Benson, Jones Absences Leave Void In The Senate And House

By Bryan P. Sears, Maryland Matters

February 24, 2026

As early debates on some of the most consequential legislation has raged in the General Assembly, two seasoned legislative veterans have not been in their seats.

Del. Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) and Sen. Joanne C. Benson (D-Prince Georges) have been conspicuous in their absence. Both have already missed more than a third of the legislative session, including votes on redistricting and immigration bills that have dominated the start of the 2026 session. The circumstances for both absences are not fully known.

Friday marks the midpoint of the 90-day session.

Jones, the former speaker of the House, is one of three delegates representing a portion of western Baltimore County. She has missed all but the first three days of the 2026 session.

Former House Speaker Del. Adrienne A. Jones attends the opening day of the 2026 Maryland General Assembly. Since the first week, Jones has missed roughly a third of the legislative session. (File photo by Christine Condon/Maryland Matters)

Attempts to reach Jones through her office and a family member were not immediately successful.
She is the co-sponsor of two bills and thus far has not introduced any legislative bond initiatives, the funding that is typically used to assist community, civic and non-profit groups with projects in the district.

A spokesperson for House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) said Jones “has a medical excused absence” and “is under a doctor’s care.” The spokesperson declined to answer other questions about Jones’ absence. It is not known if or when she might return.

“She’s under a doctor’s care,” the spokesperson said in a text. “That’s between her and her doctor. Life happens. No one wants to get sick. Thank you for having empathy for her.”

Jones, 71, was first appointed to the House in 1997. She went on to win the next seven elections. She served the last six years as the leader of the House — the first woman and first Black lawmaker to do so.

She relinquished the gavel in December, with no prior notice and no public explanation for the decision.

She filed for re-election in June. She remains an active candidate, according to state elections records.
In the Senate, Benson has been absent from every floor session this year. An attempt to contact Benson through her office was not successful.

Benson, 84, has served more than three decades in the legislature, including 20 in the House. She is currently the Senate majority whip.

Benson is the lead sponsor on several dozen bills. Two of those have already had hearings in which a staff member testified on her behalf.

Sen. Joanne C. Benson (D-Prince George’s) has yet to attend a Senate floor session and her status is said to be day-to-day. (File photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

When or if Benson returns remains an open question. Her status is considered day to day. She is said to be participating in some virtual meetings with constituents.

She has not filed for re-election and is not expected to do so before the 9 p.m. Tuesday filing deadline.

Two others, Del. Tiffany Alston (D-Prince George’s) and Kevin Ford Jr., a real estate broker, have already filed for Benson’s seat in the June Democratic primary.

Neither Jones nor Benson are the first lawmaker to have extended or frequent absences while serving. House Speaker Michael Busch battled a liver ailment that required a transplant. Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. similarly missed time for treatment of an aggressive, metastatic cancer. Last year, Del. Lily Qi (D-Montgomery) missed roughly a month of the session to travel to China to be with her dying father.

Determining the line when a seat might be declared vacant is difficult, and it becomes more complicated by factors such as when, during the term, a lawmaker is unable to attend sessions.Additionally, Jones is a beloved lawmaker who cemented a place in history by becoming both the first woman and Black Speaker Pro Tem and speaker, while Benson is similarly respected in the Senate for her length of service.

The General Assembly is empowered to set rules for its members. But few govern attendance.
The Maryland Constitution provides a number of reasons for removal of a member of the General Assembly, including “failure to act.” But no legislator has ever been removed for “failure to act,” according to the Department of Legislative Services Library.

Sen. Frank J. McCourt (D-Baltimore City) came closest. He missed the entire 1969 session while on what some newspaper accounts described as a “spiritual journey” to India and Nepal. Senate President William S. James faced increasing pressure to declare the seat vacant.

The Senate Rules Committee drafted a resolution calling for an investigation of the absence of McCourt, who was later located and agreed to return.

But his return was delayed when authorities arrested McCourt and his wife in New York on federal conspiracy charges related to an alleged attempt to smuggle 17 pounds of hashish into the country.
The couple was acquitted of the criminal charges, but McCourt lost in the court of public opinion: Voters in his district rejected his re-election bid.