Teresa E. Reilly
Reilly in 2018
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
Assumed office
January 14, 2015
Serving with Mike Griffith
Preceded byH. Wayne Norman Jr.
ConstituencyDistrict 35B (2015–2023)
District 35A (2023–present)
Personal details
Born (1958-06-26) June 26, 1958 (age 65)
Ohio, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJames Reilly
Children1

Teresa E. Reilly (born June 26, 1958) is an American politician from Maryland from the Republican Party. She is currently a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from District 35B, representing northern Cecil and Harford counties.[1]

Early life and career

Reilly was born in Ohio on June 26, 1958, and later moved to Essex, Maryland, where she attended Kenwood Senior High School. She is a former bank officer.[1]

Reilly entered politics in 1997 by becoming a member of the Republican Club of Harford County, serving on its board of directors from 1997 to 2012. She also served as the vice chair of the Harford County Republican Central Committee from 2002 to 2014. From 2008 to 2013, she served as the chief of staff to state delegate H. Wayne Norman Jr. She is currently a member of the Republican Club of Cecil County.[1] Reilly applied to fill a vacancy left by the resignation of former state senator J. Robert Hooper,[2] who had resigned for health reasons in 2007.[3]

Reilly previously served on the board of directors for the Liriodendron Foundation. She is a current member of the Maryland Horse Council, Maryland Farm Bureau, and the National Rifle Association, and currently serves on the Bainbridge Development Advisory Board and the Local Video Lottery Development Council of Cecil County.[1]

In the legislature

In September 2013, Reilly announced that she would run for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 35B, seeking to succeed state delegate H. Wayne Norman Jr., with whom she ran on a slate while he ran for state senate.[4] She won the Republican primary in June 2014, placing second behind Andrew Cassilly,[5] and defeated Democrats Jeffrey Elliott and Daniel Lewis Lamey in the general election.[6]

Reilly was sworn in on January 14, 2015. She was a member of the Ways and Means Committee during her first term, and has since served in the Health and Government Operations Committee.[1] She also served as deputy minority whip from 2015 to 2018.[7]

In July 2015, after Governor Larry Hogan announced that he had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Reilly held a "Hogan Strong" vigil in Bel Air.[8]

In 2018, following Norman's sudden death, the Maryland Republican Party eyed Reilly as his successor. However, she had already filed for re-election to the House of Delegates at the time of his death, which led to Jason C. Gallion being appointed to the seat.[9]

Political positions

Reilly with Andrew Cassilly and Boyd Rutherford, 2018

During the 2016 legislative session, Reilly introduced a bill to dedicate a portion of Route 924 as "Heroes Highway" after two slain police deputies. The bill passed and was signed into law by Governor Larry Hogan.[10]

In 2018, Reilly introduced legislation to sentence people convicted of selling opioids that result in a minor's death to up to 30 years in prison. The bill was introduced following the drug-overdose death of 17-year-old Amber Jones in 2016.[11] She also supported a bill to give county deputies collective bargaining rights.[12]

During the 2019 legislative session, Reilly supported the Parishioner Protection Act, a bill that would allow churchgoers to carry firearms.[13]

In April 2020, Reilly co-signed a letter calling on the Maryland Department of Health to share data on the 2,000 inmates released during the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] In August, she signed onto a letter calling for the partial reopening of Harford County public schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[15]

In February 2021, Reilly voted against a bill to make all seven seats on the Harford County Board of Education into elected positions.[16]

During the 2022 legislative session, Reilly opposed legislation to codify the right to access abortion care into the Constitution of Maryland,[17] saying that the bills "ignored so many people in our state that believe this is a form of killing the innocent".[18]

Personal life

Reilly is married to James J. Reilly, a member of the Harford County Council since 2022.[9][19] Together, they have a child.[1]

Electoral history

Maryland House of Delegates District 35B Republican primary election, 2014[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Andrew Cassilly 3,866 34.3
Republican Teresa Reilly 3,782 33.5
Republican Jason C. Gallion 3,634 32.2
Maryland House of Delegates District 35B election, 2014[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Andrew Cassilly 23,556 42.8
Republican Teresa Reilly 21,006 38.1
Democratic Jeffrey Elliott 5,952 10.8
Democratic Daniel Lewis Lamey 4,495 8.2
Write-in 72 0.1
Maryland House of Delegates District 35B election, 2018[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Andrew Cassilly (incumbent) 26,494 48.6
Republican Teresa Reilly (incumbent) 18,107 33.2
Democratic Ronnie Teitler Davis 9,834 18.0
Write-in 128 0.2
Maryland House of Delegates District 35A election, 2022[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Griffith (incumbent) 25,988 53.3
Republican Teresa Reilly (incumbent) 21,661 44.4
Write-in 1,147 2.4

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Teresa E. Reilly, Maryland State Delegate". msa.maryland.gov.
  2. ^ Bellmyer, Jane (June 13, 2014). "DISTRICT 35B: Reilly looks to bring experience to House". Cecil Daily. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  3. ^ "Senator To Resign, Citing Illness". WBAL-TV. November 14, 2007. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  4. ^ "Norman, Reilly announce candidacy for Senate, House in District 35". The Baltimore Sun. September 5, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  5. ^ Anderson, David (June 20, 2014). "Republicans battle for legislative seats in Harford, Cecil District 35". The Aegis. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  6. ^ Anderson, David; Zumer, Bryna (November 5, 2014). "Republicans score near sweep in Harford as Glassman, Gahler, Slutzky and three Cassillys win". The Aegis. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  7. ^ "Del. Teresa Reilly appointed to caucus leadership". The Aegis. The Baltimore Sun. February 3, 2015. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  8. ^ Zumer, Bryna (July 15, 2015). "'Hogan Strong' prayer vigil planned in Bel Air Sunday". The Aegis. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Zorzi, William F. (March 6, 2018). "Sen. Norman's Death Sparks Last-Minute GOP Maneuvering". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  10. ^ Anderson, David (May 19, 2016). "Hogan signs 'Heroes Highway' legislation honoring slain Harford deputies Thursday". The Aegis. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  11. ^ Butler, Erika (February 20, 2018). "Penalty sought for person convicted of selling heroin to minor that results in death". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  12. ^ Anderson, David (November 1, 2017). "All parties 'on the same page' on collective bargaining for Harford deputies, union says". The Aegis. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  13. ^ Anderson, David (February 12, 2019). "Harford Del. Szeliga reintroduces bill to allow parishioners to carry guns". The Aegis. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  14. ^ Gaskill, Hannah (April 26, 2020). "House Republicans Press Hogan Administration for Data on Prisons, Nursing Homes". Maryland Matters. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  15. ^ Carter, S. Wayne Jr. (August 27, 2020). "Harford's Republican state lawmakers call on schools to reopen with hybrid model instead of all virtual learning". The Aegis. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  16. ^ Carter, S. Wayne Jr. (February 18, 2021). "Harford delegation's effort to create all-elected school board fails, but county senators offer their own version". The Aegis. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  17. ^ Gaskill, Hannah (February 23, 2022). "Tensions Run High During House Hearings on Abortion Access Bills". Maryland Matters. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  18. ^ Stole, Bryn (March 11, 2022). "Maryland House votes to add abortion rights to state constitution, expand access to abortion". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  19. ^ "James J. Reilly, Member, County Council, Harford County, Maryland". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  20. ^ "Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  21. ^ "Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  22. ^ "Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  23. ^ "Official 2022 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.

External links

Members of the Maryland House of Delegates
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