Terrance Carroll facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Terrance Carroll
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Carroll in 2004
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| 54th Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives | |
| In office January 7, 2009 – January 12, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Andrew Romanoff |
| Succeeded by | Frank McNulty |
| Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 7th district |
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| In office January 8, 2003 – January 12, 2011 |
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| Succeeded by | Angela Williams |
| Personal details | |
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Terrance D. Carroll
January 16, 1969 Washington, D.C. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Occupation | Attorney, minister, politician |
Terrance D. Carroll, born on January 16, 1969, is an American lawyer and minister. He used to be a politician in Colorado. He made history as the first African American to be the Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives. Carroll was elected as a Democrat in 2002. He represented House District 7, which covers parts of Denver, Colorado.
About Terrance Carroll
Terrance Carroll grew up in Washington, D.C.. He was the only child of his mother. She was the daughter of a sharecropper, someone who farmed land for a share of the crops.
He went to Fork Union Military Academy and H. D. Woodson High School. Then, he graduated from Morehouse College in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After college, Carroll moved to Colorado. He wanted to study political science.
He first worked as a campus police officer. Later, he changed his studies to religion. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Iliff School of Theology in 1999. He also studied at the Harvard Divinity School in 2000. He is an ordained Baptist minister.
Carroll continued his education. He graduated from the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver in 2005. He earned a Juris Doctor degree, which means he became a lawyer.
While he was in law school, he was chosen to fill an open spot in the Colorado House of Representatives in 2003. He is also an Eagle Scout, which is the highest rank in the Boy Scouts. Today, Carroll works as an attorney for Sherman and Howard LLC. He also writes opinion articles for the Denver Post newspaper. He is a special guest lecturer at the University of Redlands in California.
Terrance Carroll's Time in Politics
Carroll represented District 7 in northeast Denver. He served as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He was also the Assistant Majority Leader.
In November 2008, he decided to run for Speaker. The person expected to win, Representative Bernie Buescher, lost his re-election. So, on November 8, 2008, Democrats in the Colorado House of Representatives chose Carroll as Speaker.
He was sworn in as the 54th Speaker of the House in January 2009. This happened at the start of the Colorado General Assembly. The Colorado constitution limits how long members can serve. They can only serve four two-year terms in a row. Carroll's term as Speaker ended in 2011.
Laws Terrance Carroll Helped Create
Carroll was known for supporting changes in education. In 2008, he and former Colorado Senate President Peter Groff sponsored a bill called SB130. This bill would let Colorado schools control their own budgets. It also gave them power to decide on hiring, what they teach, how long the school day is, and teacher pay.
He also supported bills to create new charter schools. These bills helped make sure high school graduation rates were calculated the same way everywhere. Carroll also worked on laws about homeland security. He helped with issues related to civil and criminal justice.
He also sponsored the bill that created the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway. This highway is on Colorado's Interstate 70. It honors the African American pilots who served during World War II.
