One of the Maryland Senate’s progressive stalwarts is leaving elected office. State Sen. Jill P. Carter served in the General Assembly for more than two decades, and now is preparing to join the State Board of Contract Appeals.

The Baltimore City-native was elected to the Senate in 2018, having previously served in the House of Delegates for 14 years. She spent time as the Director of the Baltimore Office of Civil Rights and Wage Enforcement, as well.

The daughter of the civil rights activist Walter P. Carter, Jill Carter has been one of the most vocal and effective proponents of criminal justice reform, including working to abolish the death penalty and legalizing cannabis, among other issues.

We ask her about her achievements, her thoughts on juvenile justice reform and where the progressive agenda stands in the General Assembly.