Biography of Senator Dianne Wilkerson

Introduction:
In November 2002 when the Democratic National Party Chair announced Boston as the site for the 2004 National Convention, the efforts of four Massachusetts politicians were highlighted: the two U.S. Senators for Massachusetts, the Mayor of Boston and State Senator Dianne Wilkerson who served on the DNC’s Host Committee.
Wilkerson is currently serving her seventh term in the Massachusetts Senate. Wilkerson gained a reputation early on for tackling the most difficult social, economic and political issues. She continues to defy expectations while accumulating one of the most prolific records of legislative and non-legislative accomplishments.

Background:
Senator Wilkerson holds a B.S. in Public Administration from American International College and a J.D. from Boston College Law School. In 1991, she became the first African American female to obtain a partnership in a major Boston law firm. In 1993, she was sworn in as the first African American female to serve in the Massachusetts Senate and is currently the highest-ranking Black elected official in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Wilkerson’s Senatorial District:
Wilkerson’s Senate District, which includes some of Boston’s wealthiest and poorest citizens, includes the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Chinatown, Jamaica Plain, Mission Hill, Roxbury, the South End, and parts of the Fenway, Dorchester, and Mattapan.
Massachusetts Senate Committee Memberships:
Wilkerson currently serves on the following legislative committees:

• Senate Chair, Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight
• Vice-Chair, Joint Committee on Financial Services
• Member, Senate Committee on Ways and Means
• Member, Joint Committee on Education
• Member, Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse
• Member, Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets

Legislative Appointments:

1. Commission to Eliminate Racial & Ethnic Healthcare Disparities, Co-Chair
2. Hynes Convention Center & Boston Common Parking Garage Legislative Commission, Co-Chair
3. Special Commission on Non-Group and Small Group Health Insurance, Co-Chair
4. Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board, Member
   

Legislative Accomplishments:
Fairness, equity and justice are the hallmark of her legislative and professional career. The following are just some of the highlights:

1. Health Care Disparities Council: Wilkerson created the first-in-the-nation disparities council through the 2006 Health Care reform legislation. This Council, which is mandated to make crucial health care and access recommendations regarding minority persons, is a continuation of the Legislative Commission to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Health Care Disparities, which the Senator Co-Chairs.
   
2. Domestic Partners: She was the sponsor of this legislation since 1992 and she stepped into the national spotlight in 2004 when she waged a fierce battle against the attempt to place discrimination in the Massachusetts Constitution. She supported the decision of the SJC in Goodrich v. Dept. of Public Health, which legalized gay marriage.
   
3. Emergency Contraception: Wilkerson was a vital force in the debate over this issue. As a result, emergency contraception has been required since 2005 to be available in every hospital without exception.
   
4. Anti-Gang Package: Co-sponsored by Wilkerson, this legislation is one of the most comprehensive gang and violence reduction pieces of legislation in the Country. The legislation adds tougher gun laws, provides for an $11 million grant program to reduce gang activity throughout the state and a new comprehensive witness protection program. This is a monumental step in the health and life of our youth.
   
5. Hurricane Katrina Aid: Working with the Governor and the Senate President, Wilkerson helped ensure assistance and aid in the amount of $25 million to help Hurricane Katrina evacuees that were located in the Commonwealth.
   
6. Witness Protection Program: Wilkerson was one of the strongest voices for funding a comprehensive witness protection program in Massachusetts. In 2006, Wilkerson’s advocacy doubled the original $750,000 to $1.5 million for a fully funded witness protection program.
   
7. Public Construction Reform: Wilkerson chaired a 25-Member Special Commission to investigate, study and make legislative recommendations on the adequacy and efficiency of laws and regulations governing public construction projects. The resulting legislation, which was passed unanimously in the House and Senate in 2004 represented the most comprehensive reform in 25 years to the public construction laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
   
8. Anti-Predatory Lending Law: The law prohibits mortgage lenders from engaging in deceptive and manipulative lending practices and provides safeguards to consumers from unscrupulous practices.
   
9. Insurance Redlining: Wilkerson established a mechanism to create an incentive for private market carriers to provide greater levels of coverage in under-served areas. By making Massachusetts the first state to require detailed disclosures of homeowner insurance policies by zip code, collected data can now be used to identify insurers who fail to increase their market share in under-served areas.
   
10. Community ReInvestment Act in Insurance: Wilkerson sponsored and secured passage of the first and only Community Reinvestment Act in the nation requiring insurance companies to perform targeted investments similar to requirements for banks.
    
11. Racial and Gender Profiling Data Collection Law: Wilkerson sponsored and secured passage of the most comprehensive Racial and Gender data collection (“Racial Profiling”) law in the nation.
    
12. Birth Control Pill Law: Wilkerson sponsored and secured passage of the law mandating insurance coverage of contraceptive and hormone replacement therapy for women employees by employers who offer health plans. The law also includes a requirement to cover hormone replacement therapy. At the time of passage, birth control pills were the only prescription drugs not automatically covered under employee insurance plans in Massachusetts.
    
13. Wrongful Conviction Compensation Law: Wilkerson was the Senate sponsor of the bill providing compensation to persons serving crimes for wrongful convictions, which became law in December 2004.
    
14. Viatical Agreement: Wilkerson fought for allowing the terminally ill to have the legal option to cash out their life insurance policies while living.
    
15. Sexual Orientation as Protected Class: She sponsored the bill adding sexual orientation to the list of protected classes for students in Massachusetts public schools.
    

Recent Budget Accomplishments:
Wilkerson has consistently supported health, social and cultural services throughout her district. During the 2005-2006 legislative session, she allocated funds in the FY06 budget, FY07 budget, FY06 Supplemental Budget and the Economic Stimulus Package of 2005-2006 for (not an exhaustive list):

• New England Medical Center
• Jewish Memorial Hospital
• Forsyth Dental Program
• Community Health Centers: South End, Dimock, Whittier Street, Mattapan, South Cove and Fenway
• Caribbean Carnival (as she does every year)
• the 54th Massachusetts Regiment
• Museum of Afro American History
• METCO
• Environmental Remediation
• CORI Reform
• Workforce Development
• Winter Jobs
• Cass and Kelly Rinks
  

Community Involvement:
As Wilkerson fights tirelessly in the Senate chamber for economic empowerment and social justice, she fights equally as hard for her community and for her constituents using non-legislative strategies. For example, as a co-convenor of the Coalition for Caring, Wilkerson has been a consistent force and leader in the effort to rehabilitate, house, clothe, feed and find jobs for the thousands of Katrina survivors who sought refuge in Massachusetts. In addition, she is the Convenor of the Annual 21st Century Black Massachusetts Conference, which was inspired by the national conference on the State of Black America with the purpose of creating a forum for thousands of Black residents from across the Commonwealth to discuss, plan and strategize their place and role as residents of Massachusetts in the 21st Century.

Community Appointments and Memberships:

1. 21st Century Black Massachusetts Conference, Convener
2. Action for Boston Community Development, Inc. (ABCD), Ex, Officio Member
3. Asian American Civic Association, Advisory Board Member
4. Boston State Hospital Citizens Advisory Committee, Ex-Officio Member
5. Caucus of Women Legislators, Member
6. Chinatown Trust Fund, Trustee
7. Chinese Progressive Association, Capital Campaign Committee Honorary Member
8. Coalition for Caring, Co-Convener
9. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Member
10. Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, Member
11. Fenway Community Health Center, Member of Board of Visitors
12. Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights under the Law, Steering Committee Member
13. Morning Star Baptist Church, Member
14. Northeastern University Community Task Force, Member
15. Roxbury Strategic Master Plan Oversight Committee, Member
16. Roxbury Trust Fund, Trustee
17. Trustees' Fellows Athenaeum Trust Fund Advisory Committee, Trustee

Awards:
In 2005 and 2006, she received honors, awards and certificates of appreciation from (not an exhaustive list):

1. Affordable Care Today Coalition
2. American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts
3. American Institute of Architects of Massachusetts
4. Boston Center for Community and Justice and Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Foundation
5. Boston Connects, Inc. Board of Directors
6. Boston Medical Pediatrics
7. Boston Renaissance Charter Public School
8. Economic Opportunity Hall of Fame
9. Holy Trinity Church of God in Christ
10. JP Regan Youth League
11. Masjid Al-Qur’an
12. Massachusetts Alliance for Adult Literacy
13. National Black Caucus of State Institute
14. Project Place
15. South Middlesex Branch NAACP
16. Suffolk County Caregiver Alliance
17. Vinfen, Inc.
18. Women of Courage
19. YWCA Malden Center for Women and Families
    

Media Coverage:
In addition to her many speaking engagements, she has presented at national meetings and appeared on local news affiliates of CBS, NBC and ABC News, Urban Update, New England Cable News, Crossfire, The Group and BET.