Maryland House Speaker and delegate from Baltimore County Adrienne Jones has announced she’s stepping down as Speaker. She’ll remain a delegate from the Tenth District in Baltimore County. In her announcement, the 71-year-old Jones says she plans to focus on coaching and mentoring the next Speaker. Jones was elected to the House of Delegates in 1997 and became Maryland’s first Black female speaker in 2019. During her career, Jones has advocated for recruiting more women into politics. A House Democratic Caucus meeting is scheduled for December 16th to nominate a new Speaker.