Appointed to represent District 14 less than one week before the 2023 General Session convened, Del. Bernice Mireku-North brings a holistic view of state issues and how they impact county government, residents, and youth. She taps into her experience as a former assistant state’s attorney, criminal defense attorney, and co-chair of the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force, among other positions, to support bills that improve the overall health and mental health of Maryland’s communities and make residents safer.

In the following interview, Del. Mireku-North talks about the impact some of the bills passed during the last session will have on public safety. She will also share her priorities and her ideas about bills she would like to see passed next year.

How has your focus on ensuring public safety in the community informed how you represent District 14 constituencies?

In terms of public safety, I look at how we are dealing with crime prevention and finding resources for victims. Whenever I am getting ready to vote or hearing testimony about a bill, I think of the individuals I have come in contact with through my work in the community, as a former prosecutor and as a defense attorney. I lean on my past encounters in my various roles to best represent District 14.

What impact do you think the new ghost gun law, as well as proposed gun safety laws, will have within the state?

The new ghost gun law and newer laws like the law restricting the wear, carry, and transport of guns (Senate Bill 1) are positive steps forward, and I hope the restrictive law will prevail through litigation. With the new laws, prosecutors have additional tools to make communities safer.

These laws are allowing us to develop a bold vision with regards to guns. Recent events such as the pandemic and increasing concerns about crime have led to more gun purchases in Montgomery County and throughout the state. We need to reimagine how we exercise our Second Amendment rights while prioritizing public safety. The gun violence epidemic is a public health crisis that demands our attention, both through legislation and continuing public awareness campaigns. While we respect our Constitutional rights, it is crucial that we continue to work towards ensuring the safety of Marylanders from gun violence.

There has been a lot of discussion about the Youth Equity and Safety Act that would end the process of automatically charging our youth as if they were adults. Why do you think the bill failed to be brought to a vote?

The failure to pass the Youth Equity and Safety Act exposes the complex history of balancing the needs of law enforcement to keep our communities safe with addressing Maryland’s history related to youth justice and our country’s origin of policing being traced back to “the Slave Patrol.”

Because I don’t serve on the Judiciary Committee, I cannot give a fair explanation why the bill wasn’t brought to a vote. I am not intimately familiar with the reasons it didn’t pass this year or with the testimony presented. However, I firmly believe this is a good bill. If Del. Crutchfield, as the lead sponsor, wishes to re-introduce the bill soon and wants co-sponsorship, I’d co-sponsor. I have a sense of urgency on this bill because Maryland has the highest incarceration rate of Black men aged 18 to 24 in the nation, followed by Mississippi.

What do you consider to be your most noteworthy successes during the 2023 General Assembly session?

Because I was appointed as delegate less than one week before the 2023 session, I have to be practical as to how I define success. Recognizing that my colleagues have been working for months on legislation with their stakeholders, success to me in this past session has been developing strong relationships with my colleagues, co-sponsoring bills that I feel passionate about, and ensuring that District 14 receives its fair share of resources from the state.

For example, the District 14 team (Dels. Kaiser and Queen, and Sen. Zucker) and I focused especially on Burtonsville, in eastern Montgomery County. To this end, we secured $7,000,000 in funding for the acquisition, design, planning, engineering, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, and site improvement at the Burtonsville Crossing Shopping Center. Among other things, the new shopping center will include a Sprouts Market and a state-of-the-art gym sponsored by Montgomery County’s own Jason Miskiri. In April, we commemorated the start of this multi-year endeavor with a groundbreaking ceremony. Additionally, we prioritized enhancing public safety by installing sidewalks in the neighborhood and improving the lighting on Route 29. Together with my colleagues, we also directed essential resources to address the diverse needs across the district.

What are your priorities for the 2024 session?

My mantra has always been building up stronger, healthier, safer communities. So, I will be focusing on improving mental health, fairness in housing, and public safety issues, particularly those affecting kids in schools.

I have a zillion ideas, and I am still sorting out what my main focus will be. Some bills I am currently considering revolve around social media imaging and offering tax credits to incentivize companies to prioritize the mental health of our youth. I also aim to introduce bills that address the mental health needs of our communities, specifically safe, habitable housing. I am currently exploring providing an option to break a lease due to adverse mental health conditions. Right now, the law allows breaking a lease early for medical conditions that impede physical mobility or require heightened care, but I want to look at extending this right for mental health conditions as well.

I am also dedicated to advancing bills that ensure the safety of our youth and create opportunities for individuals to thrive—particularly those seeking a second chance after involvement with the justice system. There are at least two bills that I plan to reintroduce next year.

One calls for a study on the collateral consequence of criminal convictions, on areas such as employment, licensing, health care, and jury service. Through this study, we will be informed as to how to craft evidence-based legislation on improving justice-involved people’s reentry into society.

The other is the Prevention of Forced Infant Separation Act, which unfortunately hasn’t progressed beyond the committee in its previous attempts. Currently, if a woman has recently given birth while incarcerated in a Maryland facility, she has only up to 48 hours to be with the child before the child is taken away. This bill would allow the mother who is eligible for pre-release status to stay in at the future pre-release unit for women and bond with the child for up to a year. Infants could live in the facility with their mothers with access to health care. The bill also expands mother-infant visitation and baby bonding at the facility. I am committed to working with all the stakeholders to make this bill becomes law in Maryland.

How can WDC help you move your priorities forward?

WDC has testified in support of the Prevention of Forced Infant Separation Act, and it has been an amazing partner in advocating the importance of fully nurturing the mother-child relationship. This collaborative effort not only proves to be cost-effective, but also serves as a significant benefit to the community.

Moving forward, continuing to testify in Annapolis and helping establish a media presence about this bill are the two biggest contributions WDC can make in working to pass this bill, which extends beyond addressing the concerns of incarcerated women alone. The Prevention of Forced Infant Separation Act is also about maternal health, particularly Black maternal health and improving the overall health of women; therefore, it is critical that we expand the conversation surrounding this bill. With WDC's continued advocacy through testimony in Annapolis and media coverage, WDC help can raise awareness and gather more support. By ensuring that people are informed well in advance—before the session begins again in January—we can avoid surprises and hit the ground running.