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Laura Boyd
Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 44th district
In office January 1993 – January 1999
Preceded by	Carolyn Thompson Taylor
Succeeded by	Bill Nations
Personal details
Born	(1949-06-05) June 5, 1949 (age 75) Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	David Rambo
Education	Duke University (BA) Marywood University (MA) William Lyon University (PhD)

Laura Boyd (born June 5, 1949) is an American politician from Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, Boyd was elected in 1992 to the Oklahoma House of Representatives to represent District 44, which included Cleveland County. She served in the State House for six years until 1998 when she became the first woman to receive a major party nomination for Governor of Oklahoma. Incumbent Republican governor Frank Keating defeated Boyd in a landslide. Eisenhower Fellowships selected Laura Boyd as a USA Eisenhower Fellow in 1999.

Biography

Boyd was born in Charlottesville, Virginia. She earned a bachelor's degree from Duke University, a master's from Marywood University, and a PhD in Psychology from American Commonwealth University. Boyd served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1993 to 1998 and chaired the Community and Family Responsibilities Committee. She introduced 11 bills while in the House, three of which were signed into law. Boyd sponsored legislation to help create jobs in Oklahoma, to crack down on elder abuse, and to establish the College Savings Plan.

In 1998 Boyd became the first woman to be nominated for Governor of Oklahoma when she won the nomination of the Oklahoma Democratic Party. She received 41% of the votes and was defeated by Republican Frank Keating. In 2002 Boyd was the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma but was defeated by Republican Mary Fallin.

Boyd has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has offered private counseling for over 20 years.

She is owner and CEO of Policy and Performance Consultants Inc. in Norman, as well as national field director of Women Legislators' Lobby and executive director of the Oklahoma Therapeutic Foster Care Association.

In 2011 she was inducted into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame.

Major legislation

The Ryan Luke Act, which cracks down on child abuse and sexual predators, was Boyd's major legislative contribution.

References

1. ^ Boyd, Laura (2006-12-20). "Oral history interview with Laura Boyd". Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Project (Interview). Interviewed by Tanya Finchum. Oklahoma State University. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
2. "General Election – Summary Results" (PDF). Oklahoma State Election Board. 2002-11-05. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
3. "Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women - 2011 Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame". Retrieved 7 September 2016.
4. "Woman of the Year profile: Laura W. Boyd, Ph.D., Policy & Performance Consultants Inc., Oklahoma Therapeutic Foster Care Association". The Journal Record. 2006-09-15. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
5. "Ryan Luke Bill". Ryan Luke memorial. TelNET. Retrieved 23 March 2015.

External links

• 2005-2006 Oklahoma Almanac Online--Oklahoma History Archived 2006-02-18 at the Wayback Machine
• Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Project--OSU Library
• Historic House Membership Oklahoma House of Representatives.

• 1949 births
• 20th-century American women politicians
• 21st-century American women politicians
• Candidates in the 1998 United States elections
• Candidates in the 2002 United States elections
• Duke University alumni
• Living people
• Marywood University alumni
• 20th-century members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
• Democratic Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
• Politicians from Charlottesville, Virginia
• Women state legislators in Oklahoma