{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Stephen W. Lafferty | image = Stephen Lafferty (2007).jpg | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|2|28}} | birth_place = Washington, D.C., United States | death_date = | death_place = | state_delegate1 = Maryland | district1 = 42nd | term_start1 = January 2007 | term_end1 = January 2015 | predecessor1 = John G. Trueschler | successor1 = Position abolished | state_delegate = Maryland | district = 42A | term_start = January 2015 | term_end = September 6, 2019 | predecessor = Position established | successor = Cathi Forbes | constituency = | party = Democrat | occupation = Attorney | spouse = Betsy Lafferty }}
'''Stephen W. Lafferty''' (born February 28, 1949) is an American politician who was a member of Maryland House of Delegates from January 2007 to September 2019, representing District 42 from 2007 to 2015, and District 42A from 2015 to 2019. Lafferty was the first Democrat to be elected in district 42 since it was moved to Baltimore County after the 21st century census and redistricting.<ref name="msa" /> In September 2019, he resigned from the House of Delegates to serve as chief sustainability officer for Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski.<ref name="lawmakers">{{cite news |title=Two Maryland Lawmakers To Work For Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski |url=https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2019/08/19/two-maryland-lawmakers-to-work-for-baltimore-county-executive-johnny-olszewski/ |accessdate=August 23, 2019 |work=WJZ-TV |agency=Associated Press |date=August 19, 2019}}</ref>
==Background== Lafferty was born in Washington, D.C., on February 28, 1949. He attended the University of Maryland, College Park where he earned his B.A. in American studies in 1971.<ref name="battle">{{cite news |last=Mitchell |first=Josh |date=25 October 2006 |title=Brochin, and Riley do battle in Senate race |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2006-10-25-0610250148-story.html |access-date=2020-08-19 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|language=en-US}}</ref> Just a year later at Bowling Green State University, he earned a M.A. also in American studies; and then a teacher's certificate at Towson State University in 1977.<ref name="battle" /> He was a teacher (mathematics & social studies) for Baltimore City Public Schools from 1974–1978. Lafferty served as executive director & assistant director for the Baltimore American Indian Center, Inc. during 1978–1980. He received a J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 1983.<ref name="battle" /> He was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1983.
He is married to Betsy Lafferty. Lafferty resides in Stoneleigh.<ref name="battle" />
==In the legislature== Lafferty was a member of House of Delegates from January 10, 2007, to September 6, 2019. He served on the House Environmental Matters Committee and its housing & real property, its land use & ethics and its local government & bi-county subcommittees. He also contributed to the ground rent legislation of 2007 through the ground rent work group.<ref name="msa">{{cite web |title=Stephen W. Lafferty, Maryland State Delegate |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/former/html/msa14625.html |accessdate=January 15, 2020 |work=Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher=Maryland State Archives |date=September 6, 2019}}</ref>
===Legislative notes=== * voted for the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007 (HB359)<ref>{{cite web |title=BILL INFO-2007 Regular Session-HB 359 |url=http://mlis.state.md.us/2007rs/billfile/HB0359.htm |website=Maryland Legislative Information System (MLIS) |publisher=Maryland Department of Legislative Services |accessdate=January 15, 2020}}</ref> * voted in favor of prohibiting ground rents in 2007(SB106)<ref>{{cite web |title=2007 Regular Session - Vote Record 0250 |url=http://mlis.state.md.us/2007RS/votes/house/0250.htm |website=Maryland Legislative Information System (MLIS) |publisher=Maryland Department of Legislative Services |accessdate=January 15, 2020}}</ref> * voted for the Maryland Gang Prosecution Act of 2007 (HB713), subjecting gang members to up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $100,000<ref>{{cite web |title=BILL INFO-2007 Regular Session-HB 713 |url=http://mlis.state.md.us/2007rs/billfile/hb0713.htm |website=Maryland Legislative Information System (MLIS) |publisher=Maryland Department of Legislative Services |accessdate=January 15, 2020}}</ref> * voted for Jessica's Law (HB 930), eliminating parole for the most violent child sexual predators and creating a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in state prison, 2007<ref>{{cite web |title=BILL INFO-2007 Regular Session-HB 930 |url=http://mlis.state.md.us/2007RS/billfile/hb0930.htm |website=Maryland Legislative Information System (MLIS) |publisher=Maryland Department of Legislative Services |accessdate=January 15, 2020}}</ref> * voted for Public Safety – Statewide DNA Database System – Crimes of Violence and Burglary – Post conviction (HB 370), helping to give police officers and prosecutors greater resources to solve crimes and eliminating a backlog of 24,000 unanalyzed DNA samples, leading to 192 arrests, 2008<ref>{{cite web |title=BILL INFO-2008 Regular Session-HB 370 |url=http://mlis.state.md.us/2008rs/billfile/hb0370.htm |website=Maryland Legislative Information System (MLIS) |publisher=Maryland Department of Legislative Services |accessdate=January 15, 2020}}</ref> * voted for Vehicle Laws – Repeated Drunk and Drugged Driving Offenses – Suspension of License (HB 293), strengthening Maryland's drunk driving laws by imposing a mandatory one year license suspension for a person convicted of drunk driving more than once in five years, 2009<ref>{{cite web |title=BILL INFO-2009 Regular Session-HB 293 |url=http://mlis.state.md.us/2009rs/billfile/hb0293.htm |website=Maryland Legislative Information System (MLIS) |publisher=Maryland Department of Legislative Services |accessdate=January 15, 2020}}</ref> * voted for HB 102, creating the House Emergency Medical Services System Workgroup, leading to Maryland's budgeting of $52 million to fund three new Medevac helicopters to replace the State's aging fleet, 2009<ref>{{cite web |title=BILL INFO-2009 Regular Session-HB 102 |url=http://mlis.state.md.us/2009rs/billfile/hb0102.htm |website=Maryland Legislative Information System (MLIS) |publisher=Maryland Department of Legislative Services |accessdate=January 15, 2020}}</ref> * co-sponsored and voted for HB0294 (cross filed with SB281) that restricted gun possession, 2012<ref>{{cite web |title=Legislation - HB0294 |url=http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/legislation/details/hb0294?ys=2013rs |website=mgaleg.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland General Assembly |accessdate=January 15, 2020}}</ref>
== Post-legislative career == In 2019, Lafferty became Baltimore county's first chief sustainability officer.<ref name="lawmakers" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Boteler |first=Cody |date=2 October 2019 |title=Former Del. Stephen Lafferty is Baltimore County's first chief sustainability officer. What does that mean? |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/baltimore-county/cng-co-lafferty-sustainability-20191002-els7w7yilfdufe4w5k4iuawyoe-story.html |access-date=2020-08-19 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun}}</ref>
==Election results== *'''2006 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 42'''<ref name="2006 results">{{cite web |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2006/results/general/office_House_of_Delegates.html |title=Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=October 1, 2007}}</ref> ::'''Voters to choose three:''' :{| class="wikitable" !Name !Votes !Percent !Outcome |- |-{{Party shading/Republican}} |Susan Aumann, Rep. |22,054 | 18.3% | '''Won''' |- |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Stephen W. Lafferty, Dem. |21,117 | 17.5% | '''Won''' |- |-{{Party shading/Republican}} |William J. Frank, Rep. |20,522 | 17.0% | '''Won''' |- |-{{Party shading/Republican}} |Dilip Paliath, Rep. |19,490 | 16.2% | Lost |- |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Tracy Miller, Dem. |19,168 | 15.9% | Lost |- |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Andrew Belt, Dem. |18,006 | 14.9% | Lost |- |Other Write-Ins |88 | 0.1% | Lost |}
*'''2002 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 42'''<ref name="2002 results">{{cite web |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2002/results/g_house_of_delegate.html |title=2002 Gubernatorial Election |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=October 1, 2007}}</ref> ::'''Voters to choose three:''' :{| class="wikitable" !Name !Votes !Percent !Outcome |- |-{{Party shading/Republican}} |Susan Aumann, Rep. |21,326 | 17.2% | '''Won''' |- |-{{Party shading/Republican}} |William J. Frank, Rep. |20,881 | 16.9% | '''Won''' |- |-{{Party shading/Republican}} |John G. Trueschler, Rep. |21,591 | 17.4% | '''Won''' |- |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Stephen W. Lafferty, Dem. |18,958 | 15.3% | Lost |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |James W. Campbell, Dem. |18,168 | 14.7% | Lost |- |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Matthew Joseph, Dem. |17,478 | 14.1% | Lost |- |-{{Party shading/Green}} |Rick Kunkel, Green |5,464 | 4.4% | Lost |- |Other Write-Ins |66 | 0.1% | Lost |}
==References== <references />
==External links== *2010 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 42: {{cite web |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2010/results/General/gen_results_2010_2_01642.html |title=Official 2010 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=January 15, 2020}} *2014 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 42A: {{cite web |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2014/results/General/gen_results_2014_2_01642A.html |title=Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=January 15, 2020 |date=December 2, 2014}} *2018 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 42A: {{cite web |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2018/results/general/gen_results_2018_2_01642A.html |title=Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |access-date=January 15, 2020 |date=December 11, 2018}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lafferty, Stephen W.}} Category:1949 births Category:21st-century members of the Maryland General Assembly Category:Chief sustainability officers Category:Democratic Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates Category:Living people Category:Towson University alumni