Joseline Peña-Melnyk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseline Peña-Melnyk
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| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 21st district |
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| Assumed office January 10, 2007 Serving with Ben Barnes and Mary A. Lehman
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| Preceded by | Pauline Menes |
| College Park, Maryland City Council | |
| In office 2003–2006 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | June 27, 1966 Dominican Republic |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Markian Melnyk |
| Children | 3 |
| Residences | College Park, Maryland, USA |
| Occupation | Attorney |
Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk was born on June 27, 1966. She is an American politician. She represents District 21 in the Maryland House of Delegates. This is a part of the Maryland state government. In 2016, she ran for the United States House of Representatives. She did not win this election.
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Early Life and Education
Joseline Peña-Melnyk was born in the Dominican Republic. Her family faced many challenges. They often relied on public help programs. When she was eight, she moved to New York with her mother and sister.
Growing Up in New York
In New York, Joseline helped her mother. She also helped other Spanish-speaking families. She translated for them in the Washington Heights area. Later, she lived with friends and rented a room. This was during her last months at John F. Kennedy High School.
College and Law School
She then went to Buffalo State College. She paid for her studies by working in stores. She also volunteered at a shelter for women. She earned a degree in criminal justice. Joseline was the first in her family to graduate from college. She later earned her law degree. She studied at the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Starting Her Legal Career
After law school, Joseline worked as a public defender. This was in Philadelphia. She then moved to Washington, D.C.. In 1993, she passed the bar exam. This allowed her to become a lawyer. She worked to help foster children. She also helped children who had been abused. She later worked as a prosecutor. This was for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. She left this job after her first child was born in 1999.
Joining City Government
Joseline stayed active in public life. She joined the board of CASA de Maryland. In 2003, she won a seat. She became a member of the College Park City Council.
Serving in the Legislature
Joseline Peña-Melnyk became a member of the Maryland House of Delegates in 2007. She joined the House Health and Government Operations Committee. This committee works on health and government issues.
Committee Leadership
She has served on several subcommittees. These include Public Health and Long Term Care. In 2022, she became the Chair of this committee. This made her the highest-ranking Latino person. This was in the history of the General Assembly.
Caucus Memberships
Peña-Melnyk is also part of other groups. She is a member of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. She is also in the Women Legislators of Maryland. She helped start the Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus. She was its first leader. In 2019, she spoke out against a plan. This plan would make members choose one caucus. Her criticism led to the plan being stopped.
Important Nominations
In 2019, Peña-Melnyk made a motion. She nominated Adrienne A. Jones for Speaker. Adrienne A. Jones was later elected to this role. Joseline was also a delegate in 2024. She attended the 2024 Democratic National Convention. She supported Kamala Harris.
Campaign for U.S. House of Representatives
On March 14, 2015, Peña-Melnyk announced her plan. She would run for the United States House of Representatives. This was for Maryland's 4th congressional district. She wanted to take over from Donna F. Edwards. Donna F. Edwards was running for the U.S. Senate.
Campaign Goals
Joseline's campaign focused on key issues. She wanted to raise the federal minimum wage. She also aimed to lower interest rates on college loans.
Campaign Support
During her campaign, she received support. Groups like Democracy for America endorsed her. EMILY's List and the Sierra Club also supported her.
Election Outcome
Joseline Peña-Melnyk lost in the Democratic primary election. She came in third place. Anthony Brown won the primary.
Personal Life
Joseline Peña-Melnyk is married to Markian Melnyk. They live in College Park, Maryland. They have three children together.
Political Views
Many news groups describe Peña-Melnyk as a progressive politician. This means she supports social and political change.
Healthcare Initiatives
In 2018, she helped pass a bill. This bill aimed to lower healthcare costs. It created a "reinsurance program" in Maryland. In 2019, she introduced another bill. This bill required people without health insurance to pay a penalty. This money would help them buy coverage. It became law.
In 2020, she worked on a bill. It required healthcare workers to get special training. This training helps them understand unconscious biases. This bill became one of the first of its kind. In 2021, she introduced the Shirley Nathan-Pulliam Health Equity Act. This act created a commission. It looks at differences in healthcare. She also worked on bills for more bias training. All these bills became law.
In 2022, she introduced a bill. It would expand Medicaid for immigrants. This bill did not pass. However, another bill she introduced did pass. It gives undocumented pregnant women access to Medicaid.
Housing Support
In 2022, Peña-Melnyk introduced a bill about housing. It helps tenants protect their records. This is for eviction cases linked to income loss. This bill became law.
Immigration Policies
In 2020, she introduced a bill. It would stop state police from sending cases to immigration officials.
National Politics
In 2008, Peña-Melnyk supported Barack Obama for president. She was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2012 and 2020. In 2012, she voted for Barack Obama. This was as an elector for the electoral college. In 2015, she protested Donald Trump in Washington, D.C.
Social Issues
In 2019, Peña-Melnyk introduced a bill. It created the Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This group works on racial healing. The bill passed and became law. In 2021, she supported making Juneteenth a state holiday.
Tax Policies
In 2021, Peña-Melnyk supported expanding a tax credit. This helps immigrants who pay taxes. It gives them financial relief.
Transportation Views
In 2017, Peña-Melnyk said she was against a new train route. This route was for a high-speed train. It would run between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
