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'{{Infobox State Senator | image = | name=Nina Turner | state_senate=Ohio | state=Ohio | district=25th | term_start=September 15, 2008 | preceded=[[Lance Mason]] | succeeded=Incumbent | birth_date={{birth date and age|1967|12|7}} | birth_place=[[Cleveland, Ohio]] | death_date= | death_place= | party=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] | spouse=Jeffery Turner | residence= [[Cleveland, Ohio]] | alma_mater=[[Cuyahoga Community College]], [[Cleveland State University]] | profession=Educator | religion=Christian |}} '''Nina Turner''' is an [[Ohio State Senate|Ohio State Senator]] representing the 25th District. The district encompasses the eastern side of [[Cuyahoga County, Ohio|Cuyahoga County]]. ==Career== Turner is a native of [[Cleveland, Ohio]]. She was born Nina Hudson to teenage parents on December 7, 1967, the first of seven children. Her father and mother had split up by the time she reached the age of five. At 14, she began working part-time jobs, giving “every dime” that she earned to her mother. She graduated from Cleveland’s [[John F. Kennedy High School]] in 1986. She did not continue her education immediately, instead taking a variety of jobs, including flipping burgers and working at a Payless shoe store. While at Payless, she met Jeffery Turner, the man who became her husband.<ref>{{cite news | first = Henry J. | last = Gomez | title = Nina Turner's future bright due to gutsy stand on Issue 6 | date = 2009-11-27 | url = http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/11/nina_turners_future_bright_due.html | work = [[The Plain Dealer]] | accessdate = 2011-04-01}}</ref> Subsequently, she returned to school, receiving an Associate of Arts degree from [[Cuyahoga Community College]], followed by a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts (1997) degree from [[Cleveland State University]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://oh.artsusa.capwiz.com/bio/id/797804 | title = Senator Nina Turner (D-Ohio) Biography | accessdate = 2011-04-01 | work = Ohio Citizens for the Arts}}</ref> Turner began her professional career as a legislative aide to then State Senator [[Rhine McLin]]. Senator Turner returned to her hometown to serve in the administration of Mayor [[Michael White]] where she was quickly promoted to Executive Assistant of Legislative Affairs. She later lobbied on behalf of Cleveland’s school children at the state and federal level as the Director of Government Affairs for the [[Cleveland Metropolitan School District]]. Turner first ran for the office of Cleveland City Council Representative for Ward One, a black, working-class section of the city, in 2001, but was defeated by the incumbent, Joe Jones. In November 2004, Jones was accused by the FBI of accepting bribes; in August 2005, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of attempting to defraud the public by hiding money, and resigned his City Council seat. His wife, Tonya Jones, was the top vote-getter in a September nine-way, non-partisan primary race to select a candidate to fill Jones’ vacant seat. In the November 2005 election, Nina Turner defeated Tonya Jones to become Ward One City Council Representative.<ref>[http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=42601 Turner wins council seat]</ref> ==Ohio Senate== In September 2008, Senator [[Lance Mason]] resigned his 25th District seat in the Ohio State Senate to accept an appointment to the [[Cuyahoga County]] Court of Common Pleas. Turner was unanimously selected by the Ohio Senate Democratic caucus to serve the remainder of Mason’s four-year Senate term, and resigned her City Council seat to accept the appointment on September 15, 2008. In the 128th General Assembly, Turner served as the Ranking Minority member on the Senate Highways & Transportation and Judiciary Criminal Justice Committees. Turner won a full term in 2010, running unopposed in the general election. For the 129th General Assembly, Turner is sitting on the committees of Highways and Transportation; Judiciary-Civil Justice; Judiciary-Criminal Justice (as ranking member); State and Local Government and Veteran's Affairs; and Ways and Means and Economic Development. She also serves on the State Council on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. ==Policies, positions and initiatives== Early in her first full term, Senate Republicans voted to reject an additional 14 appointments Strickland made in response to the Senate's rejections last month. The Senate rejected Strickland's appointments because Republicans felt Kasich should be able to fill those positions. Turner stated that "What the Senate did today was tell Ohioans they need not apply for public service if they are appointed by a governor affiliated with the wrong political party."<ref>[http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/01/estate_tax_repeal_among_18_bil.html Estate tax repeal among 18 bills Ohio House GOP introduces to advance agenda]</ref> With Governor [[John Kasich]] also not including any minorities in his cabinet, Turner has become vocal on the hazards it could cause to Ohio. "Through his actions and deeds, Gov. Kasich has declared that Ohio is open for business, but if you are African-American you need not apply. If you are Hispanic you need not apply. If you are Asian-Indian you need not apply. And, oh my God, I have a few women, but we don't need any more. So for women, you need not apply," she said.<ref>{{cite news | first = Reginald | last = Fields | title = Ohio Statehouse Democrats demand Gov. John Kasich embrace diversity, add minorities to his all-white cabinet | date = 2011-01-27 | url = http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/01/ohio_statehouse_democrats_dema.html | work = [[The Plain Dealer]] | accessdate = 2011-04-02}}</ref><ref>[http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/01/28/copy/blacks-ask-senate-to-reject-cabinet.html?adsec=politics&sid=101 Blacks ask Senate to reject Kasich's all-white cabinet]</ref> Turner has also been vocal about a piece of legislation which required students to learn the [[Constitution]], but not other documents related to [[civil rights]].<ref> {{cite news | title = Ohio Senate: Teach the Constitution | date = 2011-07-15 | url = http://cincinnati.com/blogs/politics/2011/07/14/ohio-senate-teach-the-constitution/ | work = [[Cincinnati Enquirer]] | accessdate = 2011-07-15}}</ref> Turner was greatly opposed to S.B. 5, which looked to restrict [[collective bargaining]] for public employees. While the bill passed the legislature, voters will be able to place a [[referendum]] as a ballot issue in the upcoming election.<ref>{{cite news | first = Jon | last = Craig | title = Ohio Legislature approves Senate Bill 5 | date = 2011-03-31 | url = http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20110330/NEWS0108/303300054/ | work = [[Cincinnati Enquirer]] | accessdate = 2011-04-01}}</ref> A member of the Legislative Black Caucus, Turner was vocal about a controversial initiative that would require a [[photo ID]] to cast a ballot, calling it a solution in search of a problem.<ref> {{cite news | first = Jim | last = Siegel | title = Photo-ID rule removed from elections bill | date = 2011-06-22 | url = http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/06/22/senate-gopadds-photo-id-voterule.html?sid=101 | work = [[Columbus Dispatch]] | accessdate = 2011-06-24}}</ref> [[Pro life]], Turner has come out against mandates that make it illegal to obtain an [[abortion]] in cases of rape or incest.<ref> {{cite news | first = Jim | last = Siegel | title = Bill to block late abortions sent to Kasich | date = 2011-07-14 | url = http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/07/14/bill-to-block-late-abortions-senttokasich.html?sid=101 | work = [[Columbus Dispatch]] | accessdate = 2011-07-15}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.ohiosenate.gov/nina-turner.html The Ohio Senate: Senator Nina Turner (D-Cleveland)] ''official site'' {{Members of the Ohio Senate}} {{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> | NAME =Turner, Nina | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =December 7, 1967 | PLACE OF BIRTH =Cleveland, Ohio | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Turner, Nina}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:African American politicians]] [[Category:Cleveland City Council members]] [[Category:Ohio Democrats]] [[Category:Ohio State Senators]] [[Category:Women state legislators in Ohio]] [[Category:1967 births]] [[Category:African American women in politics]]'