Tarra Denelle Simmons (born 1977) is an American politician, lawyer, formerly incarcerated legislator, and civil rights activist for criminal justice reform.
Professional career
In 2011 Simmons was sentenced to 30 months in prison for theft, drug, and firearm crimes. In 2017, she graduated from Seattle University School of Law with honors. After law school, she was not allowed to sit for the Washington State bar exam due to her status as a former convicted felon, thus she challenged the Washington State Bar Association rules in the Washington State Supreme Court and won; the court unanimously ruled in her favor on the same day. She was later sworn in as an attorney in the State of Washington on June 16, 2018.
From 2015 to 2024, Simmons was the founding director of Civil Survival, a nonprofit focused on assisting the formerly incarcerated. She was fired from the organization on August 1, 2024, with the group's staff alleging that Simmons had mistreated the group's staff. Simmons is planning to sue the organization for wrongful termination.
Simmons has two children.
Political career
In 2020, Simmons was elected to the Washington House of Representatives for District 23-Position 1. Her victory is assumed to be the first legislative race to be won by a former prisoner in the nation. She was just elected to the state house in Washington. Currently, Simmons serves on the committees for Appropriations, Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry, Health Care and Wellness, and Rules. She also serves as the Vice Chair for the Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry Committee.
References
