Norman S. Berson (November 19, 1926 – December 7, 2019) was a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1967 to 1982.[2]
Formative years
Born in New York City, New York on November 19, 1926, Berson graduated from the George School in 1946,[3][citation needed] before earning his Bachelor of Arts degree from Temple University in 1950 and his Bachelor of Law (L.L.B) from Temple's Law School in 1953. A member of the United States Army during World War II, he served from 1945 to 1946.[4]
Professionally, he was then employed as an attorney.[5]
Political career
A Democrat, Berson was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1966, serving a total of eight consecutive terms. Appointed to the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing in 1979, he served until 1982. He was not a candidate for reelection to the House in 1982.[6]
In 1977, Berson introduced a bill to reduce the penalty for marijuana possession.[7]
Later professional life
Serving as "of counsel" with Fineman Krekstein & Harris PC from 1981 to the present (as of summer 2019), he has also been a Director for RCM Technologies, Inc. (1987–present).[8]
Death
Berson died of Parkinson's disease on December 7, 2019, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at age 93.[9]
References
- ^ Pennsylvania. Dept. of General Services; Pennsylvania. Bureau of Publications; Pennsylvania. Dept. of Property and Supplies (1971). The Pennsylvania Manual. Vol. 100. Department of General Services. ISSN 0275-8814. Retrieved 2015-08-24.
- ^ Cox, Harold. "House Members B". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
- ^ "Norman S. Berson".
- ^ "Norman S. Berson" (biography). Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania House of Representatives, retrieved online July 12, 2019.
- ^ "Norman S. Berson" (biography), Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
- ^ "Norman S. Berson" (biography), Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
- ^ Stein, Anne Marie. "Decriminalization of Marijuana Likely in Future." Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Daily Pennsylvanian, April 13, 1977.
- ^ "Norman S. Berson" (biography), Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
- ^ "Norman Berson, 93, longtime state representative and champion of liberal cause". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 2019-12-07. Retrieved 2019-12-10.