Joanne C. Benson

Joanne Claybon Benson (born March 11, 1941) is an American politician who represents District 24 in the Maryland State Senate. She formerly represented District 24 in the Maryland House of Delegates.

Early life and education Benson was born on March 11, 1941, in Roanoke, Virginia. She attended South Hagerstown High School and then graduated from Bowie State College with a Bachelor of Science in education in 1961. She later attended The Catholic University of America where she earned her Master of Arts in curriculum instruction in 1972.

In the legislature

Benson was a member of House of Delegates from 1991 to 2011. She served on the House Health and Government Operations Committee and its health occupations subcommittee, long-term care subcommittee, and its minority health disparities subcommittee.

In 2010, she defeated incumbent state senator Nathaniel Exum and was sworn into the Maryland Senate in January 2011. In 2020, she was selected to be a deputy majority leader of the Maryland Senate. She was the chair of the Rules Committee from 2019 to 2023, afterwards serving as the Senate majority whip from 2023 to 2027.

Benson did not run for re-election in 2026, after missing much of the 2026 legislative session. In an interview with NBC Washington, Benson blamed her absence on health challenges, including a surgery that required extended recovery time, but said that she hoped to be back before the General Assembly adjourned sine die. She declined to step down so that someone else could serve in her place for the remainder of the legislative session, expressing concerns that the Prince George's County Democratic Central Committee would appoint one of the candidates running in the Democratic primary election to succeed her. Benson returned to the Maryland General Assembly on March 30, 2026, for the final two weeks of the 90 day session.

Political positions Gun control During the 2019 legislative session, Benson introduced legislation to ban the manufacture or sale of privately made firearms.

Marijuana In 2022, Benson voted against legislation to legalize recreational marijuana in Maryland. She also voted against a bill to place a referendum legalizing recreational marijuana on the 2022 ballot.

Minimum wage In 2019, Benson voted in favor of legislation to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour, but expressed disappointment with the date's effective date of 2025.

Redistricting In February 2026, Benson said she supported pursuing mid-decade redistricting in Maryland and supported holding a vote on a bill that would redraw Maryland's congressional districts to improve the Democratic Party's chances of winning the 1st congressional district, the only congressional district held by Republicans in the state.

Social issues In 1991, Benson voted in favor of legislation to protect the right to abortion in Maryland.

Benson opposed the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, a bill introduced in 2011 to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland, saying that she did not view gay marriage as a civil rights issue. Although she was absent for the vote on the bill, she said she would have voted against it. In 2012, she voted against the Civil Marriage Protection Act.

In 2022, Benson supported legislation to provide paid family leave to all Maryland workers, saying that paid family leave "should not be viewed as a privilege, but as something that is humane and just".

Taxes In 2013, Benson voted in favor of legislation to raise fuel taxes in Maryland.

Transportation During the 2021 legislative session, Benson introduced legislation to hold the Maryland Department of Transportation to promises it made for the widening of Capital Beltway and Interstate 270 and modernizing the American Legion Memorial Bridge. The bill passed the House of Delegates by a vote of 101–35 in March, but did not receive a vote in the Senate.

Personal life Benson is a congregant at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden.

Electoral history