Francis H. Woodward
| Francis H. Woodward | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives | |
|
In office 1977–1993 |
|
| Preceded by | Alan Danovitch |
| Succeeded by | Jo Ann Sprague |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
March 17, 1939 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Walpole, Massachusetts |
| Alma mater |
Newman Preparatory School Dean Junior College |
| Occupation | Lineman State legislator |
Francis H. Woodward is a former American politician who was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1977 to 1991.
Woodward was born on March 17, 1939 in Boston. He attended Boston public schools, Newman Preparatory School, and Dean Junior College. In 1962 he married Kathleen Sprague of West Roxbury. Prior to becoming a legislator, Woodward worked as a lineman for Boston Edison.
In 1976, Woodward defeated incumbent State Representative Alan Danovitch. During his early years in the legislature, Woodward often opposed House leadership, but did so without voicing loud criticisms, which allowed him to have a good relationship with them. In 1985, reform-minded George Keverian became Speaker and chose Woodward to replace Theodore J. Aleixo, Jr., a Thomas W. McGee loyalist, as Chairman of the Insurance Committee.
On December 26, 1983, Woodward's eighteen-year-old daughter Carolyn was killed in an automobile accident. She was the passenger in a car that was struck head-on by a drunken driver. Based on his conversations with the emergency-room physician at the hospital where his daughter died, Woodward believed that his daughter would've survived the crash had she been wearing a seat belt.
After the accident, Woodward became an ardent supporter of the proposed mandatory seat-belt law. The mandatory seat-belt law passed the House on July 16, 1985 and, after it passed the Senate, was signed into law. The law was struck down by voters via a ballot question in the 1986 election.
In 1987, Woodward supported a bill that would raise the age for mandatory car-seat restraints from 5 to 12. He also sponsored legislation that would require the installation of breath alcohol ignition interlock devices on cars of repeat drunk driving offenders.
Woodward opposed the "Gay Rights Bill", which prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation in the areas of housing, insurance, credit and employment.
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