Emily Shetty

Emily Shetty is an American politician and attorney currently serving as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing District 18. A member of the Democratic Party, Shetty has been in office since January 2019. Her legislative work has focused on various issues, including health care, policing, social issues, and transportation, reflecting her commitment to addressing the needs of her constituents in Maryland.

Early life and career

Emily Khoury Shetty was born on January 11, 1984, in Fairfax, Virginia. She was raised in High Point, North Carolina, by her mother, who immigrated to the United States from Bulgaria and raised Shetty and her sister as a single parent. From a young age, Shetty demonstrated a commitment to community service, beginning her work at a local library at the age of nine and later volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

Shetty pursued higher education at Duke University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 2005. Following her undergraduate studies, she attended the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America, obtaining her Juris Doctor degree in 2008. Shetty was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 2009, marking the beginning of her professional career in law and public service.

After completing her education, Shetty began her political career by working for U.S. Representative Edolphus Towns. She served in various capacities, initially as a legislative assistant and later as the legislative director until 2012. Following her tenure with Towns, she took on the role of senior director of legislative affairs for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society from 2012 to 2014. Subsequently, Shetty worked as a consultant for lobbying firms, including Stanton Park Group and Horizon Government Affairs. In 2020, she established her own lobbying firm, Step Up Advocacy.

In addition to her professional roles, Shetty was active in local politics, serving on the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee from 2013 to 2014 and again from 2015 to 2018. Her initial foray into electoral politics occurred in 2014 when she ran for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 18. Although she did not win that election, receiving 11 percent of the vote, she continued to build her political profile. In 2018, after incumbent Jeff Waldstreicher announced his candidacy for the Maryland Senate, Shetty successfully ran for the House of Delegates, winning the Democratic primary and subsequently defeating her Republican opponent in the general election.

Legislative service

Shetty was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 9, 2019. During her time in the legislature, she has served on various committees, initially as a member of the Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2022. In 2022, she transitioned to the Appropriations Committee, where she continues to contribute to legislative discussions and decision-making processes. Since 2023, Shetty has held the position of chair of the House Democratic Caucus, a role that involves leading her party's legislative agenda and facilitating collaboration among Democratic members.

In addition to her committee work, Shetty played a role in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, where she was not pledged to any specific candidate. This experience further solidified her involvement in the political landscape of Maryland and the broader Democratic Party.

Policy focus and district

Throughout her legislative career, Shetty has focused on a range of policy areas that reflect the interests and needs of her constituents in District 18. One of her primary areas of concern is health care. During her 2014 campaign, she expressed support for increasing state investments in mental health care. In subsequent legislative sessions, she introduced several bills aimed at improving health care access and options. For instance, in 2021, Shetty introduced legislation that permitted pharmacists to switch name brands, which successfully passed and became law. Additionally, in 2022, she sponsored a bill allowing organ donors to decide whether their organs would be used for research or surgical transplants, which also received unanimous support in the Maryland General Assembly.

Shetty has also advocated for economic issues, particularly regarding the minimum wage. She supports indexing the state minimum wage to inflation, ensuring that wages keep pace with the cost of living.

In the realm of policing, Shetty has introduced significant legislation aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability within law enforcement. During the 2019 legislative session, she proposed the Law Enforcement Trust and Transparency Act, which sought to establish statewide standards for investigations involving officer-involved deaths. In 2021, she introduced a bill that limited police access to genealogy websites and databases, which passed without the governor's signature.

Social issues are another critical focus for Shetty. In 2021, she introduced legislation that allowed transgender individuals to change their names without the requirement of public advertisement in newspapers. This bill became law, reflecting her commitment to supporting the rights of marginalized communities. In 2022, she backed legislation to raise the minimum marriage age to 17 and supported the Abortion Care Access Act, which allocated funds for clinical reproductive services training for health care professionals.

Transportation is also an area of interest for Shetty, as she has expressed support for the Purple Line, a light rail project in Maryland aimed at improving public transit options.

In her personal life, Shetty resides in Kensington, Maryland, with her husband, Ash Shetty, and their child. Shetty also manages a chronic autoimmune disorder, which adds a personal dimension to her advocacy work in health care and related policy areas.

Through her legislative efforts and community engagement, Shetty continues to play a significant role in Maryland politics, addressing the diverse needs of her constituents and contributing to the state's legislative landscape.