Lida E. Harkins
Encyclopedia
Lida E. Harkins is a Massachusetts retired politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
from 1989-2011.
to Paul and Lida McMahon. Her father worked as an executive at General Motors
, while her mother worked as an executive assistant for several high-tech firms and for the Middlesex County Sheriff’s office. She attended Marian High School
in Framingham, MA. She graduated from Regis College
in 1966 with a degree in Education and in 1987, went on to Boston College
’s Graduate Studies Program: Women in Politics and Government. Harkins was the first graduate of Boston College
's Women in Politics and Government program to be elected to the Massachusetts General Court. She has lived in Needham
for 35 years, and has three children and nine grandchildren.
Harkins serves in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
as the Representative from the 13th Norfolk District. This district comprises the towns Needham
, Dover
and Medfield
. Harkins was first elected in 1989, and has been the House Majority Whip since 2001. Her priorities include public education, improving health care access, and generating economic development.
Harkins was appointed House Majority Whip by former Speaker of the House Thomas Finneran
in 2001. Before her appointment, she served as the Assistant Majority Whip and the House Chairman of the Joint Committee on Education Arts and Humanities. Harkins has also served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, the House Chairman of the Joint Committee on Housing and Urban Development, Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Commerce and Labor, Co-Chairman of the bi-partisan Women’s Caucus and as a member of the Committee on Ways and Means, and Public Safety. She has also chaired the Special Education Study Commission created in the 1997 state budget and the Special Commission that reformed and restructured the School Building Assistance Program.
, the House Chair of Public Health.
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
from 1989-2011.
Early life
Harkins was born in Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
to Paul and Lida McMahon. Her father worked as an executive at General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, while her mother worked as an executive assistant for several high-tech firms and for the Middlesex County Sheriff’s office. She attended Marian High School
Marian High School (Framingham, Massachusetts)
Marian High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Framingham, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, and has been run independent of the Diocese since 2004...
in Framingham, MA. She graduated from Regis College
Regis College
Regis College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts and sciences college located in Weston, Massachusetts. Founded as a women’s college in 1927, Regis became co-educational in 2007.-History:...
in 1966 with a degree in Education and in 1987, went on to Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
’s Graduate Studies Program: Women in Politics and Government. Harkins was the first graduate of Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
's Women in Politics and Government program to be elected to the Massachusetts General Court. She has lived in Needham
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
for 35 years, and has three children and nine grandchildren.
Political career
Prior to being elected to the Legislature, Harkins served six years on the Needham School Committee and directed a collaborative vocational training program for 13 towns in the Metrowest area. She is also a former elementary school teacher.Harkins serves in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
as the Representative from the 13th Norfolk District. This district comprises the towns Needham
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, Dover
Dover, Massachusetts
Dover is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,589 at the 2010 census.Located about southwest of downtown Boston, Dover is a residential town nestled on the south banks of the Charles River. Almost all of the residential zoning requires or larger...
and Medfield
Medfield, Massachusetts
Medfield is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,024 according to the 2010 Census. Medfield is an affluent community about 17 miles southwest of Boston....
. Harkins was first elected in 1989, and has been the House Majority Whip since 2001. Her priorities include public education, improving health care access, and generating economic development.
Harkins was appointed House Majority Whip by former Speaker of the House Thomas Finneran
Thomas Finneran
Thomas M. Finneran , is a radio talk host and former Massachusetts Democratic politician who served as Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from April 1996 to September 2004...
in 2001. Before her appointment, she served as the Assistant Majority Whip and the House Chairman of the Joint Committee on Education Arts and Humanities. Harkins has also served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, the House Chairman of the Joint Committee on Housing and Urban Development, Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Commerce and Labor, Co-Chairman of the bi-partisan Women’s Caucus and as a member of the Committee on Ways and Means, and Public Safety. She has also chaired the Special Education Study Commission created in the 1997 state budget and the Special Commission that reformed and restructured the School Building Assistance Program.
Other activities
Harkins currently chairs the Needham Democratic Town Committee, as well as being a board member of the Charles River Association for Retarded Citizens. She also hosts the Needham community access program, Citizen's Roll Call, a series where Massachusetts officials join her to discuss issues of the day. Previous guests this year have included Congressman Stephen F. Lynch and Representative Peter KoutoujianPeter Koutoujian
Peter J. Koutoujian is an American politician who is the current Sheriff of Middlesex County, Massachusetts and a former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives....
, the House Chair of Public Health.