Joseline Peña-Melnyk

Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk (née Peña, born June 27, 1966) is an American politician who represents District 21 in the Maryland House of Delegates.[1] She unsuccessfully ran for the United States House of Representatives in 2016, coming in third behind Anthony Brown and Glenn Ivey.

Joseline Peña-Melnyk
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 21st district
Assumed office
January 10, 2007
Serving with Ben Barnes and Mary A. Lehman
Preceded byPauline Menes
College Park, Maryland City Council
In office
2003–2006
Personal details
Born (1966-06-27) June 27, 1966
Dominican Republic
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMarkian Melnyk
Children3
Residence(s)College Park, Maryland, USA
OccupationAttorney

Background

Born in the Dominican Republic, Peña was raised in a poverty-stricken family who relied on public assistance and welfare programs.[2] She moved to New York with her mother and sister when she was eight years old. While there, she helped with translation services for her mother and other Spanish-speaking families in Manhattan's Washington Heights neighborhood. Peña moved out after a bad disagreement with her mother, staying with friends and renting a room during her last few months at John F. Kennedy High School.[3] She later attended Buffalo State College, paying her way through school with a series of retail jobs and by volunteering at a shelter for battered women[3] before graduating with a B.S. in criminal justice. She later graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree.[1] Peña was the first in her family to achieve a college degree.[4]

After law school, Peña started her legal career in the public defender's office in Philadelphia before moving to Washington, D.C., to join her then-fiance Markian Melnyk after failing the bar exam. She later passed the test in 1993 and became a court-appointed defense attorney, advocating for foster children and abused children in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Peña-Melnyk later joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor before leaving the practice after the birth of her first child in 1999. She continued to be active in public life, joining the board of CASA de Maryland and winning a seat on the College Park City Council in 2003.[3]

In the legislature

Peña-Melnyk has been a member of the House Health and Government Operations Committee since she assumed office in 2007. She has served on the Public Health and Long Term Care, Government Operations & Long Term Care, Insurance and Pharmaceuticals, and Public Health and Minority Health Disparities subcommittees.[1] In 2022, she was appointed Chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee, becoming the highest-ranking Latino in the history of the General Assembly.[5]

Peña-Melnyk is also a member of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland and the Women Legislators of Maryland.[1] She is also a founding member of the Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus and served as its first Chairperson.[6] In October 2019, Peña-Melnyk, who is Black and Latina, criticized a proposed plan that would require members of both the Legislative Black Caucus and the Legislative Latino Caucus to choose between being a member of either caucus. Following her criticism, the plan was withdrawn for consideration.[7][8]

In 2019, Peña-Melnyk motioned during a meeting of members of the House of Delegates Democratic Caucus to nominate Adrienne A. Jones as the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, a position to which she was eventually elected in May 2019.[9]

2016 U.S. House of Representatives campaign
Main article: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Maryland § District 4

On March 14, 2015, Peña-Melnyk announced that she would run for the United States House of Representatives in Maryland's 4th congressional district, seeking to succeed U.S. Representative Donna F. Edwards, who unsuccessfully ran for United States Senate in 2016.[10][11] Her platform included raising the federal minimum wage and reducing college loan interest rates.[2]

During the primary, she received endorsements from Democracy for America,[12] EMILY's List,[13] Sierra Club,[14] the Congressional Progressive Caucus,[15] and Latino Victory Fund.[16]

Peña-Melnyk was defeated in the Democratic primary by former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland Anthony Brown, receiving 19.0 percent of the vote.[17]

Personal life

Peña-Melnyk is married to her husband, Markian Melnyk.[18] Together, they live in College Park, Maryland,[10] and have three children.[1]

Political positions

Media outlets have described Peña-Melnyk as a progressive.[3][19]

Abortion

Peña-Melnyk supports codifying the right to abortion into the Maryland Constitution,[20] and criticized a statement from Governor Larry Hogan in 2018 that downplayed needing to do so, calling it "insufficient".[21] Following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Peña-Melnyk said that she was gearing up to codify abortion rights in the state constitution.[22]

During the 2022 legislative session, Peña-Melnyk introduced the Healthy Babies Equity Act, a bill that would provide prenatal care to individuals regardless of immigration status. The bill passed and became law without Governor Larry Hogan's signature.[23]

Healthcare

During the 2018 legislative session, Peña-Melnyk introduced a bill to ask the federal government to divert money to Maryland used to offset the cost of high-risk patients on the Affordable Care Act's insurance pool, instead using it under a new "reinsurance program" under the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. The bill passed and became law with Governor Larry Hogan's signature,[24] and the plan was approved by federal regulators in August 2018.[25]

During the 2019 legislative session, Peña-Melnyk introduced a bill that would require Marylanders without health insurance to pay a state penalty that would go toward purchasing coverage.[26] The bill overwhelmingly passed in the Maryland House of Delegates and unanimously passed the Maryland Senate, and was signed into law by Governor Larry Hogan on May 13, 2019.[27]

During the 2020 legislative session, Peña-Melnyk introduced a bill that would require health care professionals treating patients in perinatal units to receive implicit bias training at least once every two years. The bill passed through both chambers of the Maryland General Assembly unanimously, becoming one of the first implicit bias training laws in the United States.[28]

During the 2021 legislative session, Peña-Melnyk introduced the Shirley Nathan-Pulliam Health Equity Act,[29] a bill that would create the Maryland Commission on Health Equity to examine racial, ethnic, cultural, or socioeconomic disparities in healthcare.[30] She also introduced a bill that would require the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities to work with the Maryland Health Care Commission to publish a "health disparity policy report card" comparing the state's racial and ethnic identifiers against the state's population by demographic,[30] and another to require licensed health professionals to undergo implicit bias training when they apply to have their licenses renewed.[31] All three bills passed and became law.[29][32][33]

During the 2022 legislative session, Peña-Melnyk introduced a bill that would expand Medicaid for immigrants regardless of their legal status, which failed to move out of committee. She also introduced a bill that would provide undocumented pregnant women access to Medicaid, which passed and became law.[34]

Housing

During the 2022 legislative session, Peña-Melnyk introduced a bill to allow tenants to petition courts to shield records in eviction cases where the failure to pay rent was due to an income loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[35][36] The bill passed and became law on May 29, 2022.[37]

Immigration

During the 2020 legislative session, Peña-Melnyk introduced a bill that would prohibit state law enforcement officers from referring cases to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.[38]

National politics

During the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Peña-Melnyk endorsed the candidacy of Barack Obama. In 2012 and in 2020, she served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.[1][39] She was also a member of the electoral college in the 2012 election, casting her vote for Barack Obama in a ceremony at the Maryland State House.[1]

In July 2015, Peña-Melnyk protested Donald Trump at the construction site of the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C.[40]

Social issues

During the 2019 legislative session, Peña-Melnyk introduced a bill that would create the Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission to facilitate workshops and train commissioners and members of their staff on racial healing. The bill passed and became law.[41]

In 2021, Peña-Melnyk spoke in support of a bill that would make Juneteenth a state and employee-paid holiday in Maryland.[42]

Taxes

During the 2021 legislative session, Peña-Melnyk supported expanding Maryland's Earned Income Tax Credit to provide relief to tax-paying immigrants who were left out of the state's RELIEF Act because they didn't have a Social Security number.[43]

Transportation

In December 2017, Peña-Melnyk said she opposed a proposed Amtrak route for a maglev train between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.[44]

Electoral history
Maryland House of Delegates District 21 Democratic primary election, 2006[45]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Barbara A. Frush 5,378 20.8
Democratic Joseline Peña-Melnyk 5,255 20.3
Democratic Ben Barnes 5,169 20.0
Democratic Brian R. Moe 4,355 16.8
Democratic Tekisha Everette 2,042 7.9
Democratic Mark Cook 1,771 6.9
Democratic Michael B. Sarich 1,346 5.2
Democratic Jon Black 538 2.1
Maryland House of Delegates District 21 election, 2006[46]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Barnes 18,453 29.6
Democratic Barbara A. Frush 18,279 29.3
Democratic Joseline Peña-Melnyk 18,001 28.9
Republican Neil B. Sood 7,349 11.8
Write-in 206 0.3
Maryland House of Delegates District 21 election, 2010[47]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Barnes 18,954 25.2
Democratic Barbara A. Frush 18,689 24.8
Democratic Joseline Peña-Melnyk 18,457 24.5
Republican Scott W. Dibiasio 6,131 8.1
Republican Jason W. Papanikolas 6,013 8.0
Republican Kat Nelson 5,822 7.7
Libertarian K. Bryan Walker 1,151 1.5
Write-in 72 0.1
Maryland House of Delegates District 21 election, 2014[48]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Barbara A. Frush 18,157 28.7
Democratic Ben Barnes 17,235 27.3
Democratic Joseline Peña-Melnyk 16,880 26.7
Republican Katherine M. Butcher 10,610 16.8
Write-in 284 0.4
Maryland's 4th congressional district Democratic primary election, 2016[49]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Anthony Brown 47,678 41.6
Democratic Glenn Ivey 38,966 34.0
Democratic Joseline Peña-Melnyk 21,724 19.0
Democratic Warren Christopher 3,973 3.5
Democratic Matthew Fogg 1,437 1.3
Democratic Terence Strait 845 0.7
Maryland House of Delegates District 21 election, 2018[50]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Barnes 27,567 26.3
Democratic Joseline Peña-Melnyk 26,889 25.7
Democratic Mary A. Lehman 26,809 25.6
Republican Richard Douglas 8,519 8.1
Republican Chike Anyanwu 8,313 7.9
Independent Ray Ranker 6,472 6.2
Write-in 234 0.2
Female Delegates to the Democratic National Convention election, 2020[51]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Denise C. Mitchell (Biden) 109,568 15.9
Democratic Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (Biden) 104,374 15.2
Democratic Ashleigh S. Phillips (Biden) 104,122 15.1
Democratic Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk (Biden) 102,271 14.9
Democratic Arleathia West (Biden) 101,033 14.7
Democratic Shabnam Ahmed (Sanders) 16,979 2.5
Democratic Olivia Delaplaine (Sanders) 13,487 2.0
Democratic Leena G. Mohamed (Sanders) 13,303 1.9
Democratic Vivien Zhu (Sanders) 12,944 1.9
Democratic Suchitra Balachandran (Sanders) 12,519 1.8
Democratic Tamara Davis Brown (Uncommitted) 11,544 1.7
Democratic Jasmine A. Leal-Taylor (Warren) 9,110 1.3
Democratic Abena Affum-McAllister (Warren) 8,356 1.2
Democratic Nicole A. Williams (Warren) 8,112 1.2
Democratic Vivian Alana Caesar (Warren) 6,211 0.9
Democratic Laura Hart (Warren) 5,608 0.8
Democratic Brooke Clagett (Buttigieg) 4,132 0.6
Democratic Starr Barbour (Uncommitted) 3,937 0.6
Democratic Alexus Viegas (Warren) 3,799 0.6
Democratic Laura C. Siemers-Kennedy (Warren) 3,686 0.5
Democratic Mary M. Wilcox (Uncommitted) 3,552 0.5
Democratic Rosemary Colby (Uncommitted) 3,371 0.5
Democratic Briana Urbina (Yang) 3,256 0.5
Democratic Deborah Hoyt Richardson (Buttigieg) 2,899 0.4
Democratic Joan Whelan (Warren) 2,864 0.4
Democratic Catherine Patricia Scott (Buttigieg) 2,620 0.4
Democratic Kelsey L. Crockett (Yang) 2,552 0.4
Democratic Patti Kim (Yang) 2,502 0.4
Democratic Stacey Marie Stump (Buttigieg) 2,355 0.3
Democratic Rebecca G. Rhodes (Yang) 2,340 0.3
Democratic Pamela M. Schiele (Buttigieg) 1,965 0.3
Democratic Tyler Elizabeth Holman (Yang) 1,867 0.3
Democratic Jillian Villars (Yang) 1,416 0.2
Maryland House of Delegates District 21 election, 2022[52]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mary A. Lehman 22,333 33.63
Democratic Joseline Peña-Melnyk 21,821 32.86
Democratic Ben Barnes 21,531 32.42
Write-in 720 1.08

References
  1. "Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk, Maryland State Delegate". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  2. Jedra, Christina (October 10, 2015). "Five Democrats introduce their hopes for Congress". Capital Gazette. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  3. Hernández, Arelis R. (March 24, 2016). "Peña-Melnyk aims to bring a personal touch to federal politics". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  4. "Joseline Peña-Melnyk On Putting Working Families Front and Center in Maryland". In These Times. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  5. Kurtz, Josh (April 12, 2022). "Barnes, Peña-Melnyk to Take Over Key House Committees". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  6. Hernández, Arelis R. (February 5, 2015). "Md. Latino lawmakers launch caucus to boost their presence in Annapolis". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  7. Broadwater, Luke (October 21, 2019). "Under pressure, Maryland Legislative Black Caucus ends plan to make members choose between black, Latino groups". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  8. Wiggins, Ovetta (October 21, 2019). "Maryland Legislative Black Caucus will not adopt bylaws that would make members choose between black, Latino groups". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  9. Gaines, Danielle E. (May 1, 2019). "Annapolis Reflects on a Historic Vote". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  10. Fritze, John (March 14, 2015). "Del. Peña-Melnyk to announce run for Congress". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  11. Hernández, Arelis R. (March 14, 2015). "Maryland Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk to announce congressional bid". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  12. Fritze, John (September 28, 2015). "Nat'l progressive groups back Raskin, Peña-Melnyk". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  13. Jedra, Christina (December 9, 2015). "Emily's List endorses Joseline Peña-Melnyk for Congress". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  14. Jedra, Christina (November 5, 2015). "Sierra Club endorses Joseline Peña-Melnyk for Congress". Capital Gazette. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  15. Hernández, Arelis R. (March 29, 2016). "Peña-Melnyk endorsed by Congressional Progressive Caucus". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  16. Hernández, Arelis R. (December 11, 2015). "Latino PAC holds fundraiser for Md. congressional candidate". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  17. Hernández, Arelis R. (April 26, 2016). "Brown wins Maryland's 4th District Democratic primary". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  18. Yeager, Amanda (June 17, 2015). "Peña-Melnyk sets up campaign headquarters in Laurel". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  19. Frizell, Sam (September 28, 2015). "Progressive Groups Mobilize to Gain Seats in Congress". Time. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  20. Dresser, Michael (August 2, 2018). "Maryland Democrats call for state constitutional amendment to guarantee abortion rights". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  21. Kurtz, Josh (August 3, 2018). "In the Blink of an Eye, State Seems Poised to Protect Abortion Rights". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  22. Sanchez-Cruz, Rafael (June 25, 2022). "Influx of patients expected to seek out safe abortions in Maryland". WUSA (TV). Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  23. Skrible, Rosanne (May 26, 2022). "With 'Healthy Babies Equity Act,' Maryland Will Join Other States that Provide Prenatal Care Regardless of Immigration Status". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  24. Zorzi, William F. (March 27, 2018). "Bills to Prop Up Health System Start Moving Through Legislature". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  25. Kurtz, Josh (August 23, 2018). "Leaders Hail Deal Stabilizing Md. Health Insurance Market — But Dems Want More". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
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  28. Ollove, Michael (April 25, 2022). "With Implicit Bias Hurting Patients, Some States Including Maryland, Train Doctors". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  29. "Legisltaion - HB0078". Maryland General Assembly. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  30. Gaskill, Hannah (January 27, 2021). "As U.S. Reckons With Racism, Peña-Melnyk Offers Bills to Reduce Health Care Gaps". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  31. Gaskill, Hannah (January 26, 2021). "Black Caucus Looks to Push Police Reform, Economic Justice and the 'Black Agenda'". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  32. "Legislation - HB0309". Maryland General Assembly. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  33. "Legislation - HB0028". Maryland General Assembly. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  34. Sánchez, Vanessa G. (August 18, 2022). "Health, economic disparities continue to affect coronavirus hot spots". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  35. Leckrone, Bennett (March 3, 2022). "Bill Would Let Tenants Ask Court to Shield Pandemic-Related Eviction Records". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
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  37. "Legislation - HB0521". Maryland General Assembly. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  38. Whitlow, James (February 11, 2020). "Three Maryland sheriffs speak out against legislation that would limit ability to work with ICE". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  39. Kurtz, Josh (January 27, 2020). "No Surprise: Biden Is Dem Establishment Choice, Convention Filings Show". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  40. Ford, Sam (July 9, 2015). "Local officials protest Donald Trump at site of new D.C. hotel". WJLA-TV. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  41. Gaskill, Hannah (July 19, 2021). "Maryland Hiring a Racial Healing Workshop Leader Ahead of Community Hearings on Lynchings". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  42. Scott, Catherine (March 23, 2021). "Peña-Melnyk argues passionately to make 'Juneteenth' a Maryland holiday". Capital Gazette. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  43. Shwe, Elizabeth (October 28, 2021). "As Latino Communities Grow in Maryland, Leaders Discuss Why Representation Matters". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  44. Ohl, Danielle (December 19, 2017). "Proposed maglev line draws opposition from state legislators". Capital Gazette. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  45. "Official 2006 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Legislative District 21". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  46. "Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for Legislative District 21". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  47. "Official 2010 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  48. "Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  49. "Official 2016 Presidential Primary Election results for Representative in Congress". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  50. "Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  51. "Official 2020 Presidential Primary Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  52. "Official 2022 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
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