Sheila E. Hixson

Sheila E. Hixson was born and grew up in L'Anse, Michigan. Members of her family worked in the mills (as did she during summer vacations) and were members of local unions. She attended Northern State Teachers College and upon graduation, became a Head Start Teacher in the Detroit School System.

She became active in her community and campaigned for a State Senator who asked her to come to Washington, D.C. to continue working on his staff. That was in the early sixties. Sheila then was recruited to work as an Aide for the Democratic National Committee and thus began her political career on Capitol Hill. There she learned about choices and freedoms during an era of unrest in our nation. She observed the desirability of working together and learned the fine art of negotiation.

When Sheila first arrived in the Washington, D.C. area, after some review and investigation, she selected a home in Montgomery County, Maryland where she and her husband could raise a family. She knew of its outstanding schools, its diversity even then and a reputation for being more inclusive and progressive, all attributes of significance to her.

Here in Silver Spring, she raised her sons and daughters; they attended Canon Road Elementary School, White Oak Junior High and Springbrook High School; participated in track, baseball and theatre. In addition to her work, Sheila was deeply interested and involved in her childrens' activities.

Sheila became active in her community and county and eventually elected a member of the Montgomery County Central Committee. By this time, she was employed as a legislative representative for the American Psychological Association and had become a single parent.

She was eventually nominated and elected as a State Delegate representing District 20, which includes Silver Spring, Takoma Park and portions of Burtonsville. Sheila brought her ideals and hopes for the future for her state and her county to the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis.

That was in 1976. Her first assignment was on the Environmental Matters Committee, followed by the Ways and Means Committee which she currently chairs. In this position, Delegate Hixson is the highest ranked woman delegate in the Assembly. She was appointed as Chair in 1993 and is the first woman to serve in this position.

As Chairman of this prestigious committee, she works to improve taxation measures, revenue enhancements, education, transportation and election procedures.

Under her leadership there are now tax credits for companies that invest in research and development activities in Maryland; incentives for business and individuals to utilize "clean energy" technology, acceleration of the earned income tax credit for the working poor and fair and equitable corporate taxes. She also successfully sponsored the proposal to provide a voting system that will produce a voter-verified paper record. And she is known for her sponsorship of a bill to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation which finally became law in 2001.

Many other personal endeavors are directed toward the improvement of education measures for the State. Through her efforts, the State provides funding for teacher salary enhancement, student intervention, enrichment and early childhood education. She has filed bills to ensure funding increases for counties that have above average costs such as Montgomery County; funding formulas for ESOL classes in the schools and for Adult English Language and Literacy education.

Delegate Hixson was one of the original supporters of the five-year Bridge to Excellence Plan for public primary and secondary education. This plan is financed to provide equitable and adequate funding while assuring standards of excellence. She is widely known for the Universal Newborn Screening law which mandates routine newborn hearing screening before discharge from the hospital of all newborns.

Hixson holds a number of leadership positions here in Annapolis and on national organizations. She sits on the boards of Montgomery County non-profit institutions such as Hearts & Home for Youth and Pyramid Atlantic, a center for the arts. She is the recipient of numerous awards throughout the State.