Larry J. Miller

Larry J. Miller (born March 11, 1954) is a Democratic member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 88 in Shelby County ¹. He assumed office in January 1995 after being elected in the 1994 general election ¹⁰. As of November 2026, his current term ends on November 3, 2026 ¹. Miller is running for re-election in the Democratic primary on August 6, 2026 ¹.

Miller earned a Bachelor of Arts in social science from LeMoyne-Owen College and attended Booker T. Washington High School ⁴. He is a retired firefighter with the Memphis Fire Department ¹. Professionally, he serves as the Democratic Leader Pro Tempore of the Tennessee State House of Representatives ¹⁶.

Throughout his legislative career, Miller has served on numerous committees. In the 2023–2024 session, he was assigned to the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee; the State Government Committee; the State and Local Government Committee; the Subcommittee on Appropriations; and the Subcommittee on Corrections ¹⁶. Historically, his committee assignments have included the House Calendar and Rules Committee (which he chaired), the Joint Veterans Affairs Committee, the Health Equity Committee, the Insurance Committee, the Joint Committee on Fiscal Review, and the Tenncare Committee ⁴, ¹⁰, ¹⁶.

Miller has been recognized for sponsoring legislation related to the Tennessee Education Lottery, the Tennessee Middle College Scholarship, the TN Firefighter Training Act, and healthcare access for low-income families ¹⁹. He was instrumental in the passage of TennCare and participated in income tax debates during Governor Phil Bredesen's administration (noted as Gov. Sundquist in one source) ¹⁹.

In community involvement, Miller is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, the NAACP, and Black Pioneers Fire Fighters ⁴. He serves on the Board of Directors for Memphis in May and the Memphis Convention and Visitor Bureau ⁴. He is also a Commissioner for the Black Health Care Commission and the Shelby County Democratic Party, and a member of the Memphis-Shelby County Center City Commission and the Memphis-Shelby County New Arena Public Building Authority ⁴, ¹⁶. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Trustees at LeMoyne-Owen College ²⁹.

Miller is single and has one daughter, Nekayla (also spelled Nikayla) ⁴, ¹⁶. He resides in Memphis ¹⁶.

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