Rhoda Perry
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image =
| name = Rhoda Perry
| state_senate = Rhode Island
| district = 3rd
| term_start = January 1991
| term_end = December 2012
| preceded =
| succeeded =
| party = Democratic
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1943|7|16}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education = University of New Hampshire (BS)
Lesley University (MS)
| profession = Retired health care administrator; part-time teacher of English as a second language
| children = 2
| residence = Providence, Rhode Island|
}}
Rhoda Perry (born July 16, 1943) is an American politician who was formerly a Democratic member of the Rhode Island Senate, representing the 3rd District (Providence's East Side). Perry was the chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services and a member of the Senate Committee on Judiciary.
Legislation
Rhoda Perry was the first legislator in Rhode Island to attempt to change the prostitution law. In 2005 Senator Perry submitted a bill to change the prostitution law, but later withdrew her support for the bill stating, "I want to get at the source, not the poor woman who was being used in this way," [AP http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=456&sid=567818 Working Girls Can Work Indoors] After withdrawing her support for a prostitution law, Perry lobbied for and passed a Human Trafficking bill in 2007 [L. Arditi http://www.projo.com/news/content/HUMAN_TRAFFICKING_04-22-09_MNE45HP_v74.3940712.html Hundreds Rally to End Sex Trafficking in Rhode Island] and submitted another bill in 2009 to strengthen the previously passed law.[L. Arditti http://www.projo.com/news/content/PROSTITUTION_DIGEST24_06-24-09_08EQTKR_v9.396a73a.html Senate votes on bill against trafficking]
In the documentary Happy Endings?,{{IMDb title|qid=Q12124693|id=tt1455623}} Senator Perry explains how she changed her mentality on prostitution laws, wanting to address the source{{Clarify|date=June 2011}} and not the victims.
Perry was also integral in the creation of "Compassion Centers" in Rhode Island. The Medical Marijuana bill was sponsored by Senator Perry and named after her nephew Edward O Hawkins and Representative Slater who worked on the House to pass the bill.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/News/pr1.asp?prid=5769|title = State of Rhode Island General Assembly}}
Perry was the Senate legislative sponsor for Clean Elections Rhode Island, designed to make elections publicly funded. Introducing the act in spring of 2004, it has been brought before the House Finance and Senate Judiciary committees every year since, but has not yet been brought to a vote.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120309111731/http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Perry/Biography.html] official RI Senate website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perry, Rhoda}}
Category:Democratic Party Rhode Island state senators
Category:Women state legislators in Rhode Island
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:20th-century members of the Rhode Island General Assembly
Category:21st-century members of the Rhode Island General Assembly
Category:20th-century American women politicians
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