George C. Edwards


George C. Edwards is a member of the Maryland Senate.

Background

Edwards was elected as the State Senator for Maryland District 1 in 2006, which covers Garrett County and parts of Washington and Allegany counties. He defeated Thomas Conlon, both of whom ran for the seat vacated by John J. Hafer who retired after 16 years in the State Senate.

Education

Edwards attended Northern High School in Accident, Maryland. He received his Bachelor of Science in business administration from Fairmont State College, cum laude in 1970. He later attended Frostburg State University to get his teacher's certificate.

Career

After college, Edwards was drafted by the Baltimore Colts. He served in the National Guard for six years. He has been active in Garrett County Economic Development Corporation and the Maryland Association of Counties.
Edwards was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1982 and served for 24 years before running and winning the State Senate seat. As a member of the House of Delegates, Edwards was the Minority Leader from 2003-07.
He is a member of the National Rifle Association, the Lions Club, the American Legion, and the Fraternal Order of Police.

Legislative Record

In 2016, legislation was introduced in the Maryland Senate that would require the disclosure of fracking chemicals during a liability suit involving harm or injury to persons from gas drilling and fracking operations. The bill also required higher insurance coverage for gas companies. Edwards introduced amendments that would reduce the liability insurance requirements and limit chemical disclosure. After several days of public outcry from his district, including letters and emails from more than 350 citizens and businesses, Edwards withdrew the amendments. The final bill passed out of the Senate.

Election results