Political notes: A special session long on emotion, short on balloons, spot-on in witnesses

While the Senate waited Tuesday for a congressional redistricting bill to come across the hall from the House of Delegates, several senators stood up to pay homage to Senate Majority Leader Nancy J. King (D-Montgomery), a longtime lawmaker who will not be returning in January, after losing her primary to Amar Mukunda, a first-time candidate.

Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) read a short biography about King, who was elected to the House in 2002 and has served in the Senate since 2007.

After King gave a few remarks that she labeled her “swan song,” the tributes flowed from colleagues for at least 40 minutes.

Sen. Mary Washington (D-Baltimore City and Baltimore County) called King “a history maker” as one of three women to serve as Senate majority leader. Washington also recalled when she served as the floor leader to defend the Freedom to Read Act that was sponsored by King and signed into law in 2024.

“I was so excited and also honored that I could get to do that,” Washington said.

Several Republicans also stood up to praise King. Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore) talked about his Friday morning conversations with King.

“We got to talk about things outside of just the policy and the things that really bring us together,” Hershey said.

Sen. William G. Folden (R-Frederick) said he has attended only two Democratic fundraisers: One for Folden’s good friend, Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles), who won the nomination in June to replace outgoing Sen. Arthur Ellis (D-Charles) and once for King.

“I always appreciated the value of your word and really just the sincerity in your voice and your touch because some things I wasn’t going to process in a manner that was going to be consistent with your beliefs,” Folden said. “We could always walk away and agree to disagree. I’m very grateful for you. I think we can all learn a lot about dignity and grace in watching Nancy J. and how she handled her time here in the Senate and her relationship with someone that could be potentially polarizing as me.”

Honoring a friendship

It wasn’t just the Senate where the heartfelt speeches were being shared. As the House kicked off the special session Monday morning, Del. Aaron Kaufman (D-Montgomery) offered an ode to an outgoing colleague.

“I want to acknowledge my dear friend Del. Frank Conaway Jr.,” Kaufman said. “Many of you probably don’t know this, but he has been so good to me,” he said of the Baltimore City Democrat, who lost his seat of two decades in the June primary.

“What he would do because he was such a good man … is make sure I got home OK, and he always, also on those late nights, made sure I had something to eat,” Kaufman said.

Kaufman, who doesn’t drive, said Conaway often walked him to his hotel after they left committee late at night when the shuttle was closed.

“He just seemed like he needed my help, so I was there so help him out … but I wouldn’t do it for everybody.” Conaway told Maryland Matters Tuesday. “I have a lot of respect for him.”

Conaway and Kaufman both have spent their entire tenures as delegates on the House Judiciary Committee. But by the time Kaufman joined in 2023, Conaway had more than a decade and a half under his belt.

“You need a lot of mentors when you’re a freshman, and I have many, including the speaker, but also Delegate Conaway,” Kaufman said Tuesday. “I appreciated his veteran insight.”

Conaway recalled times Kaufman left him laughing on the House floor. “I thought he was a funny guy and all that … That’s how we became friends,” he said.

Kaufman shared the same story.

“We just enjoyed busting each others’ chops and developed a fast friendship. He was one of the first friends that I made and he’s really been a pioneer [as a delegate],” he said.

“I’ll miss him very much and I just want to thank him for his 20 years of service to the body and always looking out for me,” Kaufman said, closing his remarks Monday. “Thank you, delegate.”

Maybe they can choose our lottery numbers

There was plenty of hand-wringing from Republicans after Democratic leaders announced last week that testimony in the one committee on a proposed redistricting constitutional amendment would be limited to 50 people, who had a 10-hour window Friday to sign up to speak at Monday’s hearing. Once the limit of 50 was reached, it would be up to committee chairs to pick the speakers.

Critics saw the opportunity for chicanery. But legislative leaders never had the chance.

Exactly 50 people signed up online during the 10-hour window for registration, committee staff members said, and no one was turned away.

Technically, 51 people were registered to speak, but one of those was the bill’s sponsor, House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George’s), said Rory Nolan, committee manager for the House Government, Labor and Elections Committee.

1/45th the number of days, 1/45th the amount of balloons and confetti

The Maryland General Assembly typically marks the end of a regular 90-day legislative session by having pages toss balloons and piles of confetti from the galleries of the House and Senate, covering the floors of each chamber.

That tradition continued — sort of — in the House Tuesday when delegates adjourned sine die. While the Senate simply gaveled out to end the special session, Del. Joe Vogel (D-Montgomery) brought in a handful of balloons and tossed them out over the desks as delegates hit them across the floor.

The confetti tradition was not missed either — Chief of Staff Michelle Firmin threw a handful of paper scraps over the head of House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel).

The mini celebration for the short special session brought the session to a close on a high note after long hours of tense debate to pass legislation ushering in a constitutional amendment on redistricting.

“If I may have a minute,” Peña-Melnyk said as laughter and applause continued in the chamber. “I just want to thank you sincerely to be here. You took time out of your life, your family. I know it was tough, but I do thank you for doing it in an honorable way.

“I hope you are blessed, that you have an amazing, amazing rest of the summer and fall,” she said.

— Maryland Matters reporter Christine Condon contributed to this report.