Melissa Wells (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Melissa Wells
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Wells in 2024
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| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 40th district |
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| Assumed office January 9, 2019 Serving with Marlon Amprey, Frank M. Conaway Jr.
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| Preceded by | Antonio Hayes |
| Constituency | Baltimore City |
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| Born | October 3, 1983 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Baltimore, Maryland |
Melissa R. Wells, born on October 3, 1983, is an American politician. She has been a member of the Maryland House of Delegates since 2019. This means she helps make laws for the state of Maryland. She represents an area called District 40.
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Melissa Wells' Early Life and Education
Melissa Wells was born on October 3, 1983. She went to the University of California at Riverside. In 2006, she earned a bachelor's degree there. This degree was in political science and law, and also in sociology.
Later, she attended American University in 2010. There, she earned a master's degree in public policy. After finishing her studies, she worked for different organizations. She was a policy assistant and a program associate. Currently, she is a regional director for a union in the Baltimore-DC area.
Melissa Wells in the Legislature
Melissa Wells officially became a member of the Maryland House of Delegates on January 9, 2019. The House of Delegates is like a group of elected officials. They work together to create and vote on new laws for the state.
From 2019 to 2022, she was part of the Environment and Transportation Committee. This committee deals with laws about nature and how people travel. After that, she joined the Ways and Means Committee. This committee handles laws about money and taxes.
In 2019, Wells tried to become the assistant majority leader. This is a leadership role in the House of Delegates. She did not win that election. Since 2020, she has served as the Deputy Majority Whip. This role helps make sure her political party's members vote together on important issues. Since 2023, she has been the chief deputy majority whip, which is an even higher leadership position.
Melissa Wells' Political Ideas
Melissa Wells has clear ideas on several important topics. Here's what she believes and has worked on:
Environment Protection
In March 2022, Wells talked about a bill called the Climate Solutions Now Act. This bill aimed to reduce harmful gases that cause climate change. It wanted to cut these gases by 60 percent by 2030. Wells said she would vote for it, but she felt it could do more. She wanted the bill to have stronger rules for workers' rights.
Gun Safety Policy
During the 2019 law-making session, Wells voted on a bill about guns in schools. This bill would have allowed school resource officers to carry guns in Baltimore schools. Wells voted against this bill.
Housing Support
In 2021, Wells worked on laws to help people with housing. She introduced a bill to extend a rule that stopped people from being evicted. This rule was put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also introduced another bill. This bill would allow judges to delay eviction cases. This would give people more time to find legal help. In 2022, she introduced a similar bill. It would let judges pause eviction cases. This pause would allow people to get legal advice.
Social Issues and Fairness
During the 2022 law-making session, Wells introduced a bill about car insurance. This bill aimed to stop car insurance companies from using a person's credit score to decide how much they pay. A credit score is a number that shows how good someone is at paying back money. The bill was changed a lot after insurance companies spoke against it. It passed in the House of Delegates but did not get a vote in the Maryland Senate.
Transportation Improvements
In 2019, Wells introduced a bill about public transportation. This bill would put a limit on how much people pay for bus and train fares each month. This means that no matter how much you ride, you wouldn't pay more than a certain amount in a month. This would make public transport more affordable for everyone.
