State Del. Vanessa Atterbeary

Welcome

As a Howard County native, it is my honor to serve the people of District 13 as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. Since elected to office, in 2014, I have been able to create relationships in Annapolis that have helped me to deliver on issues of importance to the people of Howard County.

I am proud to serve as Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, overseeing issues about education, voting accessibility, elections, taxes, gaming & betting. I continue to advocate for victims of domestic
abuse and victims of child abuse. Working towards a Pre-K system for all of Maryland's children,
economic opportunities for all of Maryland's citizens, ensuring that our public schools remain strong,
and protecting women and families have been some of my priorities and legislative accomplishments.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my website and for the opportunity to serve our community!

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About

Vanessa Atterbeary

Vanessa was elected to a second term, in the Maryland General Assembly, to represent District 13, Howard County, Maryland (where she was born and raised) in 2018 and was sworn in on January 9, 2019.

After only having served one term in the Maryland General Assembly, Vanessa was appointed by Speaker of the House Michael Busch to serve as Vice Chair of the Judiciary Committee where she served for 3 years.

In 2020, Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones appointed her as Chair of the Ways and Means Committee. In addition to serving as Chair, Vanessa serves on the Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, Legislative Black Caucus, and the Howard County House Delegation in which she served as Chair in 2016 and 2019.

The Daily Record named Vanessa one of Maryland’s “Top 100 Women” in 2020. In addition, the Baltimore Sun named her one of the Top 25 Women to Watch in 2018 and one of the Fresh Faces of Power in the 2019 Maryland General Assembly.

For her successful passage of landmark legislation, “The Repeat Sexual Predator Prevention Act of 2018”, and continued efforts to protect victims, hold enablers accountable and prosecute predators, Vanessa has received: the 2018 Leadership Award by the Women Legislators of Maryland and the Women Legislators of Maryland Foundation; the 2018 State Legislator Leadership Award from the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City; and was honored on May 10, 2019 by the Baltimore Child Abuse Center as a “Hero.”

During her first term, Vanessa was appointed Deputy Majority Whip by Speaker Michael Busch, served on the Judiciary Committee and was Chair of the Family Law Sub-Committee in the Maryland General Assembly. She is a member of the Women’s Caucus and the Black Caucus. Vanessa was appointed by Speaker of the House, Michael Bush, to serve on the Public Safety and Policing Workgroup during the 2015 interim.

Vanessa was also appointed to represent the state of Maryland on the National Conference of State Legislators Law, Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committees. Vanessa was also appointed to represent the Maryland General Assembly on the Three Branch Institute to Improve Child Safety and Prevent Child Fatalities; the Governor's Workforce Investment Board; the Neshante and Chloe Davis Domestic Violence Prevention Task Force; the Joint Committee on Children and Youth; and, she was also selected to participate in the Emerging Leaders Program, at the Darden School of Business, for state Legislators from across the country.

In the General Assembly, she has been successful in passing legislation to keep guns out of the hands of abusers, strengthening prosecutors’ ability to convict sexual predators, increasing circumstances under which a protective order may be granted; and, altering how Howard County elects its school board members.

In addition to serving in the Maryland General Assembly, Vanessa serves as Corporate Counsel for KRA Corporation, a company providing workforce development and health consulting services, headquartered in Fulton, Maryland.

Vanessa is a member of the Jack and Jill of America, Inc., Columbia Chapter; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, Omega Eta Omega Chapter; The Links, Inc., (Columbia MD) Chapter; and, The Maryland Bar Association.

Vanessa is a 1993 graduate of Atholton High School, a 1997 graduate of the College of William and Mary, with a B.A. degree in Government and a 2000 graduate from Villanova University School of Law.

She resides in Fulton with her family and is a loving Mother to her three young children, Grayson, Holden and Victoria.

Issues

Police Reform in Maryland

Speaker of the House Adrienne A. Jones and House Judiciary Chairman Luke Clippinger announced the formation of an interim Workgroup to Address Police Reform and Accountability in Maryland. I am honored to serve as the Chair of this workgroup. As the mother of three young children, two of whom are boys, issues of police trust and accountability remain in the forefront of my mind each day. The recent events around the country have underscored that we cannot wait another day. We need structural reform ideas from the community and law enforcement to fix this problem in a collaborative way. The Workgroup will begin meeting this summer and make recommendations for the 2021 legislative session.

Economic Opportunity

Creating jobs for the residents of Howard County and residents throughout the state of Maryland must be a top priority.  I will continue to work to strengthen Howard County’s position as an attractive location for new and existing businesses and encourage businesses that our county and state invest in, to invest in us. It is imperative that we protect the small businesses that are the backbone of our county’s economic life and ensure that they have the support necessary to remain in our county. In addition, I will continue to work for a living wage and paid sick leave for all Marylanders. I strongly believe that a working mother should not have to choose between her economic security or the welfare of her children. As the daughter of an owner of a small business, and as its Corporate Counsel, I understand the necessity of supporting our local businesses and the individuals in their employ.

Education

As a graduate of Clemens Crossing Elementary School, Clarksville Middle School and Atholton High School, I believe strongly in our public-school system. My mother taught in Howard County Public Schools for over 30 years and my children are at the beginning of their public-school education in our county. It is critical that we continue to invest in our county’s education system and ensure that our children have the best education possible. In this effort, I strongly believe that all children should have an equal opportunity for success. That is why one of my top priorities is Pre-K education for all of our children.

We must also provide educational development opportunities for our teachers, create recruiting and retention mechanisms to attract and keep qualified teachers in our county, ensure that our children aren’t trying to learn in an over-crowded environment and ensure our schools and children are equipped for this digital era.  Our local colleges must remain strong in this regard and all our educational facilities must provide safe and worry-free environments for students and staff.

Environment

Howard County, just as every other major jurisdiction in this country, has to be proactive in warding off the threats this issue poses. Protecting the Chesapeake Bay, creating sustainable energy projects, ensuring clean air and water for our families and helping businesses and developers to “go green” will ensure that Maryland has a long and sustainable future.

Women and Families

As a former family law attorney, I am committed to continuing to work on issues that affect women and families. Since my days at the College of William and Mary (97’), I have championed women’s rights, including issues such as pay equity, domestic violence, teen dating violence, gun violence and living and minimum wages. I am honored to serve as the Family Law Subcommittee Chair on the Judiciary Committee where I can continue work on these issues.

Seniors

Advocating for our seniors has to be a top priority. Ensuring that seniors have safe facilities, affordable healthcare, and access to transportation are among my priorities for this growing segment of our community. In addition, having an affordable option to age in place or to relocate to a more suitable home should be a viable option for all of our seniors.

News

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By Authority: Committee to Elect Vanessa Atterbeary, Veronica Morrow, Treasurer