Bobby Powell (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bobby Powell
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the Palm Beach County Commission from the 7th district |
|
| Assumed office November 19, 2024 |
|
| Preceded by | Mack Bernard |
| Member of the Florida Senate from the district |
|
| In office November 8, 2016 – November 4, 2024 |
|
| Preceded by | Redistricted |
| Succeeded by | Mack Bernard |
| Constituency | 30th district (2016–2022) 24th district (2022–2024) |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 88th district |
|
| In office November 6, 2012 – November 8, 2016 |
|
| Preceded by | Redistricted |
| Succeeded by | Al Jacquet |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 7, 1981 Riviera Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Florida A&M University (BS) Florida State University (MUP) |
Bobby Powell, born on September 7, 1981, is a politician from the Democratic Party. He is currently a member of the Palm Beach County Commission. Before this, he served in the Florida Senate from 2016 to 2024. He also spent two terms in the Florida House of Representatives from 2012 to 2016.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Bobby Powell was born in Riviera Beach, Florida. He went to Florida A&M University and earned a degree in public relations. Later, he studied at Florida State University, where he received a Master of Science degree in planning.
Career Before Politics
After finishing his education, Powell worked as a city planner for West Palm Beach starting in 2007. In 2009, he became a legislative aide for State Representative Mack Bernard. This job helped him learn a lot about how laws are made.
Serving in the Florida House of Representatives
In 2012, the legislative districts in Florida were redrawn. This meant new areas for politicians to represent. Bobby Powell decided to run for a seat in the new 88th District. The previous representative, Mack Bernard, chose to run for the Florida Senate instead.
Election to the House
Powell ran in the Democratic primary election. He was supported by The Palm Beach Post newspaper. They praised his "good record of community service" and how well he knew the district. Powell won the primary election with 51% of the votes. He then ran unopposed in the general election and became a State Representative.
Key Goals in the House
When he started in the Florida House in 2013, Powell had three main goals. He wanted to let local governments stop people from carrying hidden weapons at certain events. He also wanted to extend state-funded "health flex plans" for five more years. Another important goal was to make it harder for children to be tried as adults for crimes.
Powell also supported raising the state's minimum wage. He even joined other lawmakers in living on the minimum wage for a week. This was to show support for a bill that would have raised the wage to $10.10 an hour.
Serving in the Florida Senate
In 2016, Bobby Powell ran for the Florida Senate. A new open seat was created in West Palm Beach after districts were redrawn again. He won the Democratic primary election with 67% of the votes. In the general election, he defeated his opponent, Ron Berman, with 54% of the votes.
Focus on Justice Reform
As a State Senator, Powell focused a lot on making changes to the criminal justice system. He continued to work on preventing some children from being tried as adults. He also supported a "Ban The Box" bill, which helps people with past criminal records find jobs. Another one of his goals was to allow certain prisoners to have contact with their newborn children.
Powell served in the Florida Senate until November 2024. He then resigned from his Senate seat to run for the Palm Beach County Commission. He was successfully elected to the Commission.
