Cherylin Peniston

Cherylin Peniston
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 35th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 10, 2007[1]
Preceded by	Ann Ragsdale
Personal details
Born	March 3, 1948 (1948-03-03) (age 63) Chicago, Illinois
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	W.J.[2]
Profession	Teacher
Religion	Methodist[2]

Cherylin Naylor Peniston^[2] (born 3 March 1948^[3]) is a legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. A career public school teacher, Peniston was first elected as a Democrat in 2006 to the Colorado House of Representatives. She represents House District 35, which encompasses most of Westminster, Colorado and portions of Arvada.^[4]

Biography

Born in Chicago, Illinois,^[3] Peniston earned a bachelor's degree in education from the University of La Verne in 1970,^[2] and spent her career teaching social studies and foreign languages at Scott Carpenter Middle School in Adams County School District 50 from 1971 to 1999.^[3]

While teaching, she earned her master's degree in International Studies from the University of Denver in 1990, and won two Fulbright Scholarships to study abroad — for six weeks in Egypt in 1987 and for three weeks in Japan in 1997.^[2][5]

Between 1999 and 2003, Peniston was elected to two terms as president of the Westminster Education Association, the local union associated with the National Education Association.^[2] She was also a member of the District 50 Education Foundation, and was also a substitute teacher at Scott Carpenter Middle School from 2003 until 2006.^[3]

From 2005 to 2006, Peniston was Assistant Secretary of the Adams County Democratic Party,^[3] and was a member of the Adams County Democratic Latino PAC and the Colorado Democratic Latino Initiative.^[2] Peniston is married; she and her husband, W.J., have two children, Erin and Geoffry, and at least one grandchild.^[2][5]

Legislative career

Legislation sponsored in 2007 by Rep. Peniston 

Bills Introduced in 2007 by Rep. Peniston (for which Rep. Peniston is the primary originating sponsor)
BILL	TITLE	OUTCOME
HB07-1055	Concerning requirements applicable to the implementation of a reduction in educator salaries by a school district.	Postponed indefinitely in House committee
HB07-1119	Concerning an increase in the fee paid to a county clerk and recorder to act as authorized agent of the department of revenue.	Signed by Gov. Ritter
HB07-1201	Concerning the voluntary contribution designation benefiting the pet overpopulation fund that appears on the state individual income tax return forms [...]	Signed by Gov. Ritter
HB07-1244	Concerning the provision of educational programs to gifted students.	Signed by Gov. Ritter
HB07-1254	Concerning recodification of statutes for the Colorado State University system.	Signed by Gov. Ritter

2006 election

Spurred to run for elected office because of her experiences as a teacher and union leader,^[6] Peniston was elected to the state house in 2006, first winning the Democratic party primary over Jeff Vigil^[7] and then defeating Republican Ruben Pacheco by a 2:1 margin, winning a predominantly Democratic district^[4] in which Pacheco did not run an active campaign. Peniston was endorsed both by the Rocky Mountain News^[8] and the Denver Post,^[9] as well as by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.^[10]

2007 legislative session

In the 2007 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Peniston sat on the House Education Committee and the House Local Government Committee. ^[11] Peniston's only unsuccessful bill during the 2007 session was a measure to require that school districts which make budget cutbacks cut pay for administrators as well as teachers; it was killed in a Senate committee.^[12]

Following the legislative session, Peniston served on the legislature's Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission.^[13]

2008 legislative session

In the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Peniston sits on the House Education Committee and the House Local Government Committee. ^[14]

Peniston worked with elementary school students in Adams County to draft and sponsor a measure to name the Western painted turtle the Colorado state reptile.^[15] After passing the General Assembly, the bill was signed into law by Gov. Bill Ritter at the students' school.^[16]

2008 election

Peniston sought a second term in the legislature in 2008, facing Republican Tracy Gimer. Peniston's re-election bid was endorsed by the Denver Post,^[17] and she prevailed with 67 percent of the popular vote.^[18]

Peniston has also sponsored legislation to require that adopted pets be spayed or neutered,^[19] to allow gifted children to enter kindergarten or first grade at earlier ages,^[20][21] to create curricula for students in juvenile detention or residential treatment,^[22] and to allow residential projects as part of transit-oriented development in conjuncton with FasTracks.^[23][24]

2009 legislative session

For the 2009 legislative session, Peniston was named to chair the House Local Government Committee and to a seat on the House Edcuation Committee.^[25]

With Sen. John Morse, Peniston plans on introducing legislation to increase vehicle registration fees by $1 to pay for rural ambulance services.^[26] Peniston has also sponsored legislation to require tags or ID chips on many domestic cats.^[27]

References

1. ^ "House Journal - January 10, 2007" (pdf). Colorado General Assembly. http://www.leg.state.co.us/Clics/Clics2007A/csljournals.nsf/(jouhse)/C74DAE3008365363872572580079AA44/$FILE/Jn10.pdf. Retrieved 2007-12-08. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} "Cherlyin Naylor Peniston - Colorado - State House District 35 candidate". RockyMountainNews.com. http://cfapp2.rockymountainnews.com/election/profiles/c_profiles.cfm?oper=cand_profile&id=11972&qa=1. Retrieved 2008-01-02. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Representative Cherylin Peniston". Project Vote Smart. http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=66084. Retrieved 2007-12-02. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "State House District 35". COMaps. http://comaps.org/district35h.html. Retrieved 2008-12-02. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Bartels, Lynn (15 February 2008). "Judge lifts lobbyist gift ban". Rocky Mountain News. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/feb/15/citizen-legislator-february-15/?printer=1/. Retrieved 2008-04-23. 
6. ^ Staff Reports (21 January 2008). "This week in the Legislature". Colorado Springs Gazettte. http://www.gazette.com/articles/committee_32205___article.html/create_children.html. Retrieved 2008-04-23. 
7. ^ Bartels, Lynn (20 August 2006). "Few Hispanics win in primaries". Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on 2008-04-15. http://web.archive.org/web/20080415081543/http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_4929468,00.html. Retrieved 2008-01-03. 
8. ^ Editorial board (12 October 2006). "Our choices for the Colorado House". Rocky Mountain News. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2006/oct/12/our-choices-for-the-colorado-house/. Retrieved 2008-01-03. 
9. ^ Editorial Board (7 October 2006). "State House races". Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/dempsey/ci_4448954. Retrieved 2008-04-23. 
10. ^ "Brady Campaign Endorses Colorado Candidates" (Press release). Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. 18 October 2006. http://www.bradycampaign.org/media/release.php?release=809. Retrieved 2008-05-02. 
11. ^ "House Committees of Reference". Colorado General Assembly. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/directory.nsf/HouCommWp?OpenView. Retrieved 2007-12-11. 
12. ^ Washington, April M. (1 March 2007). "Across-the-board school pay cuts fail in Senate committee". Rocky Mountain News. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/mar/01/across-the-board-school-pay-cuts-fail-in-senate/. Retrieved 2008-01-03. 
13. ^ "Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission". Colorado Legislative Council. http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/lcsstaff/2007/comsched/07FPPAsched.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-27. ^{[dead link]}
14. ^ "House Committees of Reference". Colorado General Assembly. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2008a/directory.nsf/HouCommWp?OpenView. Retrieved 2008-01-19. 
15. ^ Davidson, Michael (23 January 2008). "'No' vote from Bruce can't derail student campaign". Colorado Springs Gazette. http://www.gazette.com/articles/state_32276___article.html/colorado_students.html. Retrieved 2008-01-23. 
16. ^ Davidson, Michael; Andy Wineke (19 March 2008). "Assembly glance". Colorado Springs Gazette. http://www.gazette.com/articles/seat_34375___article.html/appointments_assembly.html. Retrieved 2008-03-22. 
17. ^ Editorial Board (17 October 2008). "Post's picks in Colorado's House of Representatives". Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_10741559. Retrieved 2008-11-01. 
18. ^ "Colorado Statewide Cumulative Report - 2008 General Election". Colorado Secretary of State. http://coreports.ezvotetally.com/Reserved.ReportViewerWebControl.axd?ReportSession=jexpso55dlbays450fyzrmb4&ControlID=3a1b317069f040849b2b689d78addfc9&Culture=1033&UICulture=1033&ReportStack=1&OpType=ReportArea&Controller=dnn_ctr376_ViewRS2005_ReportViewer1&PageNumber=1&ZoomMode=Percent&ZoomPct=100&ReloadDocMap=true&SearchStartPage=0&LinkTarget=_top. Retrieved 2008-12-04. 
19. ^ Brown, Jennifer (19 February 2008). "Spay, neuter mandate wins initial OK". Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_8299025. Retrieved 2008-02-23. 
20. ^ Staff Reports (29 January 2008). "Under The Dome this week". Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/ci_8104302. Retrieved 2008-04-23. 
21. ^ ""Smart Start" Bill Gives Gifted Young Children a Chance to Begin School When Ready" (Press release). Colorado House Democrats. 11 April 2008. http://cohousedems.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/04/smart-start-bil.html. Retrieved 2008-04-23. 
22. ^ Harden, Mark (27 May 2008). "Bill creating school counselor corps signed". Denver Business Journal. http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/05/26/daily9.html. Retrieved 2008-06-13. 
23. ^ Staff Reports (27 December 2007). "Health, education top concerns". Westminster Window. http://www.cherylinpeniston.com/page0009.html. Retrieved 2008-05-02. 
24. ^ Caccarelli, Rachel (13 December 2007). "Lawmakers talk legislation, react to chamber objectives". Westminster Window. http://www.cherylinpeniston.com/page0010.html. Retrieved 2008-05-02. 
25. ^ "House Democrats Unveil 2009 Committee Chairs & Assignments" (Press release). Colorado House Democrats. 18 November 2008. http://cohousedems.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/11/house-democrats-unveil-2009-committee-chairs-assignments.html. 
26. ^ Staff Reports (26 November 2008). "Rural Ambulance Woes Raise Talk of Statewide Fee Increase". Face the State. http://facethestate.com/articles/12358-rural-ambulance-woes-raise-talk-statewide-fee-increase. Retrieved 2008-11-28. 
27. ^ Sealover, Ed (9 January 2009). "Bills already proposed cover cats, slow drivers". Rocky Mountain News. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/09/bills-already-proposed-cover-cats-slow-drivers/. Retrieved 2009-01-10. 

External links

• Colorado General Assembly profile

Persondata
Name	Peniston, Cherylin
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1948-03-03
Place of birth	Chicago, Illinois
Date of death
Place of death