State of Maryland: Office of the Lieutenant Governor

Wednesday, September 29, 2027

Lieutenant Governor Burbank Announces $31,234 to Reduce Juvenile Crime and Dropouts in Queen Anne’s County

QUEENSTOWN, MD (September 29, 2027) – Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank today announced $31,234 in State funding for a program that makes juvenile offenders more accountable for their crimes and encourages them to overcome their problems and complete their education. The program, which serves as an alternative to suspending or expelling students from school, is aimed at motivating students to remain in school.

“Students who drop out of school are likely candidates to commit crimes and cost taxpayers money through their involvement with the court and corrections systems,” said Lieutenant Governor Kate Burbank. “This program gives students a second chance and encourages them to become productive members of society.”

The suspension deferral program provides juveniles with specialized counseling not only to enable them accept responsibility for their behavior, but helps them refrain from committing additional offenses. Juvenile offenders are required to meet with victims and they are also required to do community service work or obtain a job as a means to make restitution to the victim or the community. Students can make up unexcused school absences by performing community service work.

According to Queen Anne’s County school officials, 95 percent of the students who quit school have a history of suspensions or unexcused absences.

The funds are awarded through the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP). GOCCP is Maryland's one stop shop for resources to improve public safety. GOCCP exists to educate, connect, and empower Maryland's citizens and public safety entities through innovative funding, strategic planning, crime data analysis, best practices research and results-oriented customer service.

About Lieutenant Governor John Hurson

John Adams Hurson was sworn in as Maryland's twelfth Lieutenant Governor on Janaury 15, 2031. Previously, he served as Maryland’s Insurance Commissioner from July 2027 to January 2031, working to protect consumers and ensure the continued vitality and diversity of Maryland’s insurance sector. Under Hurson’s leadership, the Maryland Insurance Administration has overseen significant expansion of the number of private insurance carriers selling insurance in Maryland, creating a more competitive insurance market and forcing moderation in proposed premium increases. Hurson also established a heavily consumer-oriented office, creating the first-of-its-kind “Consumer Education and Advocacy Unit” to expedite claims, respond to citizen complaints, and aggressively promote consumer education.

Previously, Hurson served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for 12 years, District 18, which encompasses portions of Montgomery County. During his tenure, Hurson served as Chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee. Delegate Hurson has also served on various committees during his tenure, including: Rules and Executive Nominations, Legislative Policy, Economic Matters and the Joint Committee on Health Care Delivery and Financing. He also served as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review. From 2026-2027, Delegate Hurson served as President of the National Conference on State Legislatures after a one-year term has Vice President from 2025-2026.

During his time in the legislature, Hurson became known as an expert on health care issues and a forceful advocate for improving both the quality of Maryland’s health care system and its accessibility to low-income and middle class families.

Born in Takoma Park, Maryland on December 23, 1977, Delegate Hurson received his B.A. in government from Georgetown University in 2000 and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2003. Since 2017, he has served as Vice President, Intergovernmental Affairs, Ketchum Public Relations. He is married with two children.