Steve Southerland (born March 8, 1955) is a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

member of the

Tennessee Senate The Tennessee Senate is the upper house of the U.S. state of Tennessee's state legislature, which is known formally as the Tennessee General Assembly. The Tennessee Senate has the power to pass resolutions concerning essentially any issue rega ...

representing the 1st district, which encompasses Cocke County, Greene County, Hamblen County, and part of Sevier County.Senate biography
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Biography

Early life

Steve Southerland was born on March 8, 1955. He attended

Walters State Community College Walters State Community College (abbreviated as WSCC, and commonly known as Walters State) is a public community college based in Morristown, Tennessee. It was founded in 1970 and is operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. The college was ...

. He became a

mortgage broker A mortgage broker acts as an intermediary who brokers mortgage loans on behalf of individuals or businesses. Traditionally, banks and other lending institutions have sold their own products. As markets for mortgages have become more competitive, ...

Career

He was elected to the 103rd - 110th General Assemblies. He is Vice-Chair of the Senate Commerce, Labor and Agriculture Committee. He serves as a member of the Senate Transportation Committee, the Senate Environment, Conservation and Tourism Committee, the Senate Ethics Committee, and the Joint Fiscal Review Committee. He is currently the Senate Deputy Speaker, Republican Caucus Chaplain, and he has been appointed to the Financial Services Standing Committee of the National Conference on State Legislatures. In a March 2004 interview with ''

The Tennessean ''The Tennessean'' (known until 1972 as ''The Nashville Tennessean'') is a daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee. Its circulation area covers 39 counties in Middle Tennessee and eight counties in southern Kentucky. It is owned by Gannett, ...

'', Steve Southerland stated that he is against

abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pre ...

and he does not believe that

civil union A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, created primarily as a means to provide recognition in law for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage ...

s and domestic partnerships should be allowed in Tennessee. He is a member of the Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club and the National Rifle Association. He attends a Baptist church.

Personal life

He is married to Cheri Southerland, and they have two daughters, Mattea and Mara. He is not related to former U. S. Representative Steve Southerland.

References

Republican Party Tennessee state senators Living people 1955 births 21st-century American politicians Walters State Community College alumni {{tennessee-politician-stub