Kris Valderrama

Template:Short description Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters". Kriselda Valderrama-Lobo (born November 17, 1970) is an American politician who represents District 26 in the Maryland House of Delegates.^[1]

Early life and career

Kriselda Valderrama was born in Washington, D.C. to David Mercado Valderrama, a judge in Prince George's County, Maryland and Maryland State Delegate representing District 26. She is of Filipino ancestry.^[2]^[3] She graduated from Oxon Hill Senior High School, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in respiratory therapy from Salisbury University.^[1]

In the legislature

File:Kris Valderrama (2009).jpg

Valderrama speaks in the Maryland House of Delegates, April 2009

Valderrama was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 10, 2007. Since 2022, she has served as the Deputy Majority Leader of the Maryland House of Delegates.^[1]

Committee assignments

Member, Economic Matters Committee, 2015–present (banking, economic development, science & technology subcommittee, 2015–2018; unemployment insurance subcommittee, 2015–2018; chair, workers' compensation subcommittee, 2021, member, 2015–present; member, business regulation subcommittee, 2019; chair, alcoholic beverages subcommittee, 2022–present, member, 2020–present)
House Chair, Joint Committee on Workers' Compensation Benefit and Insurance Oversight, 2015–present
Member, Rules and Executive Nominations Committee, 2021–present
Member, Judiciary Committee, 2007-15 (juvenile law subcommittee, 2007–2015)
Deputy Majority Whip, 2011–2018
Member, Legislative Policy Committee, 2019

Other memberships

Chair, Bi-County Committee, Prince George's County Delegation, 2017–present (law enforcement & state-appointed boards committee, 2014, vice-chair, 2008–2010, chair, 2011–2014; member, bi-county committee, 2015–present)
Member, Women Legislators of Maryland, 2007
Maryland Legislative Asian-American and Pacific-Islander Caucus, 2015–present (1st vice-chair, 2016–2019; chair, 2019–2021)
Maryland Legislative Transit Caucus, 2019–present

Political positions

Paid family leave

Valderrama introduced legislation during the 2020 legislative session to provide all Maryland workers with up to 12 weeks of paid family leave.^[4]^[5]^[6] The bill was reintroduced in 2022,^[7]^[8] during which it passed and became law after the General Assembly voted to override Governor Larry Hogan's veto.^[9]^[10]

National politics

Valderrama endorsed Hillary Clinton for president on April 9, 2016.^[11]

Social issues

Valderrama was a co-sponsor of the Civil Marriage Protection Act, a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland.^[12] The bill passed the House of Delegates by a vote of 72-67^[13] and was signed into law by Governor Martin O'Malley on March 2, 2012.^[14]

Valderrama introduced legislation in the 2016 legislative session to prohibit employers from excluding women from desirable positions and for employers to retaliate against employees for sharing salary information with co-workers.^[15]

Valderrama introduced legislation in the 2018 legislative session to block employers from imposing non-disclosure agreements on workers reporting sexual harassment and require employers with more than 50 workers to disclose information about their records in maintaining harassment-free workplaces. The bill passed and was signed into law on May 16, 2018.^[16]^[17]

Personal life

Valderrama is married and has two children. She attends religious services at the St. Columba Catholic Church in Oxon Hill, Maryland.^[1]