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HB1381 explores renaming or clarifying the 'delegate' title; sponsor frames it as historical curiosity, not immediate change
Summary
Delegate Jeffrey Long described HB1381 as a review of the historical use of the term 'delegate' and suggested the legislature consider whether updating titles to 'state representative' would reduce public confusion; the hearing included discussion but no vote.
Delegate Jeffrey Long presented House Bill 1381 and framed the measure as a conversation about the historical use of the title "delegate" for Maryland’s lower chamber and the possibility of modernizing titles to reduce public confusion.
"Many people during presidential election years get very confused about what a delegate is," Delegate Long said, noting that Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia use the term "delegate" for lower-chamber members while most states use "state representative" or "assembly member." He described the change of the state's highest court name in 2022 (from Court of Appeals to Supreme Court of Maryland) as precedent for modernizing nomenclature.
Committee members asked whether the change would be burdensome or whether the historical term should be preserved; the sponsor said the debate was largely about public recognition and that the idea was to spark discussion rather than immediately enact sweeping renaming. The committee concluded the hearing with no recorded vote and offered condolences at the end of the meeting for the Speaker’s family loss.
