Shirley Kersey Turner (born July 3, 1941) is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 1998, where she represents the 15th Legislative District.
from Rider College in Guidance and Counseling, and has done postgraduate work in education at Rutgers University.
[2] Before being elected to the State Senate, Turner served in New Jersey's lower house, the General Assembly, from 1994 to 1998.
[4] Turner was Senate President Pro Tempore, a position which she has held since 2004 to 2010.
However, in a 2012 vote on a similar bill, she supported the measure (which would be vetoed by Governor Chris Christie).