Tarra Simmons
Tarra Simmons
Member of the Washington House of Representatives
from the 23rd district
Assumed office
January 11, 2021
Serving with Greg Nance
Preceded bySherry Appleton
Personal details
Born
Tarra Denelle Simmons

1977 (age 46–47)
Olympia, Washington, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Children2
Residence(s)Bremerton, Washington, U.S.
EducationOlympic College (AA)
Pacific Lutheran University (BS)
Seattle University (JD)
Known forBeing formerly incarcerated and winning Washington Supreme Court case to sit on the Washington State Bar Association exam

Tarra Denelle Simmons[1] (born 1977)[2] is an American politician, lawyer, formerly incarcerated legislator, and civil rights activist for criminal justice reform.[3]

Professional career

In 2011 Simmons was sentenced to 30 months in prison for theft, drug, and firearm crimes.[4] In 2017, she graduated from Seattle University School of Law with honors. After law school, she was not allowed to sit for the Washington State bar exam due to her status as a former convicted felon, thus she challenged the Washington State Bar Association rules in the Washington State Supreme Court and won; the court unanimously ruled in her favor on the same day. She was later sworn in as an attorney in the State of Washington on June 16, 2018.[5]

Simmons is the founding director for a nonprofit focused on assisting those that are formerly incarcerated. She has two children.[6]

Political career

In 2020, Simmons was elected to the Washington House of Representatives for District 23-Position 1.[7] Her victory is assumed to be the first legislative race to be won by a former prisoner in the nation. She was just elected to the state house in Washington.[8] Currently, Simmons serves on the committees for Appropriations, Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry, Health Care and Wellness, and Rules. She also serves as the Vice Chair for the Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry Committee.[9]

In January of 2024, Simmons proposed HB 2177 that would appoint a "representative with lived experience with incarceration for a sex offense" to the Sex Offender Policy Board of Washington State. This would place a sex offender on the board that helps to shape state policies having to do with sex offenders. This sex offender appointee would sit on the board along with victims of sex offenders and victim advocates.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Supreme Court rules law student who turned life around can take bar exam". King5. 2017-11-17. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  2. ^ "Legislative Manual 2021-2022" (PDF). Washington State Legislature.
  3. ^ "Tarra Simmons for State Representative". Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  4. ^ Jenkins, Austin. "Vindicated By Supreme Court, Lawyer With Criminal Past Now Finds She's Campaign Fodder". www.nwnewsnetwork.org. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  5. ^ "In Bar Application of Simmons (Majority)". Justia Law. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  6. ^ Free, Cathy. "She is a former addict and prisoner. She was just elected to the state house in Washington". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  7. ^ "Tarra Simmons". Ballotpedia. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  8. ^ "She is a former addict and prisoner. She was just elected to the state house in Washington". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  9. ^ "Representatives". leg.wa.gov. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
  10. ^ Rantz, Jason (2024-01-22). "Rantz: Democrats change name 'sex offender' to protect rapists' feelings". MyNorthwest.com. Retrieved 2024-01-22.
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