Joanna McClinton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joanna McClinton
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McClinton in 2022
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| 143rd Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office February 28, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Mark Rozzi |
| Majority Leader of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives | |
| In office December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Kerry Benninghoff |
| Succeeded by | Matthew Bradford |
| Minority Leader of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives | |
| In office December 1, 2020 – December 1, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Frank Dermody |
| Succeeded by | Bryan Cutler |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 191st district |
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| Assumed office August 25, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Ronald G. Waters |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 19, 1982 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | La Salle University (BA) Villanova University (JD) |
| Website | |
Joanna E. McClinton (born August 19, 1982) is an American politician from Pennsylvania. She is currently the 141st Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She started this important role on February 28, 2023.
McClinton is a member of the Democratic Party. She is the first woman ever to serve as Speaker of the Pennsylvania House. Before becoming Speaker, she was the Majority Leader from December 2022 to February 2023. She also served as the Minority Leader from December 2020 to December 2022. She has represented the 191st district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since 2015. This district includes parts of Delaware County and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Education and Early Career
Joanna McClinton studied at La Salle University. She earned a college degree in Political Science there. Later, she went to Villanova University and earned her law degree.
While studying law, McClinton worked as an intern. She interned at the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. She also worked at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. After finishing law school, McClinton became a public defender. She worked for seven years helping people who could not afford a lawyer.
In 2013, McClinton became a chief legal advisor. She worked for State Senator Anthony Hardy Williams. McClinton also volunteers her time. She has been a board member for La Salle University's Alumni Association. She was also president of La Salle University's African American Alumni Association. For ten years, she volunteered as a youth minister. She also helped with the Hand of Compassion American Sign Language Ministry.
Political Career
McClinton began her political career in 2015. She won a special election for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She received 70% of the votes. She was re-elected in 2016.
McClinton focuses on several key areas. She supports improving education and creating more jobs. She also works to change the criminal justice system. For example, she has proposed ideas for universal pre-kindergarten. She also wants to make it easier for people to clear old records. As a public defender, she has a special interest in justice reform. She believes the state should pay for legal help for those who cannot afford it. She also works to connect people with job resources.
In 2018, she was chosen by her fellow Democrats. She became the Democratic Caucus Chair. She was the first woman and the first African-American to hold this position. In November 2020, she was elected as the House Democratic Leader. She then became Majority Leader in 2022.
Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
On February 28, 2023, McClinton was elected Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. This was a historic moment. She became the first woman to hold this powerful position. She is also the second Black person to be Speaker, after K. Leroy Irvis.
As Speaker, McClinton has helped pass important laws. One law makes breast cancer screenings free for Pennsylvanians. Governor Shapiro signed it into law in May 2023. She also helped pass several gun safety bills. These include a law about red flag laws. Another bill aims to expand background checks for gun sales.
Political Positions
Protecting Voting Rights
Joanna McClinton strongly supports protecting voting rights for everyone. In January 2022, she introduced a bill. It was called the K. Leroy Irvis Voting Rights Act. This bill was named after a former Speaker of the Pennsylvania House. The law aimed to make voting easier for people. It would allow same-day voter registration. It would also expand early voting options.
Honors and Awards
McClinton has received many awards for her community work. She has been recognized on the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania "Forty under 40" lists. In 2018, she appeared on FunTime magazine's "women of distinction" list. She also received the "Outstanding Lawyer of the Year" award in 2018. This award came from the Philadelphia Barrister Association.
