Amy Stephens

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Amy Stephens
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 20th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 10, 2007
Preceded by	Lynn Hefley
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Ron
Religion	Christian[1]

Amy Stephens is a Colorado legislator. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Republican in 2006, Stephens represents House District 20, which covers northern El Paso County, Colorado, including portions of Colorado Springs and the areas surrounding the United States Air Force Academy.^[2] She also serves as the House Minority Caucus Chair.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Political career 2.1 2006 election 2.2 2007 legislative session 2.3 2008 legislative session 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Biography

Stephens attended the University of California at Los Angeles and then California State University Fullerton, earning a bachelor's degree in communications in 1980. From 1991 to 2001, she worked as a public policy and youth culture specialist for Christian ministry Focus on the Family. An abstinence-based sex education curriculum written by Stephens, No Apologies, has been translated into over a dozen languages.^[3]

After leaving Focus on the Family, Stephens founded the consulting firm Fresh Ideas Communication & Consulting, assisting non-profit and faith-based organizations with communication, organization, and development issues. She has also served as a panel expert on federal grant review committees for the federal Department of Health & Human Services.^[3] Stephen is married; she and her husband, Ron, have one son, Nicholas.^[4]

Before running for the legislature herself, Stephens was a veteran of numerous Republican campaigns, including those of Colorado Governor Bill Owens, 4th Judicial District Attorney John Newsome, El Paso County Commissioner Wayne Williams,^[3] and U.S. President George W. Bush.^[1] She has served as a member of the El Paso County Republican Committee, and as a delegate to the 1996 and 2004 Republican National Conventions. She was also appointed by Governor Owens to the Governor's Commission on the Welfare of Children.^[3]

[edit] Political career

[edit] 2006 election

In 2006, Stephens ran for the legislature herself, winning a 3:1 victory over Democratic opponent Jan Hejtmanek^[5] in an overwhelmingly Republican district.^[6] During her campaign, Stephens identified infrastructure issues, including water, as one of her major legislative concerns.^[1] Stephens has already begun her re-election campaign for the 2008 elections and is expected to face Hejtmanek once again, in a rematch of their 2006 race.^[7] Hejtmanek has criticized Stephens for her continued support of abstinence-only sex education and for opposing expanded adoption and non-discrimination rights for homosexuals;^[8] Stephens has denounced these bills as part of a Democratic "cultural revolution" furthering a "secular agenda."^[9]

[edit] 2007 legislative session

Bills Introduced in 2007 by Rep. Stephens (for which Rep. Stephens is the primary originating sponsor)
BILL	TITLE	OUTCOME
HB07-1040	Concerning legal process for persons who are not legally present in this county, and making an appropriation in connection therewith and requiring a post-enactment review of the implementation of this act.	Signed by Gov. Ritter
HB07-1109	Concerning the use of underground water storage strategies.	Postponed indefinitely in House committee
HB07-1270	Concerning a comprehensive review of the state's educational data infrastructure, and making an appropriation therefor.	Signed by Gov. Ritter
HB07-1327	Concerning the method by which a creditor that provides periodic statements to its consumers is to notify a consumer that a delinquency charge has been assessed.	Signed by Gov. Ritter

In the 2007 session of the state legislature, Stephens sat on the House Judiciary Committee and was the ranking Republican on the House Business & Labor Affairs Committee.^[10] Four bills introduced by Rep. Stephens were passed by the General Assembly,^[11] most prominently a measure that would prohibit criminal charges against illegal immigrants from being dismissed without their deportation.^[12][13] In November 2007, upon Rep. Bill Cadman's appointment to the Colorado Senate, the first-term legislator was elected to succeed him as House Minority Caucus Chair.^[14]

[edit] 2008 legislative session

In the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Stephens sits on the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee, and the House Judiciary Committee. ^[15] Stephens sponsored a bill to tax in-room pay-per-view movies sold by hotels to fund child advocacy centers; after facing opposition from the hotel industry, Stephen asked for the bill to be killed in committee.^[16] Stephens also sponsored a bill, passed by the General Assembly, to streamline the teaching licensure application process for military spouses,^[17] and sponsored another bill to provide unemployment benefits to military spouses forced to relocate out of state.^[18] She also sponsored successful legislation to require hospitals to publicly publish charges for common medical procedures.^[19][20]

Stephens also led Republican opposition to the 2008 state budget, criticizing it for excessive spending.^[21][22]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Amy Stephens - House District 40, campaign website
• Legislative home page