Legislative Advocacy
Legislation, regulations, taxes and fees put in place by the State, County and City governments can greatly impacted the overall economy and individual businesses. The Chamber of Commerce advocates on behalf of our members and the business community to ensure we have a strong and stable economic climate along with legislation and regulations that support business growth. To provide our members with a stronger voice among elected leaders, the Chamber focuses on important legislative and policy issues that impact your business so you can focus on managing and growing your business.
The Chamber provides our members legislative updates to stay ahead of proposed legislation concerning the local and regional economy and we provide timely information about economic development projects that can create new opportunities for your business. In addition, the Chamber hosts the Leadership Luncheon program to bring elected leaders and Chamber members together to discuss current legislative and policy issues that are impacting the economic and political landscape of Anne Arundel County.
Anne Arundel County is home to a diverse business community comprising sole proprietors, brick and mortar storefronts, large corporations and everything in between. Our members come from a wide range of industries and the Chamber provides them with a united voice so our elected leaders and government officials understand our concerns.
General Assembly
The Maryland General Assembly has 47 Senators and 141 members make up the House of Delegates, each is elected to a four-year term to represent the citizens that live in their district. The General Assembly meets for 90 calendar days starting the second Wednesday in January. In addition to approving the State’s operating and capital budget, the General Assembly works on over 2,500 pieces of legislation each session, many of which are not approved.
There are nine members of the House of Delegates and four Senators representing Anne Arundel County. To find out which Delegate or Senator represents the area where you live or where your business is located, you can go here:
House of Delegates
Henson, Shaneka | Jones, Dana | Howard, Seth A. |
Kipke, Nicholaus R. | Chisholm, Brian | Munoz, Rachel |
Pruski, Andrew C. | Schmidt, Stuart Michael, Jr. | Bagnall, Heather |
State Senate
Elfreth, Sarah K. | Simonaire, Bryan W. |
Beidle, Pamela | Gile, Dawn |
Anne Arundel County
County Council
The County Council is the legislative branch of the government and consists of seven elected councilman and councilwomen who represent different part of the County. They are elected to a four-year term. If you do not know who represents you on County Council, you can go here:
Council has the power to enact laws in the form of ordinances dealing with a wide range of issues. In addition, the Council is responsible for approving zoning changes, passing a capital and operating budget and twice a year they meet as the Board of Health. If you would like to see what legislation the Council is currently considering, you can go here:
The Anne Arundel County Council meets the first and third Mondays of the month at 7pm at the Arundel Center located at 44 Calvert Street in Annapolis. The public is invited to attend Council meeting and testify about an ordinance or concern they may have.
County Council Members
District 1 – Peter Smith
District 2 – Allison Pickard
District 3 – Nathan Volke
District 4 – Julie Hummer
District 5 – Amanda Fiedler
District 6 – Lisa Brannigan Rodvien
District 7 – Shannon Leadbetter
Office of the County Executive
The County Executive is the chief elected official for the County and oversees the executive branch of the government, which consists of a number of offices and departments. The executive branch is charged with implementing the laws of the County and managing the daily operations of the government. The County Executive is also responsible for preparing the county budget and ensuring the that all services and programs are benefiting the people of Anne Arundel County.
Steuart Pittman was re-elected for a second four-year term in 2022. To find out more about the County Executive or to contact his office, you can go here:
City of Annapolis
City Council
There are seven council districts in the City of Annapolis and each district elects an Alderman or Alderwoman to a four-year term. The regular meetings of City Council are held on the second and fourth Monday of the month. The Council takes legislative action and holds public hearings at both meetings. From time to time, the Council also holds additional special meetings to consider legislative and policy matters in depth. Members of the general public are provide an opportunity to make comments at the start of each regular meeting.
The contact information for each member of City Council is listed below. If you do not know the who represents the area where you live or where your business is located, you can find your Alderperson by clicking HERE
Eleanor “Elly” Tierney | Karma O’Neill |
Rhonda Pindell Charles | Sheila M. Finlayson |
Brooks Schandelmeier | DaJuan Gay |
Robert Savidge | Ross H. Arnett III |
Mayor
The Mayor’s Office is responsible for the overall management of City government and he or she is elected to a four year term. The City of Annapolis has a “Mayor-Council” form of government in which the Mayor chairs the City Council and also serves as the chief executive of the city government. The Mayor’s Office is responsible for managing all city departments and carrying out the policies adopted by the City Council.
Gavin Buckley was re-elected for a second four year term in 2022. To find out more about the Mayor or to contact his office, you can go here:
General Assembly Wrap-Up
The General Assembly wrapped up its 2023 legislative session on Monday. This was the first legislative session for newly elected Governor Moore and quite a
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