Delegate Luiz R. S. Simmons is an American politician who represents the 17th legislative district of the state of Maryland in the Maryland House of Delegates

Maryland House of Delegates

The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...

. The 17th district is located in Montgomery County and includes Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Gaithersburg is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The city had a population of 59,933 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest incorporated city in the state, behind Baltimore, Frederick, and Rockville...

, Rockville

Rockville, Maryland

Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...

 and Garrett Park

Garrett Park, Maryland

Garrett Park is a town in Montgomery County, Maryland. It was named for a former president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, but whether specifically for John Garrett or Robert W. Garrett is a matter of some disagreement between sources. The population was 917 at the 2000 census...

. Simmons was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates

Maryland House of Delegates

The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...

 as a Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 in 1975. After serving 4 years, Simmons ran for County Executive in Montgomery County but was defeated in 1982. Simmons was elected again to the House of Delegates, as a Democrat

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 in 2002.

Background

Born in Winchester, Virginia, January 27, 1949, Simmons attended Plainview High School, Plainview, New York, graduating in 1966. He then attended the American University

American University

American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...

, earning a B.A. (school of international service) in 1970 and then a J.D. from the Washington College of Law at American University, J.D. 1974. Simmons was admitted to Maryland Bar in 1975 and the District of Columbia Bar in 1975.

Recently, Simmons served as the attorney for state delegate, Kumar P. Barve

Kumar P. Barve

Kumar P. Barve is an American politician. He is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing district 17 in Montgomery County.-Legislative career:...

who plead guilty to alcohol related traffic charges.

In the legislature

Simmons was a member of House of Delegates from January 10, 1979 to January 12, 1983. He has now been a member since January 8, 2003. He currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the Legislative Policy Committee.

2009

• primary sponsor - Domestic Abuser Expungement Bill - would enable accused domestic abusers to expunge their court records. (HB1181)

2008

• primary sponsor -Possessing Stolen Property (HB282 Became Law - Chapter 394)
• primary sponsor -Preservation of Right to Jury or Judge Trial Act (HB577 Became Law - Chapter 665)
• primary sponsor -Safe Schools Reporting Act (HB1209 Became Law - Chapter 687)

2007

• voted in favor of in-state tuition for students who attended Maryland highschools for at least 2 years (HB6-2007)