Darryl Ervin Rouson is a Democratic Florida State Senator representing District 16, which includes parts of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Born on July 20, 1955, in New Orleans, Louisiana, he moved to Florida in 1959 and resides in St. Petersburg. He is an attorney with Rubenstein Law, married to Angela Holmes Rouson, and has nine children. Notable achievements include serving as Pinellas County's first African American assistant state attorney in 1981, president of the St. Petersburg NAACP , and commissioner on the Tax and Budget Reform Commission . He is a champion for criminal justice reform, mental health services, opioid crisis response, arts funding, and transportation solutions, earning awards such as the Florida Prosecutor Association Award, Smart Justice Award, and Legislator of the Year from the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association .

Education

• B.A., Xavier University of New Orleans, 1977.
• J.D., University of Florida, 1980.

Political Experience

• Florida State Senate, District 16 ; District 19 .
• Florida House of Representatives, District 70 , including as Minority Leader .
• Current key committee roles : Vice Chair of Appropriations; member of Agriculture, Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, Children, Families, and Elder Affairs, Ethics and Elections, Finance and Tax, Rules, and Joint Legislative Budget Commission.