Thelma Harper (politician)
Encyclopedia
Thelma Harper is an American politician and a Democratic member of the Tennessee Senate
for the 19th district, which is composed of a large portion of Davidson County
including the urban core of Nashville.
. She is the secretary of the Senate Government Operations Committee and a member of the Senate State and Local Government Committee.
For eight years Thelma Harper served as a member of the Nashville/Davidson County Metropolitan Council
. She was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
in 1980, 1984, 1988, and 1992. She currently serves as a board member for the Nashville Downtown Partnership, an organization focused on the revitalization of downtown Nashville. She possesses a Bachelor of Science
degree in Business Administration/Accounting from Tennessee State University
.
whether the Tennessee state constitution
should be changed to say the right to an abortion
is not guaranteed, she replied that the issue should not be written into the state constitution. In 1996, Thelma Harper was one of only two state senators that did not vote in support of a bill to ban gay marriage in Tennessee, instead choosing to abstain. Thelma Harper proposed legislation that would rename U.S. Highway 41 as Rosa Parks Boulevard, which was later successfully passed in both the House and the Senate.
Tennessee Senate
The Tennessee Senate is the upper house of the Tennessee state legislature, which is known formally as the Tennessee General Assembly.The Tennessee Senate, according to the state constitution of 1870, is composed of 33 members, one-third the size of the Tennessee House of Representatives. Senators...
for the 19th district, which is composed of a large portion of Davidson County
Davidson County, Tennessee
Davidson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 626,681. Its county seat is Nashville.In 1963, the City of Nashville and the Davidson County government merged, so the county government is now known as the "Metropolitan Government of Nashville and...
including the urban core of Nashville.
Education and career
Thelma Harper has served as a state senator since the 96th Tennessee General AssemblyTennessee General Assembly
The Tennessee General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional structure:According to the Tennessee State Constitution of 1870, the General Assembly is a bicameral legislature and consists of a Senate of thirty-three members and a House of Representatives of...
. She is the secretary of the Senate Government Operations Committee and a member of the Senate State and Local Government Committee.
For eight years Thelma Harper served as a member of the Nashville/Davidson County Metropolitan Council
Metropolitan Council (Davidson County)
The Metropolitan Council is the legislative body of the consolidated city-county government of Nashville, Tennessee and Davidson County.The Council has 40 members, 35 of which are district council representatives, and five of which are council members at-large. If a member resigns or dies before...
. She was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
in 1980, 1984, 1988, and 1992. She currently serves as a board member for the Nashville Downtown Partnership, an organization focused on the revitalization of downtown Nashville. She possesses a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in Business Administration/Accounting from Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
.
Political views and proposals
In 2004, when asked by The TennesseanThe Tennessean
The Tennessean is the principal daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Its circulation area covers 39 counties in Middle Tennessee and eight counties in southern Kentucky....
whether the Tennessee state constitution
Tennessee State Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Tennessee defines the form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules of the U.S. State of Tennessee....
should be changed to say the right to an abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
is not guaranteed, she replied that the issue should not be written into the state constitution. In 1996, Thelma Harper was one of only two state senators that did not vote in support of a bill to ban gay marriage in Tennessee, instead choosing to abstain. Thelma Harper proposed legislation that would rename U.S. Highway 41 as Rosa Parks Boulevard, which was later successfully passed in both the House and the Senate.