Kris Valderrama

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. She graduated from Oxon Hill Senior High School, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in respiratory therapy from Salisbury University.

In the legislature

Valderrama was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 10, 2007. She was a deputy majority whip from 2011 to 2018, and has served as the deputy majority leader of the House of Delegates since 2022.

Valderrama was a member of the Judiciary Committee from 2007 to 2015, afterwards serving on the Economic Matters Committee. In December 2025, she became the chair of the Economic Matters Committee, becoming the first Asian American committee chair and the first woman to chair the committee. Valderrama has also been a member of the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee since 2021. She is a member of the Prince George's County Delegation, the Legislative Asian-American and Pacific-Islander Caucus, the Women Legislators of Maryland, and the Legislative Transit Caucus.

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. The bill was reintroduced in 2022, during which it passed and became law after the General Assembly voted to override Governor Larry Hogan's veto.

National politics

Valderrama endorsed Hillary Clinton for president on April 9, 2016.

Social issues

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

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.

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.

Personal life

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

Electoral history

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References

References

1. "Kriselda Valderrama". [[Maryland State Archives]].
2. (March 9, 2015). "Telling "one story" of Filipino American history". [[Medium (website).
3. (March 22, 2009). "Patronage endures, even in hard times". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
4. (December 30, 2025). "Peña-Melnyk unveils House leadership shake-up, expands standing committees". [[Maryland Matters]].
5. (January 7, 2026). "Prince George's County Political Updates". [[The Washington Informer]].
6. (January 29, 2020). "Lawmakers Unveil Plan to Reintroduce Paid Family Leave Legislation". [[Maryland Matters]].
7. (January 28, 2020). "Md. Democrats again to push for 12-week paid leave program". [[Daily Record (Maryland).
8. (February 25, 2020). "Family Medical Leave Insurance Legislation Gets First Airing of Session". [[Maryland Matters]].
9. (January 12, 2022). "Paid Family Medical Leave Getting a New Look in This Year’s Legislative Session". [[Maryland Matters]].
10. (February 21, 2022). "Advocates Rally Md. Lawmakers to Pass Paid Family Medical Leave This Year". [[Maryland Matters]].
11. (April 8, 2022). "Hogan Vetoes Abortion and Paid Family Leave Bills, Allows Climate Measure to Become Law". [[Maryland Matters]].
12. (April 9, 2022). "With Legislative Overrides, Paid Leave and Abortion Access Bills Become Law in Maryland". [[Maryland Matters]].
13. (April 9, 2016). "Hillary Clinton announces endorsements from Maryland women". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
14. (March 1, 2011). "House committee vote on marriage delayed". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
15. (February 17, 2012). "In Maryland, House Passes Bill to Let Gays Wed". [[New York Times]].
16. (March 2, 2012). "O'Malley Signs Same-Sex Marriage Bill as Opponents Push Referendum". [[Capital News Service (Maryland).
17. (February 1, 2016). "Democratic leaders in Maryland want to offer matching funds for 529 plans". [[The Washington Post]].
18. (May 16, 2018). "Hogan Signs Bill Cracking Down on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace". [[Maryland Matters]].
19. (October 1, 2018). "'Sextortion' ban among many new Maryland laws taking effect to protect women". [[The Baltimore Sun]].