{{Short description|American politician (born 1969)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Jennifer R. Terrasa | image = Jennifer Terrasa (55076649269).jpg | caption = Terrasa in 2026 | state_delegate1 = Maryland | district1 = 13th | term_start1 = January 9, 2019 | term_end1 = | alongside1 = Gabriel Moreno and Pam Guzzone | predecessor1 = Frank S. Turner | successor1 = | office2 = Member of the Howard County Council from the 3rd district | term_start2 = December 4, 2006 | term_end2 = December 3, 2018 | predecessor2 = Guy Guzzone | successor2 = Christiana Rigby | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|06|06}} | birth_place = New York, New York, U.S. | party = Democratic | spouse = | children = 3 | education = University of Maryland at College Park (BA)<br>University of Baltimore School of Law (JD) }} '''Jennifer R. Terrasa''' (born June 6, 1969) is an American politician who has served as a Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing the 13th district since 2019. She was previously a member of the Howard County Council from 2006 to 2018.
==Early life and career== Terrasa was born on June 6, 1969, in New York City.<ref>{{cite web |title=Maryland State Del. Jen Terrasa - Biography {{!}} LegiStorm |url=https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/312818/Jennifer_R_Terrasa.html |publisher=LegiStorm |access-date=December 1, 2025 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="msa">{{cite web |title=Jennifer R. Terrasa, Maryland State Delegate |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa14716.html |website=Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher=Maryland State Archives |access-date=March 10, 2019 |date=January 24, 2019}}</ref> Her family moved to Columbia, Maryland when she was a toddler,<ref name="Klosner">{{cite news |last1=Klosner-Wehner |first1=Dana |title=Teen experiences the culture of France |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2002-01-29-0201290111-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=January 29, 2002}}</ref> where she graduated from Oakland Mills High School. She attended the University of Maryland at College Park in College Park, Maryland, where she earned a B.A. degree in sociology in 1992, and the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she earned a J.D. degree in law review in 1997. She was admitted to the Maryland Bar in the same year.<ref name="msa" />
After graduating, she served as a law clerk to Maryland Court of Appeals judge Howard S. Chasanow until 1998 and Howard County Circuit Court judge Lenore R. Gelfman until 1999. From 2000 to 2006, Terrasa served as a family law hotline attorney for the Women's Law Center of Maryland.<ref name="msa" />
==Howard County Council== In 1994, Terrasa moved to the Kings Contrivance neighborhood of Columbia. She was appointed to the neighborhood's Village Board in December 2001, succeeding Victoria Dieringer, who resigned for personal reasons.<ref name="Klosner" /> She resigned from the Village Board in December 2005 to run for the Howard County Council,<ref>{{cite news |title=Rosenbaum is nominated for panel |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2006-02-01-0602010228-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=February 1, 2006}}</ref> seeking to succeed councilmember Guy Guzzone, who announced plans to run for the Maryland House of Delegates.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cadiz |first1=Laura |title=Before vote, Ulman seeks a change in smoking bill |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2005-12-04-0512030247-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=December 4, 2005}}</ref> She won the general election with 62.0 percent of the vote.<ref name="2006 general" />
Terrasa was a national delegate for Barack Obama at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bios of Add-on delegates, party leaders and super delegates |url=https://cnsmaryland.org/2008/08/23/bios-of-add-on-delegates-party-leaders-and-super-delegates/ |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=Capital News Service |date=August 23, 2008}}</ref> Before the 2008 Maryland Democratic presidential primary, Terrasa canvassed alongside county council member Calvin Ball III in Oakland Mills for Obama.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carson |first1=Larry |title=Obama supporters basking in Potomac sweep |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2008-02-17-0802150225-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=February 17, 2008}}</ref>
Terrasa faced a tough re-election campaign in 2010, facing off against Republican moderate Dennis R. Schrader in the general election.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carson |first1=Larry |title=Council race: Terrasa has edge, but Schrader is determined |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/bs-xpm-2010-08-29-bs-ho-schrader-terassa-20100829-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=August 29, 2010}}</ref> She defeated Schrader in the general election, receiving 67.1 percent of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carson |first1=Larry |title=Howard voters stick to status quo, re-elect incumbents |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/bs-xpm-2010-11-04-bs-ho-general-election-results-20101103-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=November 4, 2010}}</ref><ref name="2010 general" />
In January 2018, Terrasa declared her candidacy for the Maryland House of Delegates, seeking to succeed delegate Frank Turner. who announced plans to retire at the end of his term. Turner endorsed Terrasa's campaign in January 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Magill |first1=Kate |title=A veteran Howard legislator is retiring, endorsing a candidate |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/ph-ho-cf-frank-turner-profile-0118-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=January 18, 2018}}</ref> She won the Democratic primary with 27.7 percent of the vote, coming in third out of a field of four Democrats.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brennan |first1=Leah |title=Howard councilwoman makes the cut for open seat in House of Delegates |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/ph-ho-district-13-0627-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=June 28, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Kinnally |first1=Kevin |title=Terrasa Advances to District 13 House General Election |url=https://conduitstreet.mdcounties.org/2018/06/27/terrasa-advances-to-district-13-house-general-election/ |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=Maryland Association of Counties |date=June 27, 2018}}</ref> She won the general election with 27.1 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Chris Yates.<ref name="2018 general" />
==In the legislature== Terrasa was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 9, 2019. She served on the Appropriations Committee during the 2019 legislative session, afterwards serving on the Environment and Transportation Committee. Terrasa is also a member of the Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus, the Maryland Legislative Transit Caucus, and the Women Legislators of Maryland.<ref name="msa" /> In February 2022, House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones assigned Terrasa and Vaughn Stewart to lead the newly created Progressive Policy Forum within the House Democratic Caucus.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kurtz |first1=Josh |title=House Dems Create 'Progressive Policy Forum' Within Their Caucus |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/02/09/house-dems-create-progressive-policy-forum-within-their-caucus/ |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=Maryland Matters |date=February 9, 2022}}</ref>
Terrasa was reelected in 2022.<ref name="2022 primary" /><ref name="2022 general" /> In December 2025, Terrasa announced that she would not seek re-election to the House of Delegates, opting instead to run for clerk of the Howard County Circuit Court in 2026.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hacker |first1=Kiersten |title=Instead of running for reelection, Maryland Del. Jen Terrasa enters a new race |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2025/12/01/jen-terrasa-running-for-clerk-circuit-court/ |access-date=December 1, 2025 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=December 1, 2025}}</ref> She is running unopposed.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lazarick |first1=Len |title=A third of state Senate running unopposed for reelection |url=https://marylandreporter.com/2026/02/24/a-third-of-state-senate-running-unopposed-for-reelection/ |access-date=February 28, 2026 |work=MarylandReporter.com |date=February 25, 2026}}</ref>
==Political positions== ===Elections=== Terrasa, alongside Howard County Council chairman Jon Weinstein, introduced legislation in February 2016 that would create a public financing system for candidates who swear off large donations.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Waseem |first1=Fatimah |title=Howard County Council members propose 'citizen funded campaign system' |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-ho-cf-campaign-finance-0204-20160202-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=February 2, 2016}}</ref> The legislation was reintroduced in 2017.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Waseem |first1=Fatimah |title=Support for publicly funded campaign system surges at Howard hearing |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/ph-ho-cf-hearing-public-campaigns-0427-20170420-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=April 20, 2017}}</ref>
===Environment=== In March 2021, Terrasa, alongside Delegates Lorig Charkoudian, Dana Stein, and Vaughn Stewart, joined the Leaders for Climate Accountability, a national work of public officials who support holding corporate polluters accountable for their contributions to the climate crisis.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shwe |first1=Elizabeth |title=Md. Delegates Join National Group Dedicated to Holding Polluters Accountable for Climate Change |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2021/03/03/md-delegates-join-national-group-dedicated-to-holding-polluters-accountable-for-climate-change/ |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=Maryland Matters |date=March 3, 2021}}</ref> She introduced legislation in the 2021 legislative session that would allow the Attorney General of Maryland to sue companies that have contributed to the climate crisis through fraud or deception.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shwe |first1=Elizabeth |title=Bill Would Allow the Attorney General to Sue Companies for Climate Fraud |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2021/03/10/bill-would-allow-the-attorney-general-to-sue-companies-for-climate-fraud/ |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=Maryland Matters |date=March 10, 2021}}</ref> The bill was reintroduced in the 2022 legislative session.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kurtz |first1=Josh |title=Here Are Three Smaller Climate Bills That Could Have a Big Impact |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/02/09/here-are-three-smaller-climate-bills-that-could-have-a-big-impact/ |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=Maryland Matters |date=February 9, 2022}}</ref>
===Healthcare=== Terrasa supports universal health care and Medicare for All.<ref name="Questionnaire" /> She co-sponsored the Healthy Maryland Act of 2019, which would institute Medicare-for-all, single-payer healthcare legislation in Maryland.<ref>{{cite web |title=Legislation - HB1087 |url=https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/legislation/details/hb1087?ys=2019rs |website=mgaleg.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland General Assembly |access-date=March 14, 2022}}</ref>
===Housing=== In October 2015, Terrasa introduced legislation that would require 15 percent of all new housing units developed in downtown Columbia to be affordable to families earning between 40 and 80 percent of the county's median income.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yeager |first1=Amanda |title=Terrasa introduces affordable housing bill for downtown Columbia |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-ho-cf-terrasa-housing-bill-1008-20151002-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=October 2, 2015}}</ref>
In October 2018, Terrasa introduced a bill that would require new single-family houses and apartments to have infrastructure to support charging stations for electric vehicles.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Logan |first1=Erin B. |title=Howard legislation would require new homes to support electric vehicle charging stations |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/ph-ho-cf-electric-legislation-1025-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=October 22, 2018}}</ref>
===Immigration=== Following the election of President-elect Donald Trump, Terrasa introduced legislation that would designate Howard County a sanctuary jurisdiction.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Waseem |first1=Fatimah |title=Howard County Council seeks 'sanctuary' status ahead of Trump presidency |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-ho-cf-sanctuary-county-proposal-0105-20161229-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=December 29, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Turque |first1=Bill |title=Howard County debates bill to declare 'sanctuary' status |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/howard-county-debates-bill-to-declare-sanctuary-status/2017/01/06/15ba309c-d429-11e6-945a-76f69a399dd5_story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 6, 2017}}</ref>
===Marijuana=== Terrasa supports the legalization and regulation of recreational marijuana.<ref name="Questionnaire">{{cite news |title=Jen Terrasa |url=https://elections2018.news.baltimoresun.com/state-house/district-13/jen-terrasa/ |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun}}</ref>
===Redistricting=== Terrasa supports using an independent redistricting commission to draw Maryland's legislative and congressional district maps.<ref name="Questionnaire" />
===Taxes=== In July 2018, Terrasa introduced legislation that would repeal Howard County's tax on mobile home rental sites.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Magill |first1=Kate |title=Council considers repeal of mobile home site rental tax |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/ph-ho-cf-mobile-home-tax-repeal-0719-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=July 16, 2018}}</ref> The County Council voted to kill the bill in September 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nocera |first1=Jess |title=Howard council rejects plan to kill tax on mobile homes |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/ph-ho-cf-mobile-tax-0905-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=September 5, 2018}}</ref>
==Electoral history== {| class="wikitable" |+ Kings Contrivance Village Board Election, 2004<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cadiz |first1=Laura |title=Election shakes board's balance |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2004-04-25-0404250350-story.html |access-date=March 14, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=April 25, 2004}}</ref> |- !Candidate !Votes !% |- |'''Jennifer Terrasa''' |136 |31.8% |- |'''Heidi Gaasch''' |123 |28.7% |- |'''Buna Cumbie''' |108 |25.2% |- |Heather Ryan |61 |14.3% |} {| class="wikitable" |+ Howard County Council Councilmanic District 3 General Election, 2006<ref name="2006 general">{{cite web |title=Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for Howard County |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2006/results/general/local_office_Howard_County.html |website=elections.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=March 14, 2022}}</ref> |- !Party !Candidate !Votes !% |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |'''Jennifer Terrasa''' |9,846 |62.0% |-{{Party shading/Republican}} |Republican |Donna Thewes |6,037 |38.0% |-{{Party shading/Other}} |Other Write-Ins |Other Write-Ins |10 |0.1% |} {| class="wikitable" |+ Howard County Council Councilmanic District 3 Democratic Primary Election, 2010<ref>{{cite web |title=Official 2010 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Howard County |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2010/results/Primary/gen_results_2010_1_by_county_140.html |website=elections.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=March 14, 2022}}</ref> |- !Party !Candidate !Votes !% |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |'''Jennifer Terrasa''' |3,022 |100.0% |} {| class="wikitable" |+ Howard County Council Councilmanic District 3 General Election, 2010<ref name="2010 general">{{cite web |title=Official 2010 Gubernatorial General Election results for Howard County |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2010/results/General/gen_results_2010_2_by_county_140.html |website=elections.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=March 14, 2022}}</ref> |- !Party !Candidate !Votes !% |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |'''Jennifer Terrasa''' |11,071 |67.1% |-{{Party shading/Republican}} |Democratic |Dennis R. Schrader |5,413 |32.8% |-{{Party shading/Other}} |Other Write-Ins |Other Write-Ins |13 |0.1% |} {| class="wikitable" |+ Howard County Council Councilmanic District 3 Democratic Primary Election, 2014<ref>{{cite web |title=Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Howard County |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2014/results/primary/gen_results_2014_1_by_county_140.html |website=elections.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=March 14, 2022}}</ref> |- !Party !Candidate !Votes !% |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |'''Jennifer Terrasa''' |3,947 |100.0% |} {| class="wikitable" |+ Howard County Council Councilmanic District 3 General Election, 2014<ref>{{cite web |title=Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for Howard County |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2014/results/General/gen_results_2014_2_by_county_140.html |website=elections.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=March 14, 2022}}</ref> |- !Party !Candidate !Votes !% |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |'''Jennifer Terrasa''' |14,107 |97.8% |-{{Party shading/Other}} |Other Write-Ins |Other Write-Ins |324 |2.2% |} {| class="wikitable" |+ Maryland House of Delegates District 13 Democratic Primary Election, 2018<ref>{{cite web |title=Official 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2018/results/primary/gen_results_2018_1_01613.html |website=elections.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=March 14, 2022}}</ref> |- !Party !Candidate !Votes !% |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |'''Vanessa Atterbeary''' |10,856 |32.7% |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |'''Shane Pendergrass''' |10,020 |30.2% |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |'''Jen Terrasa''' |9,169 |27.7% |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |Larry Pretlow, II |3,110 |9.4% |} {| class="wikitable" |+ Maryland House of Delegates District 13 General Election, 2018<ref name="2018 general">{{cite web |title=Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2018/results/general/gen_results_2018_2_01613.html |website=elections.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=March 14, 2022}}</ref> |- !Party !Candidate !Votes !% |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |'''Vanessa Atterbeary''' |39,470 |30.7% |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |'''Shane Pendergrass''' |36,519 |28.4% |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |'''Jen Terrasa''' |34,921 |27.1% |-{{Party shading/Republican}} |Republican |Chris Yates |17,258 |13.4% |-{{Party shading/Other}} |Other Write-Ins |Other Write-Ins |513 |0.4% |} {{Election box begin no change |title=Maryland House of Delegates District 13 Democratic Primary Election, 2022<ref name="2022 primary">{{cite web |title=Official 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2022/primary_results/gen_results_2022_7_20.html |website=elections.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=November 16, 2025 |date=August 24, 2022}}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Maryland Democratic Party |candidate = Vanessa Atterbeary (incumbent) |votes = 11,663 |percentage = 29.9 }}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Maryland Democratic Party |candidate = Jennifer R. Terrasa (incumbent) |votes = 9,249 |percentage = 23.7 }}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Maryland Democratic Party |candidate = Pam Lanman Guzzone |votes = 7,760 |percentage = 19.9 }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Maryland Democratic Party |candidate = Amy R. Brooks |votes = 6,756 |percentage = 17.3 }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Maryland Democratic Party |candidate = Becca Niburg |votes = 3,561 |percentage = 9.1 }}{{Election box end}} {{Election box begin no change |title=Maryland House of Delegates District 13 General Election, 2022<ref name="2022 general">{{cite web |title=Official 2022 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2022/general_results/gen_results_2022_7_20.html |website=elections.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=November 16, 2025 |date=December 7, 2022}}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Maryland Democratic Party |candidate = Vanessa Atterbeary (incumbent) |votes = 33,045 |percentage = 27.85% }}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Maryland Democratic Party |candidate = Jennifer R. Terrasa (incumbent) |votes = 31,259 |percentage = 26.35% }}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Maryland Democratic Party |candidate = Pam Lanman Guzzone |votes = 31,128 |percentage = 26.24% }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Maryland Republican Party |candidate = Chris Yates |votes = 11,874 |percentage = 10.01% }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Maryland Republican Party |candidate = Padraic Walsh |votes = 10,792 |percentage = 9.10% }}{{Election box write-in with party link no change |votes = 539 |percentage = 0.45% }}{{Election box end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Maryland House of Delegates}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Terrasa, Jennifer R.}} Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates Category:University of Maryland, College Park alumni Category:University of Baltimore School of Law alumni Category:1969 births Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:County officials in Maryland Category:Politicians from New York City Category:Women state legislators in Maryland Category:County commissioners in Maryland Category:21st-century members of the Maryland General Assembly