William J. Wivell
Wivell in 2020
Member of theMaryland House of Delegates from the2A district
Incumbent
Assumed office March 16, 2015 Serving with William Valentine
Appointed by	Larry Hogan
Preceded by	Andrew A. Serafini
Personal details
Born	William Joseph Wivell (1964-06-09)June 9, 1964 (age 60) Hagerstown, Maryland, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Robin Lynne
Residence(s)	Smithsburg, Maryland, U.S.

William Joseph Wivell (born June 9, 1964) is an American politician who has served as a member of theMaryland House of Delegates representingDistrict 2A since 2015. A member of theRepublican Party, he was previously a member of theWashington County Board of Commissioners from 1998 to 2010, and from 2014 to 2015.

Wivell was born inHagerstown,Maryland on June 9, 1964. He attendedSmithsburg High School inSmithsburg, Maryland and graduated fromHagerstown Community College with aA.A. degree in 1984. He later graduated fromShepherd University with aB.A. in 1986, and fromMount Saint Mary's University with anM.B.A. in 1991.^[1] Wivell currently works as a business administrator at theSt. James School.^[2]

In 1998, Wivell was elected to theWashington County Board of County Commissioners, where he served until he retired in 2010 to "take a break from public life to focus on other things".^[3] In 2008, he applied to fill a vacancy in the Maryland House of Delegates following the resignation ofRobert A. McKee.^[4] Wivell was re-elected to the Board of County Commissioners in 2014,^[5] where he served until GovernorLarry Hogan appointed him to serve in the Maryland House of Delegates in February 2015, filling a vacancy left by the resignation of delegateAndrew A. Serafini to serve in theMaryland Senate.^[6]

Wivell is an endowment life member of theNational Rifle Association.^[1]

Wivell was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on March 16, 2015.^[7] He was a member of the Appropriations Committee from 2015 to 2016, afterwards serving on the Environment and Transportation Committee until 2022. Since 2023, Wivell has served on the Economic Matters Committee.^[1]

In January 2020, Wivell was named as the co-chairman of the Washington County Trump Leadership team.^[8]

In August 2020, following the resignation of state SenatorAndrew A. Serafini, Wivell applied to fill the vacancy he left in the Maryland Senate.^[9] The Washington County Republican Central Committee andGovernorLarry Hogan would end up nominating delegatePaul D. Corderman to fill the vacancy.^[10]

In October 2021, Wivell was one of five Maryland state legislators fromGarrett,Allegany, and Washington counties who sent a pair of letters toWest Virginia officials asking about annexation ofWestern Maryland to West Virginia.^[11][12] These letters caused a local uproar, with Allegany County officials calling the request a political stunt, an embarrassment and unneeded distraction.^[13] Following criticism from local officials and some constituents, DelegateJason Buckel and State SenatorGeorge Edwards issued a letter withdrawing support for the secession proposal.^[14]

During the 2017 legislative session, Wivell introduced a bill to provide sales tax exemptions for development atFort Ritchie.^[15] In March 2017, he voted against legislation to dissolve the PenMar Development Corporation, a state-owned company tasked with redeveloping Fort Ritchie.^[16]

During the 2020 legislative session, Wivell introduced a bill that would require state colleges to accept 100- and 200-level course credits from community colleges.^[17] In 2021, he expressed concerns with theBlueprint for Maryland's Future's costs having voted against the bill during the 2020 legislative session^[18] and to sustain GovernorLarry Hogan's veto of the education reform bill.^[19]

Wivell supports theSecond Amendment^[20] and opposesgun control laws, instead favoring legislation to improve mental health treatment.^[21] In 2018, following the2017 Las Vegas shooting, he voted against bills to banbump stocks and rapid fire trigger activators.^[22]

During the 2018 legislative session, Wivell introduced legislation that would banmedical marijuana in jails.^[23][24] The bill died in committee, and was subsequently reintroduced in 2019^[25] and 2020.^[26]

During the 2017 legislative session, Wivell opposed a bill that would prohibit police from asking detainees about their immigration status, which he said would put Marylanders "at risk".^[27]

In 2019, Wivell introduced a bill that would makepolygraph tests optional when hiring state correctional officers.^[28]

Wivell opposes state funding for abortions.^[29] During the 2017 legislative session, he introduced legislation that would place restrictions on late-term abortions,^[15] including a bill that would ban "dismemberment abortion" with exemptions for life of the mother.^[30] During the 2022 legislative session, during debate on the Abortion Care Access Act, Wivell introduced an amendment that would remove $3.5 million in state funding for clinician training, instead requiring taxpayers to check off on their taxes if they want to contribute to the funds. The amendment was rejected in a 39-87 vote.^[31] In 2023, during debate on a bill creating a statewide referendum on enshriningRoe v. Wade into thestate constitution, he proposed amendments that would require the constitution to guarantee constitutional rights to the "preborn", and another that would limit the bill to cover only abortions instead of all reproductive health. Both amendments were rejected by the House of Delegates.^[32][33]

During the 2018 legislative session, Wivell supported a resolution endorsing anational convention to create a constitutional amendment oncongressional term limits.^[34]

In 2021, Wivell introduced a bill that would remove party affiliation from absentee ballot envelopes. The bill passed the House of Delegates, but did not receive a vote in the Senate. It was reintroduced in 2022.^[35]

During the 2023 legislative session, Wivell was one of two state delegates to vote against theMaryland Child Victims Act, a bill that would abolish thestatute of limitations onchild sexual abuse cases.^[36]

During the 2020 legislative session, Wivell introduced a bill that would decouple the state's tax code with the federal tax code.^[37]

Wivell supports the widening ofInterstate 81.^[38]

During the 2017 legislative session, Wivell introduced legislation to ban tree planting alongsiderights of ways along agriculturally-zoned properties.^[39]

In February 2017, Wivell voted against a bill that would make it illegal to block a four-way intersection.^[40]

During the 2018 legislative session, Wivell introduced bills that would allow adults to ride scooters without helmets and to end mandatoryemissions testing for low-mileage vehicles.^[41]

In 2019, Wivell introduced legislation that would requirespeed cameras to display your speed as a car approaches.^[42]

During the 2023 legislative session, Wivell introduced a bill that would allow municipalities to enforce laws against driving dirt bikes on public roads.^[43]

Wivell is married to his wife, Robin (née Lynne),^[44] who unsuccessfully ran for the Washington County Board of Commissioners in 2010^[45] and briefly ran for the Washington County Board of Education in 2016.^[46] Wivell attends religious services at St. Mary's Catholic Church inHagerstown, Maryland.^[1]

• Media related toWilliam J. Wivell at Wikimedia Commons

• 1964 births
• Living people
• Catholic politicians from Maryland
• County commissioners in Maryland
• Mount St. Mary's University alumni
• Politicians from Hagerstown, Maryland
• Republican Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates
• Shepherd University alumni
• 21st-century members of the Maryland General Assembly

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