Jerry Sonnenberg

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Jerry Sonnenberg
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 52nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 10, 2007
Preceded by	Diane Hoppe
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Vonnie
Profession	Farmer, Rancher
Religion	Christian

Jerry Sonnenberg (born May 1958^[1]) is a legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Republican in 2006, Sonnenberg represents House District 65, which covers much of northeasten Colorado, including Sedgwick, Phillips, Logan, and rural Weld counties.^[2]

Contents 1 Biography 2 Legislative career 2.1 2007 legislative session 2.2 2008 legislative session 2.3 2008 campaign 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Biography

Born and raised in Sterling, Colorado, ^[3] Sonnenberg graduated from Sterling High School, then attended Northeastern Junior College and graduated from the Colorado Agriculture and Rural Leadership Program at Colorado State University. Sonnenberg is married; he and his wife Vonnie Constance have four children: Ashley, Afton, Joshua, and Ryan.^[4]

A farmer and rancher since 1979, Sonnenberg has managed and operated his 3,600-acre (15 km²) family farm and held a variety of jobs, including news photographer, funeral home assistant and truck driver in a family owned-and-operated trucking business. He has served as the president of the Logan County Farm Bureau, the chairman of Logan County Right to Farm Committee, and has sat on the Colorado Water Congress Policy Committee, the Logan County Planning Commission and the boards of the Colorado Farm Bureau and the Republican River Conservation District.^[4]

Sonnenberg also worked as a substitute teacher in Sterling Public Schools for five years, as well as a part time instructor in the Farm Business Management department at Northern Junior for two years. He served as chairman for the Colorado preschool pilot program, on the Sterling Schools Building Accountability Committee, and on the board of the Sterling Baseball Organization, and has coached and umpired Colorado high school baseball and other sports. Sonnenberg has also worked as director of music ministry at Sterling's First Christian Church and choir director at Sterling's Berean Church.^[4]

[edit] Legislative career

A former precinct chairman for the Logan County Republican Party,^[4] Sonnenberg was first elected to the legislature in 2006, facing no opposition either in the Republican party primary^[5] or the general election^[2]. Out of 24 first-term house members elected in 2006 — the largest freshman class since Colorado statehood^[6] — Sonnenberg was the only one elected without any electoral opposition.^[7]

[edit] 2007 legislative session

Bills Introduced in 2007 by Rep. Sonnenberg (for which Rep. Sonnenberg is the primary originating sponsor)
BILL	TITLE	OUTCOME
HB07-1036	Concerning restrictions on the ability of governmental bodies to acquire specified water rights through the exercise of the power of eminent domain	Not reported out of conference committee
HB07-1140	Concerning funding for rural district attorneys' offices	Postponed indefinitely in House committee
HB07-1170	Concerning the compensation of elected district attorneys	Signed by Gov. Ritter
HB07-1194	Concerning the Colorado State Defense Force	Postponed indefinitely in House committee
HB07-1337	Concerning commodity handlers	Signed by Gov. Ritter

During the 2007 legislative session, Sonnenberg sat on the House Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee, and the House Transportation and Energy Committee.^[8] During his first term, Sonnenberg was also appointed to the state's Correctional Industries Advisory Committee.^[9]

Sonnenberg's top-priority legislation during the 2007 session of the Colorado General Assembly was a bill restricting the ability of Colorado governments to obtain water rights through eminent domain. The bill was denounced as unconstitutional by the Colorado League of Municipalities,^[10] and only narrowly passed the state house. Senate sponsor Brandon Shaffer modified the Senate version of the bill, which passed by a wide margin, to call only for a study on the issue; Sonnenberg publicly called Shaffer a "turncoat" for amending the Senate bill and then refusing to call for a conference committee to reconcile the two versions of the legislation.^[11] Sonnenberg intends to introduce the legislation again during the 2008 session.^[12]. Sonnenberg also sponsored legislation to allow state inspectors to inspect livestock records in order to prevent the spread of mad cow disease, ^[13] and to increase funding for rural district attorneys.^[14]

After the 2007 legislative session, Sonnenberg was recognized by the Colorado Union of Taxpayers as one of its "Outstanding Legislators of 2007" for his support of lower taxes and private property rights^[15] Sonnenberg also sits on two interim committees — on transportation^[12][16] and on allocation of severance tax and federal mineral lease revenues.^[17]

[edit] 2008 legislative session

In the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Sonnenberg sits on the House Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources Committee and the House Transportation and Energy Committee. ^[18]

For the 2008 session, Sonnenberg sponsored legislation to limit the power of the Colorado Department of Wildlife to purchase land,^[19][20] by requiring that any purchase be matched by a sale of other assets of equal value. The bill was opposed by the Department of Wildlife,^[21] and failed to pass a House committee.^[22] Sonnenberg did credit the measure, however, with leading to the DOW's formation of a landowners’ advisory group.^[23]

Sonnenberg also introduced legislation to allow special districts in Colorado to retain tax revenue that other wise would have been diverted because of tax increment financing; the bill also died in committee.^[24] Other bills, to create a sales tax holiday for school supplies and to enhance funding for special districts that provide emergency services, also died in committee.^[25]

Sonnenberg also introduced a bill, authored by students from Sterling High School, to except school fundraisers from sales tax.^[26] The bill was killed in committee, but later revived by House Democrats after pressure from Sonnenberg. A similar but narrower measure was introduced by Rep. Joe Rice, and the two legislators agreed to work to reconcile the two bills.^[27] Ultimately, Sonnenberg's measure was passed by the legislature,^[23] with Sterling High School students testifying in support of it,^[28][29] and was signed into by Gov. Ritter.^[1]

During debate on the state budget, Sonnenberg offered an unsuccessful amendment, mirroring one of his defeated 2007 bills, to increase funding for rural district attorneys offices;^[30] he also unsuccessfully attempted to eliminate 21 jobs within the Oil and Gas Commission created to monitor compliance with new environmental rules, arguing that the positions should have been attached to the original 2007 legislation that enacted the new rules.^[31]

During the session, Sonnenberg sponsored 11 bills, of which seven passed. Following the session, he expressed concern over the legislature's failure to provide addition transportation funding.^[1]

[edit] 2008 campaign

In February 2008, Sonnenberg announced his bid for re-election to a second two-year term in the state house.^[32] He is expected to face unaffiliated candidate Dan Conn.^[23][33]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Jerry Sonnenberg profile, Colorado General Assembly
• Campaign site