Sarita Simmons Explained

Sarita Simmons
State Senate:	Mississippi
District:	13th
Term Start:	January 7, 2020
Alma Mater:	Alcorn State University
Predecessor:	Willie Lee Simmons
Birth Place:	Cleveland, Mississippi, U.S.
Birth Name:	Sarita Simmons
Birth Date:	14 May 1977
Party:	Democratic

Sarita Simmons (born May 14, 1977) is an American politician, serving in the Mississippi State Senate from the 13th district since 2020.^[1]

Early life and education

Simmons was born in Cleveland, Mississippi. Her father is Willie Lee Simmons, former Mississippi Senate member from the 13th district and current Central District Transportation Commissioner.^[2] Her mother was the Bolivar County Circuit Clerk, the first African American since Reconstruction to serve that post. Simmons attended Cleveland High School and graduated from Alcorn State University with a bachelor's in education and psychology.^[3]

Career

Simmons has worked as the general manager for the family-owned restaurant, The Senator's Place, which is located in Cleveland, Mississippi.^[4] When her father didn't file for re-election for the 13th district, she decided to run. The district encompasses parts of Bolivar, Sunflower, and Tallahatchie counties.^[5] She received 42.1% of the vote in the Democratic primary election and 65.1% in the general election; she assumed office on January 7, 2020.^[6]

In the Mississippi Senate, she serves as vice-chair for the Investigate State Offices Committee and is a member on the following committees: Agriculture; Appropriations; Corrections; Drug Policy; Environment Prot, Cons, and Water Res; Labor; Ports and Marine Resources; and State Library.

Political positions

Simmons, in partnership with Senator Walter Michel, authored a bill to allow wine sales in grocery stores; the bipartisan bill died in the Senate Finance Committee.^[7]

In coordination with several Delta Legislators, Simmons created a multi-step plan to address conditions at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Sunflower County, an infamous prison located in Simmon's 13th district.^{[8] [9] [10]} This came after lawmakers proposed additional cuts for funding to the Mississippi Department of Corrections.^[11]

She voted for changing the Mississippi state flag.^[12]

Personal life

She is a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, NAACP, National Council of Negro Women, and the Bolivar County Democratic Executive Committee. She is a Christian.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Sarita Simmons. October 12, 2020. Mississippi State Senate.
2. Web site: The Simmons Family – A Recipe for Success in Public Service Bolivar Bullet. 2020-10-12. en-US.
3. Web site: The Voter's Self Defense System. 2020-10-12. Vote Smart.
4. Web site: Your ballot explained. 2020-10-12. www.ballotready.org. en-US-br.
5. Web site: The MSJRC - State of Mississippi Senate Districts By County. 2020-10-12. www.msjrc.state.ms.us.
6. Web site: Sarita Simmons. 2020-10-12. Ballotpedia. en.
7. Web site: Wine sales in grocery stores dead. 2020-10-12. The Northside Sun. en.
8. Web site: Down. Locked. Lawmakers Refused to Increase an Infamous Prison's Funding. Then, Chaos Erupted.. 2020-10-12. ProPublica. en.
9. Web site: Zhu. Alissa. Parchman prison Unit 29 deemed unsafe. Where will 625 Mississippi inmates go?. 2020-10-12. The Clarion-Ledger. en-US.
10. Web site: Delta lawmakers present plan to address Parchman issues The Enterprise-Tocsin. 2020-10-12. www.enterprise-tocsin.com. en.
11. Web site: Richard. Brandon. Mississippi lawmakers propose cuts at Parchman, reject improvement plan. 2020-10-12. WLBT News. en-US.
12. Web site: Bologna. Giacomo. Here is how each lawmaker voted on the Mississippi state flag resolution. 2020-10-12. The Clarion-Ledger. en-US.