Kathy Klausmeier

Katherine A. Klausmeier was born on February 22, 1950, and is an American politician from Baltimore County, Maryland. She is a long-time resident of Baltimore County, where she grew up and raised her family. In January 2025, she was sworn in as the 15th County Executive of Baltimore County, making her the first woman to hold this position.

Political Experience

Klausmeier is a member of the Democratic Party. She represented Legislative District 8 in the Maryland State Senate, serving from January 8, 2003, until her resignation on January 7, 2025. At the time of her resignation, she was the longest-serving member of the Maryland Senate.

During her 22 years in the Senate, Klausmeier held several significant leadership positions:

• President Pro Tempore of the Maryland Senate , making her the second woman in Maryland history to hold this position
• Deputy Majority Leader
• Vice Chair of the Finance Committee , where she served as a member throughout her entire tenure
• Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Workers' Compensation Benefit and Insurance Oversight
• Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Unemployment Insurance Oversight
• Senate Chair of the Baltimore County Delegation

Notable Achievements

Klausmeier introduced school safety legislation following the Parkland high school shooting in 2018, requiring lockable doors in every Maryland classroom and mandating annual active threat drills in schools. This bill passed and became law.

She has been recognized for her advocacy on behalf of Baltimore County families and her efforts to improve communities and connect residents with services and resources. She has been named one of Maryland's Top 100 Women and received recognition from the Maryland Association of Counties, the Mental Health Association of Maryland, and the Maryland Retailers Association.