▁her ▁inc umb ent , ▁Martin ▁Murray , ▁by ▁prom oting ▁a ▁respons ive ▁government ▁en abling ▁equal - o pport unity ▁h iring ▁practices ▁for ▁minor ities . ▁She ▁then ▁served ▁as ▁vice - may or ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁As ▁vice - may or , ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁restore ▁the ▁cities ▁water ▁system ▁and ▁inst itute ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁first ▁mand atory ▁seat ▁bel t ▁laws . ▁She ▁also ▁fought ▁un success fully ▁to ▁have ▁black ▁real - est ate ▁own ers ▁compens ated ▁for ▁past ▁disc rim ination . ▁The ▁election ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁historical ▁marker ▁that ▁sign ified ▁the ▁ever - ch anging ▁pace ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ' ▁continuous ▁battle ▁for ▁human ▁rights . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁B ette ▁was ▁appointed ▁assistant ▁secretary ▁of ▁commerce ▁by ▁governor ▁Re uben ▁As ke w ▁and ▁moved ▁back ▁to ▁T alla has see , ▁becoming ▁the ▁second - high est - ran king ▁woman ▁in ▁state ▁government . ▁She ▁was ▁then ▁appointed ▁deput y ▁secretary ▁of ▁commerce . ▁After ▁losing ▁state ▁Legisl ature ▁in ▁a ▁T alla has see ▁district ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁she ▁returned ▁to ▁Saint ▁Petersburg ▁to ▁take ▁on ▁Bill ▁Young ▁Bill ▁Young ▁for ▁Congress ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁ ▁She ▁campaign ed ▁issues ▁of ▁human ▁rights ▁and ▁equality ▁in ▁many ▁areas ▁including ▁women ' s ▁rights , ▁social ▁strat ification , ▁and ▁educational ▁justice