Bonnie Cullison

Bonnie Cullison is a Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing District 19. She has been in office since 2011 and has held various leadership roles within the legislature, including serving as vice chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee. Cullison has a background in education and labor, having worked as a teacher and a labor official prior to her political career. She is known for her involvement in a range of policy areas, including education, health care, social issues, and gun policy.

Early life and career

Bonnie Cullison was born on March 24, 1954, in Baltimore, Maryland. She pursued higher education at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in speech pathology, completing her studies in 1976 and 1978, respectively. Following her graduation, Cullison began her professional career as a speech language pathologist in St. Mary's County Public Schools, a position she held from 1978 until 1981. She then transitioned to a role as a special education teacher within the Montgomery County Public Schools, where she worked until 2000.

In addition to her teaching career, Cullison has been active in various educational organizations. She has served as a field liaison for the National Education Association since 2010, contributing to the organization’s efforts in advocating for teachers and educational policies. From 2003 to 2009, she was the chief of the Montgomery County teachers' union, where she played a significant role in representing the interests of educators in the region. During her tenure, she also sought election to the executive committee of the National Education Association, where she engaged in fundraising efforts to support her campaign. However, her campaign faced scrutiny, leading to a determination by the Maryland Attorney General that political contributions from state legislators to her campaign were inappropriate for funding internal elections within the national union. As a result, she refunded the contributions raised from state legislators.

In addition to her roles in education and labor, Cullison was the chair of the Committee for Montgomery from 2006 to 2007. This coalition comprised business and community leaders advocating for the interests of Montgomery County within the Maryland General Assembly.

Legislative service

Bonnie Cullison was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 12, 2011. Since her election, she has been an active member of the Health and Government Operations Committee, where she has served continuously since 2011. In 2023, she was appointed vice chair of this committee, reflecting her growing influence within the legislative body. Additionally, she became a member of the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee in 2023.

Throughout her legislative career, Cullison has held several leadership positions, including serving as deputy majority whip from 2013 to 2018 and as deputy speaker pro tempore from 2020 to 2023. Her leadership roles have allowed her to play a significant part in shaping legislation and guiding discussions within the House of Delegates.

In 2017, following the announcement that state senator Roger Manno would run for Congress, Cullison expressed interest in pursuing Manno's Senate seat. Ultimately, she chose to seek re-election to her delegate position instead, supporting Benjamin F. Kramer in the Senate race. In January 2026, Cullison announced her intention not to run for re-election, citing a desire to spend more time with her wife.

Policy focus and district

Cullison's legislative priorities reflect her background in education and her commitment to various social issues. In the realm of education, she has been an advocate for equitable policies. In 2013, she voted against a bill that would have granted increased control to the Prince George's County Executive over the school system, including the authority to appoint the superintendent. In 2019, she signed a letter urging the Maryland State Department of Education to incorporate lessons on LGBT and disability rights into the social studies curriculum, which the department subsequently agreed to update.

Cullison has also taken a strong stance on gun policy, voting in favor of the Firearm Safety Act of 2013, which imposed restrictions on firearm purchases and magazine capacities for semi-automatic rifles. Her commitment to health care reform is evident in her support for various initiatives, including a bill aimed at establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board to negotiate drug prices for state and local governments. In 2025, she introduced legislation to enable the board to set upper payment limits on certain medications. Additionally, during the 2023 legislative session, she introduced the Access to Care Act, which aimed to allow undocumented immigrants to access the state's health exchange.

Cullison has also been active in immigration policy, supporting the Maryland Trust Act in 2017, which sought to limit the use of state and local resources for federal immigration enforcement. Her positions on social issues include supporting the Civil Marriage Protection Act, which legalized same-sex marriage in Maryland, and advocating for anti-discrimination measures for transgender individuals. In 2018, she introduced a bill to prohibit conversion therapy for minors, which was signed into law.

Her legislative efforts extend to mental health initiatives, as seen in her introduction of a bill during the 2021 session that aimed to provide individuals with access to crisis counseling services following the suicide of a fellow legislator's son. This bill was also signed into law.

Cullison's approach to taxation includes her support for indexing the state's minimum wage to inflation, reflecting her commitment to economic equity. Throughout her tenure, she has demonstrated a focus on a wide array of issues that impact her constituents in District 19, emphasizing education, health care, social justice, and economic fairness.