Harry Brooks

Harry Brooks is a Republican politician in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was a house member of the 103rd through 109th General Assemblies.

Harry was born September 4, 1946. He graduated from Maryville High School, competed his undergraduate work as a Speech and Communication major at Carson Newman College, and got his graduate degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is married to Mary and has two children. He retired from law enforcement and was a business employer before pursuing politics.

He is from Knox County and represents the 19th District. During his time with the Tennessee General Assembly he served on the Education Committee for 10 years, State & Local Government for 4 years, Finance Ways & Means Committee for 4 years, and the Select Committee on Children and Youth for 2 years. In 2009 he was appointed to Chair the House Education Committee and in 2011 he was appointed to Chair the Children and Family Affairs Committee as well as the Joint Ad Hoc Education Finance Committee. This year he is serving as Chairman of the House Education Committee.

In 2011, Brooks sponsored the Virtual Public Schools Act (HB 1030). The legislation, signed into law in May 2011, established provisions for statemoney to go to for-profit online schools. I