William M. Straus (born June 26, 1956 in
East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange is a City (New Jersey), city in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 69,612. The city was List of municipalities in ...
) is a member of the
Massachusetts House of Representatives. He represents the 10th Bristol District comprising the towns of Fairhaven; New Bedford: Ward 3: Precinct A, Ward 4: Precincts D, E; Marion; Mattapoisett; and Rochester.
Education and early career
Representative Straus received his B.A. degree from
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...
in 1978 and his J.D. degree from the
Georgetown University Law Center in 1982. He received a Masters in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. From 1978 to 1981 he worked for former U.S. Senator
John Culver (D-Iowa). From 1982 to 1988 he was an Assistant District Attorney in
Bristol County, Massachusetts
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in S ...
. He later served as a member of the Massachusetts Hazardous Waste Facilities Site Safety Council and the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission.
State representative
Representative Straus currently serves as the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Transportation. In the 2009-2010 legislative term Representative Straus serves as the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Environment and Agriculture. During the 2005-2006 term of the Massachusetts Legislature he was a member of the Joint Committees on the Environment, Consumer Protection and Bonding-Capital Expenditures. In prior sessions of the Legislature he has served as Vice Chairman of the Transportation Committee and as Chairman of the Committee on Election Laws.
Straus has been very involved in the
South Coast Rail project through his work on the Joint Committee on Transportation. He has also filed legislation to make public the MBTA pension system finances. Representative Straus also vote in favor of the 2011 law that authorized casino gambling in Massachusetts.
See also
*
2019–2020 Massachusetts legislature
The 191st Massachusetts General Court was the meeting of the legislative branch of the state government of Massachusetts, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It convened in Boston at the Massachusetts State House, on Januar ...
*
2021–2022 Massachusetts legislature
The 192nd Massachusetts General Court is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the state government of Massachusetts. It consists of elected members of the Senate and House of Representatives. It first convened in Boston at the Massachu ...
References
External links
William Straus' Campaign Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strauss, William M.
Massachusetts lawyers
Democratic Party members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Middlebury College alumni
Georgetown University Law Center alumni
Harvard Kennedy School alumni
People from Mattapoisett, Massachusetts
1956 births
Living people
21st-century American legislators
Politicians from East Orange, New Jersey
21st-century Massachusetts politicians