Tarah Toohil

Tarah C. Toohil (born October 1, 1979) is an American attorney and politician, serving as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Tarah Toohil
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 116th district
Assumed office
January 4, 2011
Preceded byTodd Eachus
Personal details
Born (1979-10-01) October 1, 1979
Political partyRepublican
ResidenceButler Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Alma materNortheastern University (BA)
Pennsylvania State University (JD)
OccupationAttorney, politician

Early life and education

Toohil graduated from Hazleton Area High School in 1998. She majored in political science and sociology, with a concentration in law and legal services, at Northeastern University, graduating in 2003. Toohil earned a Juris Doctor degree from Penn State Dickinson Law in 2008.[1] While in law school, she worked as a certified legal intern for Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico.

Career

In 2010, Toohil was elected to represent the 116th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She defeated then-House Majority Leader Todd Eachus to gain the seat. During the 2019-20 legislative session, Toohil serves as a member of the House Children and Youth (vice chair), Government Oversight, Human Services, Judiciary, Professional Licensure and Rules committees.[1]

In 2012, legislation sponsored by Toohil was enacted that amended the powers and duties of Pennsylvania's Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission.[2] The need for the changes grew out of Luzerne County's "Kids for Cash" scandal in 2008.

In 2014, she sponsored a new law increasing funding support for legal services to the disadvantaged in Pennsylvania.[2] Another bill Toohil sponsored was enacted that removed the Pennsylvania licensing requirement for fitters of diabetic shoes.[2]

In 2016, Toohil legislation sponsored by Toohil was enacted that reduced the length of time from two years to one year for a no-fault divorce in Pennsylvania.[2]

Toohil sponsored a measure enacted in 2018 that banned the sale of over-the-counter cough medicines containing dextromethorphan to minors in Pennsylvania.[2]

In 2019, legislation she sponsored was enacted specifying that civil confidentiality agreements do not cover communications with law enforcement.[2] The proposal was one of the recommendations made by the 40th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury that examined clergy sex abuse in Pennsylvania's Roman Catholic dioceses.[3] Toohil also sponsored an adoption reform law regarding the witnessing of an adoption consent agreement for an incarcerated parent in Pennsylvania.[2]

Toohil is a co-founder of "Brandon's Forever Home," a Pennsylvania charity that assists foster children.[4]

Personal life

Toohil resides in Drums, Luzerne County, with her husband, Scot Burkhardt, and their children.[5]

In 2012, an anonymous person posted videos allegedly of Toohil at a party smoking marijuana as blackmail against her anti-marijuana legalization stance. Pennsylvania State Police launched an investigation into the matter.[6]

Toohil formerly dated Delaware County Republican representative Nick Miccarelli. In 2018, Toohil stated that Miccarelli made threats against her and sexually abused her during and after their relationship. She was granted a restraining order against Miccarelli in 2018.[7] Miccarelli has been accused by other women of sexual harassment leading to the revokation of his security privileges at the state capitol and his retirement from the legislature in 2018.[8]

References
  1. "Representative Tarah Toohil". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  2. "Statutes of Pennsylvania and the Constitution of Pennsylvania". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  3. "Pennsylvania Attorney General - Grand Jury Report". www.attorneygeneral.gov. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  4. Reports, From Staff. "Brandon's Forever Home honored". Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 2017-05-10.
  5. "PA State Rep. Tarah Toohil". www.reptoohil.com. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  6. Couloumbis, Angela (March 31, 2013). "Videos attacking lawmaker stir probe". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  7. Bresswein, Kurt (March 9, 2018). "Pa. state rep gets protection order against another state rep, report says". lehighvalleylive.com. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  8. Bumsted, Brad; Knudsen, Paula; Couloumbis, Angela (March 1, 2018). "Pa. House leaders: Rep. Miccarelli should resign over misconduct claims". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
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