Obie Patterson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Obie Patterson
Member of the Maryland Senate from the 26th district
In office January 9, 2019 – January 11, 2023
Preceded by	C. Anthony Muse
Succeeded by	C. Anthony Muse
Constituency	Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County Council
In office December 6, 2010 – December 3, 2018
Succeeded by	Monique Anderson-Walker
Constituency	District 8
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 26th district
In office January 11, 1995 – January 10, 2007 Serving with C. Anthony Muse, David Mercado Valderrama, Kerry Hill, Darryl A. Kelley, and Veronica L. Turner
Preceded by	Christine M. Jones
Succeeded by	Kris Valderrama
Personal details
Born	(1938-03-07) March 7, 1938 (age 87) Lancaster, South Carolina, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Children	Three children; three grandchildren.
Education	Johnson C. Smith University (BS) University of Florida (MA)

Obie Patterson (born March 7, 1938) is an American politician. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He used to be a state senator for Maryland from the 26th district in Prince George's County. Before that, he served on the Prince George's County Council and in the Maryland House of Delegates.

Obie Patterson's Early Life and Education

Obie Patterson was born in Lancaster, South Carolina, on March 7, 1938. He went to Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. There, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 1965. Later, he studied at the University of Florida. In 1971, he received a Master of Arts degree in public administration. After finishing his studies, he worked in different roles for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Obie Patterson's Political Journey

Obie Patterson has had a long career in politics. He served in the Maryland House of Delegates from January 11, 1995, to January 10, 2007. During this time, he was the leader of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland from 2002 to 2004.

Serving on the County Council

In 2010, Patterson was chosen to be on the Prince George's County Council. He represented District 8. He served on the council until 2018.

Becoming a State Senator

Because of term limits, he could not run for re-election to the County Council. So, in 2018, he decided to run for the Maryland Senate. He won the election in November 2018 with a large number of votes. He officially became a state senator on January 9, 2019. Soon after, the President of the Maryland Senate, Thomas V. Miller Jr., made him the deputy majority whip. This meant he helped lead the Senate Democratic Caucus.

On April 6, 2022, Obie Patterson announced that he would not seek re-election to the Maryland Senate. His term ended on January 11, 2023.

What Obie Patterson Cared About

As a politician, Obie Patterson worked on many important issues.

Community Development

Patterson was against a plan by Governor Larry Hogan to build a football stadium in Oxon Hill. He believed that there needed to be much better transportation first. He thought it was important to plan for how people would get to and from the stadium.

Protecting the Environment

Patterson cared about the environment. In 2021, he supported the Climate Solutions Now Act. This law aimed to help fight climate change. He also introduced several bills to protect the environment.

• One bill would create rules for checking and cleaning up mold in buildings.
• Another bill wanted to make sure that new clean energy projects helped communities with lower incomes.
• He also suggested changing the Maryland State Constitution. This change would create a right for everyone to have a healthy environment.

Health Care Access

In 2006, Patterson voted for a law called the Fair Share Health Care Fund Act. This law would have required large companies, like Walmart, to pay more for their employees' health care.

In 2019, a bill about end-of-life care came up for a vote. This bill would have allowed seriously ill adults to choose certain medical options. Patterson chose not to vote on this bill. He said he had to vote his conscience and could not decide. The bill did not pass because of the tied vote. When the bill was brought up again in 2020, he said he would vote, but did not say how.

Policing and Justice

In 2021, Patterson introduced a bill about policing. This bill would allow police officers to arrest someone based on what witnesses said and video evidence. He also voted for a package of laws that aimed to reform how police operate.

Social Issues

Patterson supported several social issues.

• In 2001, he voted to pause the use of the death penalty in Maryland for two years.
• He also voted to add protections for gay and lesbian people to the state's anti-discrimination law.
• In 2021, he introduced a bill to rename Indian Head Highway after former President Barack Obama. This bill did not pass.
• He also proposed replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Obie Patterson's Election History

Obie Patterson has run in many elections. Here are some of the results from his past campaigns.