Alonzo T. Washington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alonzo T. Washington
Washington in 2023
Member of the Maryland Senate from the 22nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 30, 2023
Appointed by	Wes Moore
Preceded by	Paul G. Pinsky
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 22nd district
In office December 19, 2012 – January 27, 2023 Serving with Tawanna P. Gaines (2012–2019), Anne Healey (2012–2023), and Nicole A. Williams (2019–2023)
Appointed by	Martin O'Malley
Preceded by	Justin D. Ross
Succeeded by	Ashanti Martinez
Personal details
Born	Alonzo T. Washington (1983-09-02) September 2, 1983 (age 41) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Residences	Greenbelt, Maryland, U.S.
Profession	Politician
Signature

Alonzo T. Washington (born September 2, 1983) is an American politician. He is a member of the Maryland Senate, representing District 22 in Prince George's County. He was appointed to this role in 2023.

Before becoming a state senator, he served in the Maryland House of Delegates for the same district. He was a delegate from 2012 to 2023.

Early Life and Education

Alonzo T. Washington was born in Washington, D.C.. He grew up in College Park, Maryland, with his mother and five siblings. When he was eight, his family lived in a homeless shelter for a time.

He went to Laurel High School in Laurel, Maryland. There, he was part of both the track and football teams. He was the first person in his family to finish high school and go to college.

Washington attended the University of Maryland, College Park. He received help from a group called First Generation College Bound. In 2007, he earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. During his first year of college, he played football. He was also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

Starting His Career in Public Service

After college, Washington worked as a paralegal for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. A paralegal helps lawyers with legal tasks.

In 2008, he started working for the Prince George's County Council. He was a community liaison, which means he helped connect the council with local residents. He also served as a chief of staff for councilmember William A. Campos.

Washington became interested in politics in 2005. He joined the Prince George's County Young Democrats. From 2010 to 2014, he was on the Prince George's County Democratic Central Committee. He was the secretary for part of that time.

In December 2012, Governor Martin O'Malley appointed Washington to the Maryland House of Delegates. This happened after Delegate Justin D. Ross left the position.

Serving in the Maryland Legislature

Alonzo Washington officially became a member of the Maryland House of Delegates on December 19, 2012.

He has also been involved in national politics. In 2016, he was a delegate for the 2016 Democratic National Convention. He was also a delegate for the 2024 Democratic National Convention, supporting Kamala Harris.

In July 2020, he led a special group to study how to improve the police department in Prince George's County. This group made many suggestions in December 2020. These ideas included changing police laws and increasing police diversity. Most of their suggestions were put into action.

Washington in the Senate Finance Committee, 2025

In December 2022, Washington sought to fill a vacant seat in the Maryland Senate. This seat became open when Senator Paul G. Pinsky was nominated for a new role. On January 27, 2023, Governor Wes Moore appointed Washington to the Maryland Senate.

In December 2024, Washington announced he would run for Prince George's County Executive. This special election is to fill the rest of Angela Alsobrooks's term.

Working on Committees

As a lawmaker, Washington has served on several important committees.

Maryland House of Delegates

• Ways and Means Committee: He was the Vice-Chair from 2020 to 2023. This committee handles money matters and taxes.
• Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families: This committee focuses on issues affecting young people.
• Joint Committee on Federal Relations: This committee works on connections between the state and federal government.
• Joint Committee on the Management of Public Funds: This committee oversees how public money is managed.
• Rules and Executive Nominations Committee: This committee deals with legislative rules and approving appointments.
• Spending Affordability Committee: This committee looks at how much the state can afford to spend.
• He also served as a Deputy Majority Whip and Parliamentarian. These roles help manage legislative procedures.

Other Groups He Joined

• Prince George's County Delegation: He was the 1st Vice-Chair from 2018 to 2023. This group represents Prince George's County lawmakers.
• Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland: He has been a member since 2013 and was a 1st Vice-Chair.
• Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus: He joined this group in 2019.
• Maryland Legislative Transit Caucus: He joined this group in 2019.

What Alonzo Washington Cares About

Alonzo Washington has worked on many different issues during his time in the legislature.

Alcohol Sales

In 2017, he proposed a law to let movie theaters sell alcoholic beverages under certain rules. The bill did not pass.

Improving Education

In 2015, Washington helped create a program to help low-income students go to college. This program became law.

In 2021, he introduced a bill to allow students to take a day off for mental health reasons each school quarter. This bill passed the House of Delegates but did not become law. He also proposed a bill to let teachers teach from home during the COVID-19 emergency if they were not vaccinated. This bill passed but was stopped by the Governor. However, lawmakers later voted to make it a law anyway.

Fair Elections

In 2018, Washington introduced a law to make online political ads more transparent. This means social media companies had to share more information about who paid for these ads. This bill became law.

In 2021, he proposed expanding early voting hours. This bill passed and became law, making it easier for people to vote.

Healthcare Access

In 2018, he supported the Healthy Maryland Act. This bill aimed to create a single-payer healthcare system in Maryland. This type of system means the government would pay for most healthcare costs.

Housing Development

In 2019, Washington introduced a bill about the old Glenn Dale Hospital. The law changed rules so the property could be used for housing. This could allow new homes to be built there.

Government Oversight

In 2014, he proposed a law to stop the Prince George's County Board of Education from using credit cards. After this, the Board voted to ban its members from having county-issued credit cards.

In 2015, he worked to create an inspector general's office. This office would investigate complaints about public schools.

In 2021, he introduced a bill that would require the Maryland Senate to approve the governor's choice for state superintendent. This bill passed the House of Delegates but did not pass the Senate.

Policing Practices

In 2021, Washington introduced a bill to expand training for school resource officers. This training would include "restorative approaches," which focus on repairing harm rather than just punishment. The bill passed the House of Delegates but did not pass the Senate.

Tax Relief

In 2022, Washington introduced a bill to remove sales tax from diabetic care products. This means items like insulin and test strips would be cheaper for people with diabetes. This bill passed and became law.

Images for kids

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  Alonzo Washington's signature