Randolph Bracy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Randolph Bracy
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the Florida Senate from the 11th district |
|
| In office November 8, 2016 – November 8, 2022 |
|
| Preceded by | Geraldine Thompson (redistricting) |
| Succeeded by | Geraldine Thompson (redistricting) |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 45th district |
|
| In office November 6, 2012 – November 8, 2016 |
|
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Kamia Brown |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Randolph Bracy III
April 23, 1977 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | College of William and Mary (BS) University of Central Florida (MBA, MS) |
Randolph Bracy III, born on April 23, 1977, is an American politician. He served in the Florida Senate, representing parts of central Florida. He was the first African American to lead the Criminal Justice Committee. While in the Senate, Bracy worked to make Juneteenth a state holiday. Before joining the Senate, he was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2012 to 2016.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Randolph Bracy was born in Jacksonville. His parents, Randolph Bracy, Jr. and LaVon Wright Bracy, founded the New Covenant Baptist Church in Orlando.
He studied Psychology at the College of William & Mary. There, he was a star player on the basketball team. Later, he earned two master's degrees from the University of Central Florida. He received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Master of Science (MS) in sports administration.
Career in Public Service
Before he was elected to office, Bracy worked as a director. He helped with business development at Workforce Advantage Academy. This was a charter school located in Orange County.
Serving in the Florida House
In 2012, new districts were created for the Florida House of Representatives. Bracy decided to run for the new 45th district. This area included cities like Apopka, Ocoee, and Winter Garden. Many people from minority groups live in this district.
He won the Democratic primary election. The Orlando Sentinel newspaper supported Bracy. They liked his experience in building partnerships with businesses. Bracy then won the general election by a large margin. He took his seat in the Florida House of Representatives that same year. In 2014, he was re-elected without anyone running against him.
Moving to the Florida Senate
In 2016, Bracy decided to run for the Florida Senate. He aimed for the 11th district seat. The previous senator, Geraldine Thompson, chose to run for a different office. Bracy won the Democratic primary against several opponents. He then won the general election.
Running for U.S. Congress
On May 25, 2021, Bracy announced he would run for the U.S. House of Representatives. He sought to represent Florida's 10th congressional district in the 2022 election. He finished second in the Democratic primary. Maxwell Frost won that election.
Key Political Ideas
Randolph Bracy has worked on several important issues.
Gun Control
In the Florida Senate, Bracy has always supported laws to control guns. He wants to stop the sale of assault weapons. He also supports banning large-capacity magazines. In both 2021 and 2022, he helped propose bills to ban assault weapons.
COVID-19 Response
In April 2020, Bracy asked state leaders to hold a special meeting. He wanted them to increase unemployment benefits for people. This request was not approved. Leaders noted that federal aid was already helping people.
In 2021, Bracy became vice-chair of a Senate committee. This committee focused on preparing for and responding to pandemics. He introduced a bill to increase state unemployment benefits. He wanted to raise the maximum weekly amount and extend how long people could receive it.
Police Reform
In June 2020, Bracy wrote an article for the Orlando Sentinel. He argued that the state legislature needed to change police practices. This was after the murder of George Floyd. Bracy asked for a special meeting to discuss police brutality. He wanted to address bias against African-Americans.
His ideas for police reform included:
- Having outside groups investigate police shootings.
- Increasing pay for jury members.
- Making sure juries have diverse members.
- Requiring officers to train on "implicit bias" and how to calm situations.
- Publishing yearly data on racial differences in policing.
- Including a civilian on police investigation teams.
In 2021, Bracy sponsored bills about police conduct. One bill (SB 730) would make it a serious crime for officers to use chokeholds. Another bill (SB454) would require police to report traffic stop data. This data would include the race and ethnicity of those stopped. He also proposed bills (SB452 and 482) for body cameras and a statewide police misconduct record.
Race and Discrimination
In October 2019, Bracy introduced a bill (SB 566). It aimed to add "protected hairstyle" to civil rights laws. This would stop discrimination based on natural hairstyles. The "CROWN Act" would protect people in jobs and schools.
In June 2020, Bracy began working to make Juneteenth a state holiday. Juneteenth marks the day enslaved people in Texas learned they were free. This news came after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Solar Energy
Bracy voted for a bill about solar energy. This bill was supported by Florida Power & Light (FPL). It would change how people with rooftop solar panels get credit for extra energy. This change could affect the growth of solar energy in the state.
Images for kids
-
Randolph Bracy
