Ruth M. Kirk (February 2, 1930 – June 17, 2011)[1] was an American politician who represented the 44th legislative district in the Maryland House of Delegates.[2] She was elected 7 times and served a total of 28 years representing west and west central Baltimore.
Born Ruth Simmons in Baltimore, Delegate Kirk was the fifth of eight children. She attended Baltimore City public schools through the ninth grade and later received a GED. Prior to being elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, Kirk held jobs as a house cleaner and in early childhood education. In 1970, Kirk took a job at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Baltimore, Maryland), working as a teacher's aide.[3]
In the Legislature
Kirk was first elected in 1982 and sworn in as a member of the House of Delegates on January 12, 1983. She was appointed to the Constitutional and Administrative Law Committee and served on it until its elimination in 1990. She was then appointed to the Economic Matters Committee where she served until 2011. There, she served on its deathcare industry work group; workers' compensation subcommittee, 1995–2003; real estate & housing subcommittee, 1999–2003; business regulation subcommittee, 2003–11; property & casualty insurance subcommittee, 2003–06). During her career in the legislature, Kirk also served as a member of the Tort and Insurance Reform Oversight Committee, 1993; the House Facilities Committee, 1993–2011; the Joint Committee on Federal Relations, 1999–2004; the Protocol Committee, 2007–11, the Liaison Work Group of the Baltimore City Delegation, the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland (formerly Maryland Black Caucus), 1983-2011 (member, nominating committee, 2000–11, redistricting committee, 2000–11; past chair, budget committee; past treasurer), the Women Legislators of Maryland, 1983-2011 (president, 1994); the Maryland Veterans Caucus, 2006–11, and the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.
Outside of the legislature, she was a member of the National Order of Women Legislators and the Southern Legislative Conference (economic development, transportation & cultural affairs committee, 2005–11; fiscal affairs & government operations committee, 2005–11).[4]
Delegates McCoy, Kirk, Anderson and Cummings during a floor session in the Maryland House in February 1984.
Legislative notes
voted for the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007 (HB359)[5]
Governor Larry Hogan at the Ruth Kirk Community Centre in August 2022
She died in 2011. Her son, Art Kirk, created a recreation center in her honor called the Ruth M. Kirk Recreation and Learning Center and Community Garden.[11]
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