General Assembly Photo
Senate President Nominee Bill Ferguson announced Senator Will Smith will be become chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee once session starts in January. Senator Smith will replace Senator Robert (Bobby) Zirkin, who recently announced he plans to resign in January before the start of the session.
As reported by Maryland Matters,
Ferguson told the crowd that when he learned Zirkin was stepping down, “there was only one name that came to mind about replacing him — and that was Sen. Will Smith.”
Smith represents a dramatic departure from Zirkin at the helm of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, ideologically and stylistically. He’s perceptibly more liberal than Zirkin on several key issues that come before the panel, and while he hasn’t been tested in such a lofty leadership role, he is considered one of the nicest lawmakers in Annapolis.
Smith’s rise to JPR chairman marks one of the fastest political ascensions in recent State House history. He was elected to the House of Delegates in 2014, appointed to fill a vacancy in the Senate in late 2016, became Judicial Proceedings vice chairman at the beginning of this year, and now is about to become chairman.
Additional Coverage
Baltimore Sun
The Daily Record
