - Maryland Baby Bond Account Program - Establishment Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0836 (SB0741) Title COVID-19 Testing, Contact Tracing, and Vaccination Act of 2021 Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0923 (SB0728) Title Labor and Employment – Worker Safety and Health – Injury and Illness Prevention Program Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB1280 /CH0069 (SB0857/CH0068) Title Health - Maryland Behavioral Health and Public Safety Center of Excellence - Establishment Sponsorship Type Primary	1	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0315 (SB0136) Title Juvenile Law - Juvenile Interrogation Protection Act Sponsorship Type Co-Sponsor	2	2
Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter) HB0393 /CH0325 (SB0012/CH0326) Title Maryland Office of the Inspector General for Health Sponsorship Type Co-Sponsor	2	2

Bill/Chapter (Cross/Chapter)	Title	Sponsorship Type	Sponsorship Type Sort	Chamber Sort	Current Status	Org Committees & Hearings	Opp Committees & Hearings
HB0015 /CH0674 (SB0085/CH0675)	Creating Governor's Office of Immigrant Affairs	Primary	1	2	Enacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 674	Appropriations 1/27/2021 - 1:30 PM	Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Budget and Taxation
HB0028 /CH0744 (SB0005/CH0745)	Public Health – Implicit Bias Training and the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities	Primary	1	2	Enacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 744	Health and Government Operations 1/26/2021 - 1:30 PM	Finance Budget and Taxation
HB0059 (SB0147)	Task Force on Higher Education Students With Chronic Health Conditions	Primary	1	2	In the House - Withdrawn by Sponsor	Appropriations 1/20/2021 - 1:30 PM
HB0078 /CH0749 (SB0052/CH0750)	Public Health - Maryland Commission on Health Equity (The Shirley Nathan-Pulliam Health Equity Act of 2021)	Primary	1	2	Enacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 749	Health and Government Operations 1/26/2021 - 1:30 PM	Finance
HB0123 /CH0070 (SB0003/CH0071)	Preserve Telehealth Access Act of 2021	Primary	1	2	Approved by the Governor - Chapter 70	Health and Government Operations 1/27/2021 - 1:30 PM	Finance
HB0297 /CH0092	Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission - Reporting and Sunset Extension	Primary	1	2	Approved by the Governor - Chapter 92	Health and Government Operations 1/21/2021 - 1:30 PM	Judicial Proceedings 3/17/2021 - 12:30 PM
HB0309 /CH0761 (SB0565/CH0762)	Public Health - Data - Race and Ethnicity Information	Primary	1	2	Enacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 761	Health and Government Operations 1/26/2021 - 1:30 PM	Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
HB0340	Commercial Law – Retail Transactions – Cash Payments (Cash Transactions Preservation Act)	Primary	1	2	In the House - Hearing 1/27 at 1:30 p.m.	Economic Matters 1/27/2021 - 1:30 PM
HB0396 (SB0279)	Public Health - Overdose and Infectious Disease Prevention Services Program	Primary	1	2	In the House - Hearing 3/11 at 1:30 p.m.	Health and Government Operations 3/11/2021 - 1:30 PM
HB0549 /CH0709 (SB0215/CH0710)	Maryland Department of Health - Birth Registration - Gestational Carriers	Primary	1	2	Enacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 709	Health and Government Operations 2/09/2021 - 1:30 PM	Finance
HB0554 /CH0471 (SB0507/CH0472)	Division of Consumer Protection - Assisted Living Programs	Primary	1	2	Enacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 471	Health and Government Operations 2/03/2021 - 2:30 PM	Finance
HB0568	Human Services - Maryland Baby Bond Account Program - Establishment	Primary	1	2	In the House - Withdrawn by Sponsor	Appropriations
HB0836 (SB0741)	COVID-19 Testing, Contact Tracing, and Vaccination Act of 2021	Primary	1	2	Vetoed by the Governor (Policy)	Health and Government Operations 2/23/2021 - 1:30 PM Appropriations	Finance
HB0923 (SB0728)	Labor and Employment – Worker Safety and Health – Injury and Illness Prevention Program	Primary	1	2	In the House - Hearing 3/05 at 1:30 p.m.	Economic Matters 3/05/2021 - 1:30 PM
HB1280 /CH0069 (SB0857/CH0068)	Health - Maryland Behavioral Health and Public Safety Center of Excellence - Establishment	Primary	1	2	Approved by the Governor - Chapter 69	Health and Government Operations 3/02/2021 - 1:30 PM	Finance
HB0315 (SB0136)	Juvenile Law - Juvenile Interrogation Protection Act	Co-Sponsor	2	2	In the Senate - First Reading Judicial Proceedings	Judiciary 2/04/2021 - 1:30 PM	Judicial Proceedings
HB0393 /CH0325 (SB0012/CH0326)	Maryland Office of the Inspector General for Health	Co-Sponsor	2	2	Approved by the Governor - Chapter 325	Health and Government Operations 1/19/2021 - 2:00 PM	Finance

Denotes enacted legislation

Legislative Bond Initiatives
Project Name Helpers To Good Inc Status Introduced House Sponsors Pena-Melnyk Senate Sponsors Rosapepe County Prince George's Amount Requested $225,000 House Initiative $225,000 Senate Initiative Other Funding Total Funding $225,000

Project Name	Status	House Sponsors	Senate Sponsors	County	Amount Requested	House Initiative	Senate Initiative	Other Funding	Total Funding
Helpers To Good Inc	Introduced	Pena-Melnyk	Rosapepe	Prince George's	$225,000	$225,000			$225,000

Tenure: First elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, 2006. Member of the House since 2007.

Current Assignments

2019 Vice Chair, Health and Government Operations Committee (Member 2007-)

2020 Government Operations and Health Facilities Subcommittee of the Health and Government Operations Committee

2015 Chair, Public Health & Minority Health Disparities Subcommittee of the Health and Government Operation Committee

2017 House Chair, Maryland Health Insurance Coverage Protection Commission

2021 House Cannabis Referendum and Legalization Workgroup (Chair, Health Determinants Subcommittee)

2019 Vice Chair, Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus (Chair 2015-2017, Secretary, 2017-2018, Member 2015)

2007- Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, Inc.

2007- Women Legislators of Maryland

2016 Maryland Veterans Caucus

Past House Service: Joint Covid-19 Response Workgroup, 2020; Opioid Workgroup, 2018; Chair, Affordable Care Act (ACA) Workgroup, 2018; Punitive Damages Workgroup, 2016-2017; Government Operations & Long Term Care Subcommittee of the Health and Government Operations Committee, 2014-2017; Government Operations and Estates and Trusts Subcommittee of the Health and Government Operations Committee, 2017-2019; Joint Oversight Committee on the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, 2014-2017; Public Safety and Policing Workgroup, 2015-2016; House Chair, Joint Committee on Access to Mental Health Services, 2011-2014; Public Health and Long Term Care Subcommittee of the Health and Government Operations Committee, 2007-2014; Regional Revitalization Work Group, 2015-2019; Joint Committee on Behavioral Health and Opioid Use Disorders, 2015-2021.

Public Service: Maryland Medicaid Advisory Committee, 2015-; Governor's Commission to Reform Maryland's Pretrial System, 2014; Virginia I. Jones Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Council, 2013-2016; Chair, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission Committee, Prince George's County Delegation, 2011-2012; Governor's Wellmobile Program Advisory Board, 2011-; Task Force to Study the Procurement of Health, Education, and Social Services by State Agencies (House Co-Chair 2009-2010), 2009-2012; Vice Chair, County Affairs Committee, Prince George's County Delegation, 2008-2010; Task Force on the Preservation of Heritage Language Skills in Maryland, 2008-2009; Task Force on Health Care Access and Reimbursement, 2007-2008; Vice Chair, Law Enforcement and State Appointed Boards Committee, Prince George's County Delegation, 2007-2008; City Council, College Park, representing District 4, 2003-2006; Former Member, Recreation Board, College Park.

Memberships: Maryland Legislative Transit Caucus, 2019-; Maryland Military Installation Caucus, 2017-; Co-Chair, Latino Leadership Council, Maryland Democratic Party, 2010-; Eastern Region Board of Directors, Women in Government; North College Park Civic Association; West College Park Civic Association; College Park Rotary Club.

Awards: Maryland's Top 100 Women, The Daily Record, 2021, 2018, 2015; Outstanding Legislator of the Year, Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 2017; Certificate of Appreciation, Maryland Municipal League, 2009-2011, 2007; Municipal Super Star, Maryland Municipal League, 2008.

Biographical Information: Born, Dominican Republic, June 27, 1966; John F. Kennedy High School, Bronx, New York; Buffalo State College, B.A., Criminal Justice, 1987; University at Buffalo Law School, The State University of New York, J.D., 1991; Attorney, Defender Association of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1991-92; Assistant U.S. Attorney, Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, U.S. Department of Justice, 1997-99; Married; three children.