Sharon Stewart-Peregoy facts for kids

Sharon Stewart-Peregoy was born on June 3, 1953. She is an American politician from Montana. She was a member of the Democratic Party. She served in the Montana House of Representatives and the Montana Senate.

Stewart-Peregoy was first elected to the Montana House of Representatives in 2017. Before that, she served in the Montana Senate from 2009 to 2017. In the Senate, she represented District 21, which included Crow Agency, Montana. She was also part of the Senate's American Indian Caucus.

She studied at Montana State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education. She later received a Master of Education degree from City University at Seattle. Sharon Stewart-Peregoy is very active in supporting the Crow language and culture. She works to help them thrive.

In 2009, Stewart-Peregoy became a teacher at Little Big Horn College. She taught Crow Studies. In 2021, she helped plan a new cultural museum. She strongly supported using more of the Crow language in this project.

Sharon Stewart-Peregoy's Political Work

When Sharon Stewart-Peregoy was sworn into the legislature, she chose to speak in the Crow language. This was special because the legislature usually only uses English. She joined the American Indian Caucus, a group of lawmakers. At that time, there were nine members in this caucus, including her.

Key Issues in the Legislature

In the legislature, Stewart-Peregoy focused on important topics. She worked on issues like the high number of missing Indigenous peoples in Montana. She also addressed domestic violence rates affecting Indigenous communities. Her goal was to bring attention to these serious problems.

Committee Assignments

Lawmakers work in groups called committees. These groups study specific topics and propose new laws. Sharon Stewart-Peregoy served on several committees during her time in the Senate and House.

Senate Committees

• 2009: Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation; Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs; Energy and Telecommunications.
• 2011: Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation (she was the Vice Chair); Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs; Education and Cultural Resources.
• 2013: Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation; Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs; Education and Cultural Resources; Ethics.
• 2015: Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation; Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs; Education and Cultural Resources.

House Committees

• 2017: Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation; Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs; Education and Cultural Resources.
• 2019: Business and Labor (she was the Vice Chair); Rules; Energy, Telecommunications, and Federal Relations; Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.
• 2021: Appropriations; House Rules; General Government.

Early Life and Career

Before entering politics, Sharon Stewart-Peregoy worked in education. She taught kindergarten and elementary school children. Later, she became a research and development specialist for her tribe.