Maryland House Democrats Advance Mid-Decade Redistricting Bill as GOP Warns of Precedent

HB 488 moves closer to a final House of Delegates vote as Republicans call mid-decade redistricting improper.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (C) and lawmakers speak at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on April 9, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Maryland House Democrats moved House Bill 488 closer to final passage on Friday, advancing a plan to redraw the state’s congressional map as Republicans warned that the push could set a new precedent for mid-decade redistricting.

The state bill had its second reading and now needs a third reading before being voted on in the House of Delegates, where Democrats are expected to approve it before sending it to the Maryland Senate. It could still face an uphill battle in the state Senate even though Maryland has a Democratic majority, because Senate Majority Leader Bill Ferguson has voiced opposition to any mid-decade redistricting.