Roy Herron

Roy Herron is a Tennessean politician and a member of the Tennessee Senate for the 24th district, which encompasses Benton, Decatur, Henry, Henderson, Lake, Obion, Perry, Stewart, and Weakley counties.

He was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1986 to fill Governor Ned McWherter's seat. He served in the House in the 95th through 99th Tennessee General Assemblies and has served in the Senate since the 100th General Assembly. He is floor leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus and the chair of the Select Committee on Children and Youth. He is also a member of the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee, the Senate General Welfare, Health and Human Resources Committee, the Senate Government Operations Committee, the Joint Tenncare Oversight Committee, the Joint Select Committee on Education, and the Joint Committee on Charitable Gaming.

Roy Herron graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1975, and from Vanderbilt University in 1980, with a M.Div. and a J.D. In 1975 and 1976 he was a Rotory Scholar in Scotland at the University of St. Andrews. He works as an attorney, a businessman, and as adjunct faculty at Vanderbilt University. He is a former United Methodist minister and the author of the books "Things Held Dear: Soul Stories for My Sons" (Westminster John Knox Press, 1999), "Tennessee Political Humor: Some of These Jokes You Voted For" (University of Tennessee Press, 2000, with L. H. "Cotton" Ivy), and "How Can A Christian Be In Politics?" Tyndale House, (2005).

Roy Herron has introduced legislation that would ban smoking in public buildings, and he supports expanding the ban on smoking in state-owned and operated buildings already in place. [ [http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061213/NEWS07/612130408/1024/NEWS "Survey shows strong support for workplace smoking ban". Lucas L. Johnson II. "Associated Press". "The Tennesseean". December 13, 2006.] ]

Roy Herron is also the co-chair of FaithfulDemocrats.com, an online community for Democrats of Christian faith.

References

External links

* [http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/senate/members/s24.htm Roy Herron's profile at the Tennessee General Assembly website]
* [http://www.royherron.com/ The website of Roy Herron]
* [http://royherron.blogspot.com/ The blog of Roy Herron]