Kelly M. Schulz

Schulz won a seat in the two member District 4A in Frederick County by finishing first in a field of five candidates in the 2010 Maryland gubernatorial general election. In the primary election Schulz finished second, edging out incumbent Delegate Paul S. Stull by six votes.[6] Schulz was sworn in on January 12, 2011, and was assigned to the House Economic Matters committee.[7] She was a member of the Women Legislators of Maryland.[4]

In 2012, Schulz filed to run as a Delegate to the Republican National Convention, representing Rick Perry. She received 2.1 percent of the vote in the Republican primary election.[8]

On December 17, 2015, Governor-Elect Larry Hogan announced at a press conference that he had chosen Schulz to be his Secretary for the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. The Maryland Senate unanimously approved her nomination on February 13, 2015.[9] She was sworn in on March 13, 2015.[4]

During her tenure as Secretary of Labor, Schulz sought to improve Maryland's image among businesses[10] and improve job readiness through pilot youth apprenticeships for STEM careers.[11][12][13] Labor unions expressed concern with Schulz's tenure and her administration's handling of off-the-books hiring.[14]

On December 17, 2018, Hogan announced that Schulz would succeed Mike Gill as Maryland Secretary of Commerce following his resignation.[15][16] Her nomination was unanimously approved by the Maryland Senate on February 8, 2019.[17] She was sworn in on January 9, 2019.[1][4]

During her tenure at the Department of Commerce, the agency played a role in keeping businesses operating during the COVID-19 pandemic.[18][19][20][21] Following the pandemic, Schulz sought to promote business through a state marketing effort called "Innovation Uncovered".[22]

On December 30, 2021, the Hogan administration announced that Schulz would leave the administration alongside Maryland Transportation Secretary Greg Slater in order to focus on her gubernatorial campaign.[23] Hogan named Mike Gill, her predecessor, to succeed Schulz as Secretary of Commerce effective January 11, 2022.[24]

On April 14, 2021, Schulz announced that she would be a candidate for the Republican nomniation for Governor of Maryland in the 2022 Maryland gubernatorial election.[25][26] Her running mate is Jeff Woolford, an Air Force veteran and assistant Health secretary.[27] She has been endorsed by Governor Larry Hogan.[28]

During her 2022 campaign, Schulz said that she supported school choice and advocated for keeping schools open.[29][30]

In August 2013, Schulz called for an investigation into the integrity of Maryland's elections in the state after a True the Vote investigation found 173 cases of interstate voter fraud in Florida.[31]

Scuhlz introduced legislation in the 2014 legislative session that would allow mail voting for municipal incorporation elections.[32][33]

Schulz introduced several pieces of gun rights legislation during the 2015 legislative session, ahead of her resignation to join the Hogan administration. The first bill would allow licensed gun shops to instigate a National Instant Criminal Background Check and sell firearms to an individual upon passing the background check. The second bill would allow assault weapon owners to repair broken parts of their firearms as long as it is registered with the Maryland State Police. The third would change Maryland from a may-issue to a shall-issue state. The fourth and final bill would repeal a law that requires shell casings to be sent to the Department of State Police Crime Laboratory, which maintains a database of discharged casings to track guns that may be used in crimes.[34]

In January 2011, Schulz said she opposed legislation that would provide financial aid to illegal immigrants. She also said she thought the state should prevent illegal immigrants from receiving welfare benefits or social services.[35]

Schulz opposed legislation introduced in the 2013 legislative session that would allow undocumented workers to obtain limited driver's licenses.[36]

In 2012, Schulz worked to weaken the Workplace Fraud Act, which gave employers twice as much time to produce records and added exemptions for employers.[14]

In December 2013, Schulz wrote an op-ed for the Frederick News-Post criticizing legislation that would raise the state's minimum wage from $7.25 to $10 per hour.[37] She voted against the bill in the House Economic Matters Committee, which voted to pass it by a vote of 13-8.[38] Schulz also successfully removed a provision from the bill that would index future increases of the minimum wage to inflation.[39]

In 2017, Governor Hogan appointed Schulz to chair a committee to investigate paid leave policy. In November, the group released a 72-page report containing its conclusions on the implementation of statewide paid leave legislation.[40]

In February 2019, Schulz wrote to lawmakers to urge them to consider implementing regional or county wage rates into legislation that would increase the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour.[41]

During a debate on legislation that would legalize medical marijuana in Maryland, Schulz introduced an amendment that would report medical marijuana use on the state's prescription drug monitoring program. The House of Delegates rejected the amendment.[42]

In August 2021, Schulz said that she did not have a policy position on the legalization of marijuana, but mentioned that hemp development for farmers was an important economic development opportunity.[43]

In January 2012, Schulz said that she opposed same-sex marriage, and supported a grassroots movement to start a referendum to overturn same-sex marriage legislation.[44] She voted against legislation introduced in the 2012 legislative session that would legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland.[45]

Schulz opposes mask and vaccine mandates, saying that both should be up to the individual.[46]