Senfronia Thompson

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Senfronia Thompson
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 141st district
In office
1972
Personal details
Born (1939-01-01) January 1, 1939
Booth, Texas
Political party Democratic
Residence Houston, Texas
Alma mater Texas Southern University, University of Houston
Profession attorney, educator

Senfronia Calpernia Thompson (born January 1, 1939) 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 former Dean of Women Legislators in Texas.[1] She has been elected to 20 terms in office. Thompson also advises the United Negro College Fund in Texas.

Biography

Thompson was born in Booth, Texas. Her family moved to Houston, where she was raised.

She holds multiple advanced college degrees. A Bachelor of Science in biology and a Master's degree in education from Texas Southern University; a Juris Doctorate from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law; and a post-law degree, Master of Law in International Law from the University of Houston. Thompson has two adult children, one grandson, one granddaughter and one great-granddaughter. [2]

She represents HD141, which covers the Northeast Houston and Humble area. Dean of women legislators, Thompson has served longer in the state legislature than any other African-American woman in Texas history. A Houston attorney, Thompson is serving her 20th term in the Texas House of Representatives.

Thompson has chaired both 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 Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence, State Sovereignty, Licensing and Administrative Procedures, and chairs the Local and Consent Calendar procedural committee. For 12 years, she chaired the state's House Judicial Affairs Committees. In 1987, she chaired the first standing committee in the Legislature to have a female majority.

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. 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.

Legacy and honors

  • 2005, Matt Garcia Award from the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus;
  • PinkDome.com named her one of the Top 2 House members.
  • 2001, named by Texas Monthly as one of the "Top 10 Legislators";
  • AP named her one of six lawmakers "Who Rocked the Legislature."
  • 2003, selected as one of the Top Five House members by Gallery Watch;
  • Nation magazine named her one of 8 legislators in the country "who could teach Congressional Democrats."
  • Selected as an Eleanor Roosevelt Fellow by the Center for Policy Alternatives.
  • Named one of the Top Three legislators in family law four sessions in a row.
  • Only recipient of the Legislative Black Caucus´ Rosa Parks Award.

Thompson has been a civil rights advocate for the last four decades. Her voting record demonstrates her strong support for issues of concern to women, minorities, labor, consumers, reform advocates, domestic violence victims, the elderly, teachers and civil libertarians.

A former public school teacher, Thompson is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

References

  1. ↑ Texas House of Representatives - Senfronia Thompson
  2. ↑ Senfronia Thompson. Biography Texas House of Representatives. 2013. Retrieved July 1, 2013

External links


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