{{short description|American politician}} {{Independent sources|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Marla Brown |state_house= Pennsylvania |district=9th |term_start = January 3, 2023 |term_end = |predecessor = Chris Sainato |successor = |birth_date={{birth year and age|1970}} |birth_place=Edinburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. |death_date= |death_place= |party=Republican |spouse = Greg Brown |children=3 |education =Gannon University (BA)<br>Geneva College (MS) |alma_mater=Mohawk High School |website=[https://www.repmarlabrown.com/ www.repmarlabrown.com] }}
'''Marla A. Gallo Brown'''<ref>{{cite web |title=2022 General Election Tuesday, November 8, 2022 Official Returns LAWRENCE |url=https://www.electionreturns.pa.gov/General/CountyResults?countyName=LAWRENCE&ElectionID=94&ElectionType=G&IsActive=1 |website=electionreturns.pa.gov |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of State |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref> (born 1970) is an American politician who currently represents the 9th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since 2023. She is a member of the Republican Party.
==Early life and education== Brown was born in 1970, the eldest of four siblings,<ref name=mb /> in Edinburg, Pennsylvania.<ref name=ncn>{{cite news |url-access=subscription |last1=Vercilla |first1=Nicholas |title=Sainato, Brown set the record straight on mailer accusations |url=https://www.ncnewsonline.com/news/local_news/sainato-brown-set-the-record-straight-on-mailer-accusations/article_37fe36f4-56f4-11ed-b5c7-8b00574af15b.html |access-date=4 September 2023 |work=New Castle News |date=October 31, 2022}}</ref> She is of Italian ancestry.<ref name=mb>{{cite web |title=About Marla Brown |url=https://mbrownforpa.com/about-marla-brown-1 |website=Marla Brown for PA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111211022/https://mbrownforpa.com/about-marla-brown-1 |archive-date=November 11, 2022 |access-date=8 January 2023}}</ref> She graduated from Mohawk High School in 1988.<ref name=mb /><ref name=legis>{{cite web |title=Representative Marla Brown |url=https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/House_bio.cfm?id=1938 |website=Pennsylvania House of Representatives |publisher=Pennsylvania General Assembly |access-date=8 January 2023}}</ref> She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gannon University in 1992 and a Master of Science from Geneva College in 2000.<ref name=legis />
==Career== Brown worked for UPS for 15 years,<ref name=ncn /> including working in London as the company's director of sales and marketing for the United Kingdom and Ireland.<ref name=ncn /><ref>{{cite news |url-access=subscription |title=Local woman to seek state representative seat |url=https://www.ncnewsonline.com/news/local_news/local-woman-to-seek-state-representative-seat/article_037a500a-7303-11ec-b9a9-57a0cfa51455.html |access-date=6 September 2023 |work=New Castle News |date=February 19, 2023}}</ref> She later ran a medical spa in Georgia for nine years.<ref name=ncn />
In 2022, Brown won a three-way Republican primary election to challenge incumbent Democratic Pennsylvania State Representative from the 9th District Chris Sainato.<ref name=wesa>{{cite news |last1=Previti |first1=Emily |title=Pennsylvania State House 9th District: A guide to the 2022 general election and candidates |url=https://www.wesa.fm/wesa-voter-guide/pennsylvania-state-house-9th-district-a-guide-to-the-2022-general-election-and-candidates |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=90.5 WESA |date=October 3, 2022}}</ref> She defeated Sainato in the general election.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jan |author1-link=Jan Murphy |title=Pa. Democrats claim they took control of the state House; GOP says not so fast |url=https://www.pennlive.com/news/2022/11/pa-democrats-claim-they-took-control-of-the-state-house-gop-says-not-so-fast.html |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=PennLIVE Patriot-News |publisher=Advance Local Media LLC |date=November 9, 2022}}</ref>
==Political positions==
===Abortion=== Brown opposes the right to an abortion. From 2015 to 2018, she was CEO of Pregnancy Aid Clinic,<ref name=wesa /> an Atlanta-based Catholic anti-abortion organization.<ref name=wesa /><ref>{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.pregnancyaidclinic.com/our-mission.html |website=Pregnancy Aid Clinic |access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref>
===Criminal justice=== Following a spate of local false school shooting reports in 2023,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Coller |first1=Patty |title=New Castle High School threat prompts felony bill |url=https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/new-castle-news/new-castle-high-school-threat-prompts-felony-bill/ |access-date=6 September 2023 |work=WKBN-TV |publisher=Nexstar Media Inc. |date=August 22, 2023}}</ref> Brown introduced a bill to elevate making a false emergency call to elicit a police response, otherwise known as swatting, from a misdemeanor offense to a felony.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pennsylvania lawmaker wants tougher penalties for swatting calls targeting schools |url=https://www.wgal.com/article/pennsylvania-lawmaker-wants-tougher-penalties-for-swatting-calls-targeting-schools/44893860 |access-date=4 September 2023 |work=WGAL-TV |publisher=Hearst Television Inc. |date=August 23, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Valente |first1=Mike |title=With students heading back to classroom, Pennsylvania lawmaker talks anti-swatting b |url=https://www.wtae.com/article/pennsylvania-anti-swatting-bill/44883336# |access-date=4 September 2023 |work=WTAE-TV |publisher=Hearst Television Inc. |date=August 23, 2023}}</ref>
Brown supports decreasing the state parole board vote for clemency from unanimous approval to a simple majority.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Marla |title=Column by Rep. Marla Brown: Legislator's responsibilities are to understand its constituents. That must include our prison population |url=https://www.ncnewsonline.com/opinion/columns/column-by-rep-marla-brown-legislators-responsibilities-are-to-understand-its-constituents-that-must-include/article_94c2d1e0-409d-11ee-ba29-172d0c366f5d.html |access-date=4 September 2023 |work=New Castle News |date=August 25, 2023| url-access=subscription}}</ref>
===Election reform=== In April 2023, Brown introduced a bill that would create open primary elections in Pennsylvania.<ref>{{cite web |title=HOUSE BILL No.976 Session of 2023 |url=https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2023&sessInd=0&billBody=H&billTyp=B&billNbr=0976&pn=0997 |website=Pennsylvania General Assembly |access-date=31 August 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Stockburger |first1=George |title=Pennsylvania lawmaker introduces open primaries bill |url=https://www.abc27.com/pennsylvania-politics/pennsylvania-lawmaker-introduces-open-primaries-bill/ |access-date=28 March 2023 |work=abc27 WHTM |date=March 6, 2023}}</ref> She has argued against closed primary elections, saying that they are unfair to independent votes who cannot participate in elections funded by their tax dollars. In an op-ed with State Representative Jared Solomon, Brown also argued that primary election should be open because of the large number of veterans, young people, and minorities who are registered as independents.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Solomon |first1=Jared |last2=Brown |first2=Marla |author1-link=Jared Solomon (Pennsylvania politician) |title=Opinion: A million reasons to open up primaries in Pennsylvania |url=https://www.cityandstatepa.com/policy/2023/07/opinion-million-reasons-open-primaries-pennsylvania/388366/ |access-date=31 August 2023 |work=City & State Pennsylvania |date=July 11, 2023}}</ref>
Brown has called monetary campaign fundraising a "necessary evil of the [election] process," which is nonetheless beneficial because it demonstrates whether a candidate is capable of successfully spreading their message.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Huangpu |first1=Kate |title=The Pennsylvania legislature is getting a major infusion of new blood this January |url=https://www.wesa.fm/politics-government/2023-01-01/the-pennsylvania-legislature-is-getting-a-major-infusion-of-new-blood-this-january |access-date=31 August 2023 |work=90.5 WESA |agency=Spotlight PA |date=January 1, 2023}}</ref>
===Legislative perks=== During her 2022 campaign, Brown signed a pledge to refuse state per diems, state pension, or taxpayer-funded car. Brown also pledge to only serve eight years in the state legislature.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vercilla |first1=Nicholas |title=District 9 preview: Brown wants to be an advocate for District 9 |url=https://www.ncnewsonline.com/news/local_news/district-9-preview-brown-wants-to-be-an-advocate-for-district-9/article_bca09f8a-465c-11ed-bcfe-ebc7ca8304df.html |access-date=4 September 2023 |work=New Castle News |date=October 15, 2022 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
===Minimum wage=== Brown voted against a bill to incrementally raise Pennsylvania's minimum to fifteen dollars an hour by 2026.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scicchitano |first1=Eric |title=Eye on the Capitol: How Bernstine, Brown, Brooks, Vogel voted last week |url=https://www.ncnewsonline.com/news/local_news/eye-on-the-capitol-how-bernstine-brown-brooks-vogel-voted-last-week/article_498e64e4-143f-11ee-bd05-6339de6ab7e4.html |access-date=6 September 2023 |url-access=subscription |work=New Castle News |date=June 27, 2023}}</ref>
==Personal life== Brown lives in New Castle, Pennsylvania with her husband Greg Brown. She has three children.<ref name=legis /><ref>{{cite web |title=About Marla |url=https://www.repmarlabrown.com/about |website=PA State Rep. Marla Brown |access-date=8 January 2023}}</ref>
==Electoral history== {{Election box begin no change |title=2022 Pennsylvania House of Representatives Republican primary election, District 9<ref>{{cite web |title=Summary Results Report 2022 PRIMARY May 17, 2022 OFFICIAL RESULTS Lawrence |url=https://lawrencecountypa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/official-results-election-day-summaryPRIMARY2022.pdf |website=Lawrence County, Pennsylvania |access-date=8 January 2023 |page=36 |date=June 7, 2022 |archive-date=June 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620150655/https://lawrencecountypa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/official-results-election-day-summaryPRIMARY2022.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (US) |candidate = Marla Brown |votes=3,192 |percentage=42.62 }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change |party=Republican Party (US) |candidate = Nick Kerin |votes=2,896 |percentage=38.66 }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change |party=Republican Party (US) |candidate=Darryl Audia |votes=1,352 |percentage=18.05 }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change |party=Write-in |candidate = Chris Sainato |votes = 40 |percentage = 0.53 }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change |party=Write-in |candidate=''Scattered'' |votes=10 |percentage=0.13 }}{{Election box total no change |votes=7,490 |percentage=100.00}}{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change |title=2022 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election, District 9<ref>{{cite web |title=Summary Results Report 2022 General November 8,2022 OFFICIAL RESULTS Lawrence |url=https://lawrencecountypa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Official-election-summ-GEN-2022.pdf |website=Lawrence County, Pennsylvania |access-date=8 January 2023 |page=4 |date=December 1, 2022}}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (US) |candidate= Marla Brown |votes=13,721 |percentage=52.81 }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change |party=Democratic Party (US) |candidate = Chris Sainato (incumbent) |votes=12,219 |percentage=47.03 }}{{Election box write-in with party link no change |party=write-in |votes=44 |percentage=0.17 }}{{Election box total no change |votes=25,984 |percentage=100.00}}{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2024 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election, District 9<ref>{{cite web |title=Summary Results Report 2024 General November 5, 2024 Lawrence |url=https://lawrencecountypa.gov/getmedia/2a5e5fd7-ae9a-4aa1-b0db-1be6a5ebcc69/2024-General-Election-Summary-Official-Results.pdf |website=Lawrence County, Pennsylvania |access-date=26 November 2024 |page=4 |date=November 21, 2024}}</ref> }}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party=Republican Party (US) |candidate=Marla Brown |votes=27,029 |percentage=94.66 }}{{Election box write-in with party link no change |party=Write-in |votes=1,524 |percentage=5.34 }}{{Election box total no change |votes=28,553|percentage=100.00}}{{Election box end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Pennsylvania House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Marla}} Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Category:Women state legislators in Pennsylvania Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:People from New Castle, Pennsylvania Category:Politicians from Lawrence County, Pennsylvania Category:Geneva College alumni Category:Gannon University alumni Category:American people of Italian descent Category:Catholics from Pennsylvania Category:21st-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly