Gov. Hogan Calls May 1 Special General Assembly Session

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Maryland General Assembly will hold a special session May 1 to elect a new House speaker following the death of Michael Busch. Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday signed an executive order calling for legislators to convene, which comes at the request of the presiding officers, so the House of Delegates may elect a successor to the late speaker.

“It is my solemn duty to call a special session of the General Assembly in order to elect a successor to Speaker Busch,” Hogan said in a statement. “As we close a significant chapter in our state’s history, we will continue the critical work that Mike Busch dedicated so much of his life to doing.”

Marylanders mourned the death of "the people's politician" earlier this week. Busch represented the Annapolis area in the assembly until his death April 7 after battling pneumonia. He was 72. The Washington Post reported he died around 3:20 p.m. at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Busch, an Anne Arundel Democrat who was the longest-serving House speaker in state history, was a member of the state House of Delegates representing District 30A. He was sworn in as the speaker of the state House in January 2003.

Busch was born in Baltimore City, and was a coach and teacher at St. Mary's High School in Annapolis when he decided to run for office in 1987. Busch served as chair of the Anne Arundel County delegation from 1991 through 1993. In 1994, he was appointed to chair the House Economic Matters Committee, and remained in the position until being unanimously elected in 2003 to serve as Speaker of the House.

Click here to access a signed copy of Executive Order 01.01.2019.04.

Proclamation Convening the General Assembly of Maryland in Extraordinary Session at Annapolis Maryland on May 1, 2019:

"Whereas, the Honorable Michael E. Busch, Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, passed away on April 7, 2019, causing an outpouring of grief from the citizens of the State;

Whereas, Speaker Busch was the longest-serving speaker in the State's history, and was widely respected and admired for his lifelong dedication to service to the State and its citizens; and

Whereas, the House of Delegates, in accordance with its rules, must elect a new speaker to succeed Speaker Busch;

Now, therefore, I, Lawrence J. Hogan Jr., Governor of the State of Maryland, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article II, Section 16, of the Maryland Constitution and the Laws of Maryland, hereby proclaim and convene a special and extraordinary session of the General Assembly of Maryland to commence on Wednesday, May 1, 2019, in the City of Annapolis to enable the House of Delegates to elect a new Speaker."