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A Timeline of Women in State Legislatures
1848
The first petition for women to vote is signed in Seneca Falls, New York
Carrie C. Holly
1894
Frances Klock, Clara Cressingham and Carrie C. Holly become the first women elected as state representatives in Colorado
1896
Martha Hughes Cannon becomes the first women elected as a state senator in Utah
1920
Congress passes the 20th Amendment, giving women the right to vote
1936
All states in the nation have elected a woman to serve in the state legislature, when Louisiana elects Doris Lindsey Holland Rhodes to serve in the state Senate
1933
Minnie Davenport Craig becomes the first woman to become Speaker of the House in the North Dakota House of Representatives
1938
Crystal Byrd Faucet becomes the first black woman elected to a state legislature in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
2008
The New Hampshire State Senate becomes the first state legislative body to have more women than men serving
2009
Across the nation, 1,788 women legislators are serving in 50 states, comprising 24.2% of all legislators
In the wake of the financial recession, state legislators began taking constructive policy actions towards relieving the future pangs of financial instability. Utah enacted a required high school financial literacy course, which began with the graduating class of 2008.
In Alaska, oil and natural gas provide the backbone of our economy. We are blessed with proven resources and continued potential for fossil fuel development. But Alaska is also uniquely situated to be a world leader in the development of cleaner, greener renewable and alternative energies.
As traffic congestion worsens each year, state legislatures from across the country are looking at innovative ways to mitigate congestion, improve air quality, save energy and improve quality of life within local communities. State legislators play an integral role as a stakeholder in their state’s transportation planning. It is important that legislators work with all stakeholders, from the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to federal representatives, to ensure a plan that is comprehensive and coordinated among all involved.
Women In Government State Directors Rep. Kim Meltzer and Sen. Martha G. Scott hosted a State Briefing in Michigan on February 25. This briefing featured Karen Steinberg from the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) and continued the efforts from the 2009 Adult Learning Summit.
Mary Brooks Beatty, President of Women In Government, represented the United States at the Women Against Cervical Cancer (WACC) Third International Forum. The forum was held February 17-18, 2010 in Monaco. WACC represents 31 women’s organizations from 22 nations across the world.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that the North Carolina Community Care Networks (NC-CCN) was selected to expand Patient Centered Medical Homes. The Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is a comprehensive approach to primary care for patients and coordinated care throughout the system. Centered on primary care, it reduces costs and improves quality. The PCMH encourages the use of primary and preventative care for patients which moves away from the current model of acute episodic care.
