Melony G. Griffith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Melony Griffith
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Griffith in 2022
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| President pro tempore of the Maryland Senate | |
| In office January 8, 2020 – January 11, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Kathy Klausmeier |
| Succeeded by | Malcolm Augustine |
| Member of the Maryland Senate from the 25th district |
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| In office January 9, 2019 – October 31, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Ulysses Currie |
| Succeeded by | Nick Charles |
| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 25th district |
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| In office January 13, 1999 – January 14, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Crumlin |
| Succeeded by | Darryl Barnes |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Melony Ghee
June 5, 1963 Abilene, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Montana State University, Billings (BS) Howard University (MSW) |
Melony Ghee Griffith (born June 5, 1963) is an American politician. She was a member of the Maryland Senate for District 25 in Prince George's County. She served in the Senate from 2019 until October 31, 2023.
Before that, she was the president pro tempore of the Maryland Senate from 2020 to 2023. She also served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1999 to 2015.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Melony Ghee was born on June 5, 1963, in Abilene, Texas. Her parents were Frank F. Ghee Jr. and Mary E. Ghee. She grew up in Montana because her father was in the military.
She finished high school at Charles M. Russell High School. Later, she went to Eastern Montana College. In 1985, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree. Her studies focused on psychology, criminology, and rehabilitation. In 1987, she received a Master of Social Work degree from Howard University.
Melony Griffith's Career
After college, Griffith worked as a social worker. From 1992 to 1993, she helped with a health project at Johns Hopkins University. She also worked for the Academy for Educational Development from 1998 to 2004. After that, she held different jobs at the Prince George's County Health Department until 2009.
Griffith first got involved in politics in 1996. She ran for a spot on the Prince George's County Board of Education.
Serving in the House of Delegates
Melony Griffith became a member of the Maryland House of Delegates on January 13, 1999. She was part of the Judiciary Committee until 2002. Then, she joined the Appropriations Committee. She served there until she left the House in 2015.
During her time, she became known for her deep understanding of policy. She was especially good at health care policy. In 2000, she was a delegate for Al Gore at the Democratic National Convention.
Serving in the Maryland Senate
Running for the Senate
In 2013, Griffith decided to run for the Maryland Senate. She challenged the current senator, Ulysses Currie. He had faced some issues, which made the election more competitive.
Griffith focused her campaign on important topics. These included economic growth, creating jobs, improving education, and public safety. She ran a respectful campaign. She did not talk about the issues her opponent had faced. However, she did not win this election in 2014.
In 2017, Senator Currie announced he would not run again. Melony Griffith decided to run for the Senate once more. This time, she won the Democratic primary election. She then won the general election and became a state senator.
Time as a Senator
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Griffith officially joined the Maryland Senate on January 9, 2019. She was a member of the Budget and Taxation Committee from 2019 to 2022. After that, she became the chair of the Finance Committee.
In January 2020, the Maryland Senate chose Griffith to be the president pro tempore. This was a big moment because she was the first African American woman to hold this important role. She served in this position until 2023.
During the 2020 presidential primaries, Griffith supported Joe Biden. She helped lead the Maryland Women for Biden group.
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In April 2022, Griffith helped sign 103 new Maryland laws. She did this alongside Republican Governor Larry Hogan and House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones. This was a historic event. It was the first time two Black women were part of such a ceremony as Maryland's presiding officers. Griffith represented the Senate, and Jones represented the House.
On October 6, 2023, Griffith announced she would leave the Maryland Senate. She resigned at the end of that month. She took on a new role as the head of the Maryland Hospital Association. She is the fifth president of this organization. She is also the first African American woman to hold this position.
Personal Life
Melony Griffith has two children. She has lived in Suitland, Maryland since 2002.
In 1999, a disagreement led to a lawsuit against Griffith. The case was settled outside of court in 2001.
Political Views
Healthcare
Griffith led a group that worked on health proposals. One idea was to extend Medicaid coverage for pregnant women. This would help them for up to 12 months after giving birth.
In 2023, Griffith supported a bill to allow non-citizens to get health insurance. She called it a good first step.
Minimum Wage
In 2023, there was a discussion about raising the minimum wage. A bill called the Fair Wage Act aimed to increase it to $15 an hour. Griffith supported a change to the bill. This change would delay the increase until 2024. It would also remove parts that linked future increases to inflation.
Social Issues
In 2001, Griffith voted for a bill to stop discrimination based on sexual orientation. In 2011, she said she did not support a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland.
In 2007, Griffith voted for a bill to allow people to vote on legalizing slot machine gambling. In 2012, she said she was against building a casino in National Harbor, Maryland. She felt Prince George's County preferred other ways to grow its economy.
