Raised by a single mother, Barnes grew up in Prince George's County in Maryland, and graduated from Eleanor Roosevelt High School in 1993 before enrolling at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he got his B.A. in economics and political science in 1998. Barnes began working in politics straight after graduation, first at People for the American Way, a progressive advocacy group, where he worked on issues such as civil rights and first amendment protections. While continuing his work at People for the American Way, Barnes was also elected as the National Committeeman for the Young Democrats of Maryland and, later, the Vice Chair of the Prince George's County Democratic Central Committee. At this point, Barnes left People for the American Way to accept a position as a political and legislative advisor to Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., later earning a promotion to Deputy Legislative Director. During his time with Miller, Barnes took night classes at the University of Baltimore School of Law, graduating with a J.D. in 2003. Barnes was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 2004, and clerked for Judge James J. Lombardi in the Prince George's County Circuit Court, 7th Judicial Circuit before assuming his current position as an attorney at the Law Office of Hall Butler MacCleay and Maloney in Bowie, Maryland. Barnes was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2006, representing the 21st District, which includes Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties.
In the legislature
Barnes was formerly a member of the House Judiciary Committee and its civil law subcommittee, the House Economic Matters Committee, and the Special task force on Alcohol and Substance Abuse. He is currently the Chief Deputy Majority Whip in the House of Delegates, a member of the Appropriations Committee, Chair of the Oversight Committee on Pensions, and Vice-Chair of the Education and Economic Development Subcommittee.
Primary sponsor for Maryland House Bill #1055 that would permit Gay Marriage in the State of Maryland
Primary sponsor for legislation removing guns from domestic abusers
Primary sponsor of Legislation giving judges the authority to order domestic abusers to wear GPS units alerting victims and police if the abusers comes around the victim
Immigration
Barnes, along with his fellow District 21 Delegates, voted for in-state tuition for illegal immigrants in 2007.
