Sara N. Love (born April 6, 1967) is an American politician who currently serves as a member of the Maryland Senate representing the 16th district since 2024. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented the district in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2019 to 2024.
In August 2017, Love declared her candidacy for state delegate in Maryland's 16th legislative district, seeking to succeed state delegate William Frick, who ran for Congress in Maryland's 6th congressional district.[2] In the primary election, Love finished third in a field of eight candidates, edging out Montgomery Blair High School teacher Samir Paul by 9 votes. Paul filed for a recount of the results on July 10, 2018.[3] Love maintained her lead over Paul after the recount, increasing her vote total in the district to 12 votes.[4] He conceded from the election on July 27, 2018.[5] She came in third place in the general election, receiving 29.4 percent of the vote.[6]
In the legislature
Love was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 9, 2019. She has served as a member of the Environment and Transportation Committee during her entire tenure, including as the chair of its motor vehicle and transportation subcommittee from 2023 to 2024.[1]
In May 2022, ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, Love launched StandUp MD, a program to train college students and recent graduates about political organizing and to support pro-choice candidates in Maryland. The program was funded by Love's campaign, as she did not face any opposition in her re-election bid that year.[8]
In March 2024, after state senator Ariana Kelly announced that she would resign in May to become the executive director of the Maryland Commission for Women, Love said that she would apply to serve the remainder of Kelly's term in the Maryland Senate.[9] The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee nominated Love to fill the seat on June 3, 2024.[10] Love was appointed to the seat by Governor Wes Moore and sworn in on June 13, 2024.[11]
During the 2019 legislative session, Love introduced a bill to strengthen and codify the Keep Antibiotics Effective Act, which restricts the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals. The bill passed and became law without Governor Larry Hogan's signature.[12]
In February 2022, Love introduced the "George Taylor Act", which would ban products containing Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.[13] The bill passed and was signed into law by Governor Hogan.[14]
During the 2023 legislative session, Love introduced the "Clean Trucks Act", which would require vehicle manufacturers and dealers to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emission vehicles beginning in model year 2027.[15] The bill passed and was signed into law by Governor Wes Moore.[16]
Israel
In November 2023, following the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel and subsequent Israel–Hamas war, Love and other District 16 legislators released a statement condemning the attack and condemned antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crimes.[17]
Minimum wage
Love supports increasing the Maryland minimum wage to $15 an hour.[2]
Policing
During her time at the ACLU, Love lobbied for several policing bills, including one prevent police from searching a person's emails before obtaining a warrant, another that prevents police from tracking cellphones without warrants,[2][18] and a bill to limit civil asset forfeiture abuse by requiring conviction before police could confiscate property.[19]
Social issues
During the 2019 legislative session, Love introduced a bill that would allow Maryland drivers to designate their gender as "X" on their license.[20] The bill passed and became law without Governor Larry Hogan's signature.[21]
During the 2024 legislative session, Love introduced the "Maryland Online Privacy Act", which restricts the kinds of data companies can collect to only what is necessary and relevant to the product, would give consumers the right to know which data is being collected and the ability to have it deleted, and bans targeted advertising.[22]
Transportation
During the 2024 legislative session, Love introduced the "Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Memorial Act", which would make hitting a cyclist in a bike lane an offense punishable by up to two months in jail alongside a fine of up to $2,000. The bill was named after Sarah Debbnik Langenkamp, a Bethesda cyclist who was hit and killed by a flatbed truck in August 2022.[23]
Electoral history
Maryland House of Delegates District 16 Democratic primary election, 2018[24]
