Senfronia Thompson

Infobox State Representative


imagesize = 150px
name=Senfronia Thompson


state_house=Texas
state=Texas
district=141st
term=1972
preceded=
succeeded=Incumbent
party=Democratic
date of birth=birth date and age|1939|1|1
place of birth=Booth, Texas
date of death=
place of death=
residence=Houston, Texas
spouse=
profession=attorney, educator
religion=
alma_mater=Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M, University of Houston|

Senfronia Calpernia Thompson is a well known civil rights leader and Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 141st District since 1972.

Thompson is the dean of women legislators in Texas. [ [http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist141/anchia.htm Texas House of Representatives - Senfronia Thompson] ] She has been elected to 17 terms in office. Thompson also advises the United Negro College Fund in Texas.

Thompson is also a declared candidate for Texas' Speaker of the House, and if elected, will become the very first African American, and the first female, ever to hold the post. The seat is currently being held by Rep. Tom Craddick. [ [http://www.senfroniaforspeaker.com/ Senfronia Thompson For Speaker Of The House] ]

Biography

Texas native Senfronia Thompson was born in Booth, Texas, and raised in Houston. She represents Northeast Houston and Humble.Dean of women legislators, Rep. Thompson has served longer in the Legislature than any other woman or African-American in Texas history. A Houston attorney, Ms. Thompson is currently serving her 17th term in the Texas House of Representatives.Rep. Thompson currently chairs the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and the Women's Health Caucus. She is also a member of the Democratic National Committee, a state director of Women in Government, and a member of the Energy Council. She serves on the House Committees on Insurance and Juvenile Justice and Family Issues. For 12 years, she chaired the House Judicial Affairs Committees. In 1987, she chaired the first standing committee in the Legislature to have a female majority.

Rep. Thompson has authored and passed more than 200 Texas laws, including Texas´ first alimony law, the James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Act, laws prohibiting racial profiling, the state minimum wage, the Durable Power of Attorney Act, the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, the Sexual Assault Program Fund, the Model School Records Flagging Act, the Uniform Child Custody & Jurisdiction Enforcement Act, contraceptive parity, and scores of other reforms benefiting women, children and the elderly. Rep. Thompson pushed through major reforms in child support enforcement, simplified probate proceedings, and complete overhauls of statutes dealing with statutory county courts and municipal courts. In 2005, she passed legislation requiring free testing for the human papilloma virus (HPV), an early indicator of cervical cancer, for women who have health insurance.

Among many other honors, in 2005, Rep. Thompson was presented with the Matt Garcia Award by the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus; PinkDome.com named her one of the Top 2 House members. In 2001, Rep. Thompson was one of Texas Monthly's "Top 10 Legislators"; AP named her one of 6 lawmakers "Who Rocked the Legislature." In 2003, she was selected one of the Top 5 House members by Gallery Watch; Nation magazine named her one of 8 legislators in the country "who could teach Congressional Democrats." She was selected as an Eleanor Roosevelt Fellow by the Center for Policy Alternatives and named one of the Top 3 legislators in family law four sessions in a row. She is the only recipient of the Legislative Black Caucus´ Rosa Parks Award.

Rep. Thompson has been in the forefront of every campaign against discrimination for the last four decades. Ms. Thompson has among the highest ranks of any legislator for her voting record on issues of concern to women, minorities, labor, consumers, reform advocates, domestic violence victims, the elderly, teachers and civil libertarians.

A former public school teacher, Ms. Thompson firmly believes in the value of public education; she has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Texas Southern University, a Master's degree in Education, a law degree, and a Masters of Law in international law. For many years, she has served on the advisory board of the United Negro College Fund. Ms. Thompson has two adult children and one grandson. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

References

External links

* [http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist141/anchia.htm Texas House of Representatives - Senfronia Thompson] official TX House website
* [http://www.senfroniaforspeaker.com/ Senfronia Thompson For Speaker Of The House] official campaign website
* [http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=8012 Project Vote Smart - Representative Senfronia Thompson (TX)] profile
*"Follow the Money" - Senfronia Thompson
** [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=81223 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=64072 2004] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=6447 2002] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=52646 2000] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=52331 1998] campaign contributions