Cherylin Peniston
Cherylin Peniston | |
---|---|
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 35th district | |
Assumed office January 10, 2007[1] | |
Preceded by | Ann Ragsdale |
Personal details | |
Born |
Chicago, Illinois | March 3, 1948
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
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 Education 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]
2012 election
In the 2012 General Election, Representative Peniston faced Republican challenger Brian Vande Krol. Peniston was elected by a margin of 56% to 44%.[28][29]
References
- ↑ "House Journal - January 10, 2007" (pdf). Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Cherlyin Naylor Peniston - Colorado - State House District 35 candidate". RockyMountainNews.com. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Representative Cherylin Peniston". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
- 1 2 "State House District 35". COMaps. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
- 1 2 Bartels, Lynn (15 February 2008). "Judge lifts lobbyist gift ban". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
- ↑ Staff Reports (21 January 2008). "This week in the Legislature". Colorado Springs Gazettte. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
- ↑ Bartels, Lynn (20 August 2006). "Few Hispanics win in primaries". Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2008-01-03.
- ↑ Editorial board (12 October 2006). "Our choices for the Colorado House". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved 2008-01-03.
- ↑ Editorial Board (7 October 2006). "State House races". Denver Post. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
- ↑ "Brady Campaign Endorses Colorado Candidates" (Press release). Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. 18 October 2006. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
- ↑ "House Committees of Reference". Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
- ↑ Washington, April M. (1 March 2007). "Across-the-board school pay cuts fail in Senate committee". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved 2008-01-03.
- ↑ "Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission". Colorado Legislative Council. Retrieved 2008-04-27.
- ↑ "House Committees of Reference". Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
- ↑ Davidson, Michael (23 January 2008). "'No' vote from Bruce can't derail student campaign". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
- ↑ Davidson, Michael; Andy Wineke (19 March 2008). "Assembly glance". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
- ↑ Editorial Board (17 October 2008). "Post's picks in Colorado's House of Representatives". Denver Post. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
- ↑ "Colorado Statewide Cumulative Report - 2008 General Election". Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
- ↑ Brown, Jennifer (19 February 2008). "Spay, neuter mandate wins initial OK". Denver Post. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
- ↑ Staff Reports (29 January 2008). "Under The Dome this week". Denver Post. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
- ↑ ""Smart Start" Bill Gives Gifted Young Children a Chance to Begin School When Ready" (Press release). Colorado House Democrats. 11 April 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
- ↑ Harden, Mark (27 May 2008). "Bill creating school counselor corps signed". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved 2008-06-13.
- ↑ Staff Reports (27 December 2007). "Health, education top concerns". Westminster Window. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
- ↑ Caccarelli, Rachel (13 December 2007). "Lawmakers talk legislation, react to chamber objectives". Westminster Window. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
- ↑ "House Democrats Unveil 2009 Committee Chairs & Assignments" (Press release). Colorado House Democrats. 18 November 2008.
- ↑ Staff Reports (26 November 2008). "Rural Ambulance Woes Raise Talk of Statewide Fee Increase". Face the State. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
- ↑ Sealover, Ed (9 January 2009). "Bills already proposed cover cats, slow drivers". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved 2009-01-10.
- ↑ "CO - Election Results - Colorado Secretary of State".
- ↑ "State House 2012 Election Results - Denver Post".