Mildred Barry Hughes (February 11, 1902 – January 11, 1995) was an American
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
politician who served in the
New Jersey General Assembly and became the first woman elected to the
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...
in 1965.
Politics
She was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly, as a Democrat, in 1957, 1959, 1961, and 1963. She became assistant majority leader in 1960 and 1961. When she won her Senate seat in 1965, she was the first Democrat from
Union County, New Jersey, to be elected to the Senate in 75 years. She died on January 11, 1995, in
Cranford, New Jersey.
She was known for sponsoring the following laws and acts:
* revision of the state's Food and Drug Act
* state's first "Good Samaritan" act to protect from lawsuits those who aided accident victims
* control billboards
* to aid nursing schools
* to assist mental health organizations
* a uniform Drinking Age of 21
Personal life
She was born as Mildred Barry in
, and married Peter L. Hughes II (1902–1971) and had three children: Peter L. Hughes III, W. Barry Hughes, and David J. Hughes.
References
External links
Rutgers: Mildred Barry Hughes
1902 births
1995 deaths
Democratic Party New Jersey state senators
Politicians from Elizabeth, New Jersey
People from Union Township, Union County, New Jersey
Women state legislators in New Jersey
Democratic Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly
20th-century American politicians
20th-century American women politicians
{{NewJersey-politician-stub