House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) testifies on HB 1253, her bill that would create a state Department of Social Equity. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters)
Amid a national push by President Donald Trump to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, one of Maryland’s leading lawmakers is pushing in the other direction.
House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) is sponsoring legislation to create a state Department of Social Equity that would assemble in one place several current state government programs that aim to help small and minority businesses and those from disadvantaged communities.
“Too often, the very people these programs are meant to support don’t know where to go or who to contact to get the help that they need,” Jones said during testimony on the bill Tuesday before the House Appropriations Committee.
“Programs are fractured across government, making finding those opportunities a challenge,” she said. “We are breaking down barriers to ensure that disadvantaged individuals and small businesses can find and access the opportunities they need at the state, federal and local levels.”
Gov. Wes Moore (D) supports the bill, said Jeremy Baker, the governor’s chief legislative officer, who sat beside Jones during the hearing.
“In just the last two weeks, we’ve seen over 1,250 private sector layoffs in Prince George’s and Montgomery [counties] because of the chaos in Washington,” Baker said. “The changing legal and regulatory landscape means Maryland must find innovative and thoughtful ways to support our small and minority-owned businesses and create pathways to quality work, good wages and wealth creation independent of the federal government.”
Testimony lasted less than 10 minutes Tuesday on House Bill 1253, which seeks to create a new department in the executive branch of state government.
The new department would be the successor to three current offices focused on social equity programming: the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women-Owned Business Affairs (GOSBA); the Office of Social Equity in the Maryland Cannabis Administration; and the Office of Minority Business Enterprises in the state Department of Transportation.
Duties for the new department would include conducting policy analysis on the effectiveness of social equity programs, adopting standards for various agencies and other units within the executive branch to promote social equity, and maintaining an inventory of social equity work performed by each unit.
The bill’s fiscal note highlights the fact that most of the money for the new department is already in the budget. A total of $11.1 million would be shifted over with the current agencies to the new department, with just $2.3 million in new general funds for a small number of new staff, moving and other expenses.
The fiscal note foresees the need for nine new positions in the department that include a secretary, deputy secretary and a principal counsel. A secretary would be appointed by the governor with advice and consent of the Senate.
The new department would have to submit a report to the governor and General Assembly by July 1, 2026, that identifies all state programs and units “dedicated to social equity or that have a social equity component.” In addition, the report would have to provide recommendations on how any programs or agencies can promote social equity.
Del. Malcolm P. Ruff (D-Baltimore City), who supports the measure, asked if there “was any appetite” to create a work group to make sure the plan is carried out.
“We stand at the ready to work with any and all partners to make sure the process goes as smooth as possible,” Baker said.
Prior to discussion on the Department of Social Equity bill, Jones testified on another measure she’s sponsoring to preserve cultural history: House Bill 1010 would allow donations to be made on noncapital programming to the African American Heritage Preservation Program and Grant Fund.
Chanel Compton, executive director of the Banneker-Douglas-Tubman Museum in Annapolis, said it would allow certain programs to continue at historic community centers and sites and small museums throughout the state.
“In this day and age, African American heritage preservation and Black History programming is consistently being smudged and erased all throughout the nation, so let’s keep Maryland at the forefront of this work,” she said.
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