MARYLAND MATTERS
MARCH 27, 2026
During Women’s History Month last year, Sen. Shelly Hettleman (D-Baltimore County) stood and paid homage to former Sen. Paula Hollinger as a trailblazer, especially when it came to women’s reproductive rights.
On Thursday, Hettleman stood again to share thoughts about Hollinger, but this time it was in her memory. Hollinger died Wednesday in Sarasota, Florida, after a short battle with leukemia. She was 85.
“I talked about Sen. Hollinger as somebody who was a role model and a mentor to me and very important to this body,” said Hettleman, who found her prepared remarks about Hollinger from March 6, 2025.
“She was very moved by it. There are so many people here who served with her. Staff who worked with her. Word got back to her in Florida and she was just so thrilled,” Hettleman said of that earlier speech.
“I know she was just so proud of her efforts here. Sending condolences to her family. I’m just sorry for her family’s and all of our loss,” she said.
Hollinger served in the General Assembly for nearly 30 years, first representing District 12 in the House of Delegates from 1979 until 1987, when she began her tenure in the Senate. She served in the Senate until 2007 representing the 11th District, the same as Hettleman.
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