American politician

Rhoda Perry was a Democratic member of the Rhode Island Senate, representing the 3rd District (Providence's East Side). Perry was the chairwoman of Senate Committee on Health & Human Services and a member, Senate Committee on Judiciary.

Legislation

Rhoda Perry was the first legislator in Rhode Island to attempt to change the pros*ution law. In 2005 Senator Perry submitted a bill to change the pros*ution 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," After withdrawing her support for a pros*ution law, Perry lobbied for and p*ed a Human Trafficking bill in 2007 and submitted another bill in 2009 to strengthen the previously p*ed law.

In the do*entary Happy Endings?, Senator Perry explains how she changed her mentality on pros*ution laws, wanting to address the source and not the victims.

Perry was also integral in the creation of "Comp*ion Centers" in Rhode Island. The Medical * bill was sponsored by Senator Perry and named after her nephew Edward O Hawkins and Representative Slater who worked on the House to p* the bill.

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

External links

• official RI Senate website