| Kenneth Summers | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 22nd district |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 10, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Matt Knoedler |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 12, 1953 Denver, Colorado |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Debbie |
| Profession | Pastor |
| Religion | Assemblies of God |
Kenneth Guy Summers (born November 12, 1953[1]) is a Colorado legislator. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Republican in 2006, Summers represents House District 22, including southern Lakewood, Colorado and portions of Jefferson County.[2]
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Born in Denver, Colorado,[1] Summers was raised in Englewood, Colorado and graduated from Englewood High School.[3] He earned a bachelor's degree in business education from the University of Northern Colorado in 1976,[4] and was a business teacher at Englewood High School for two years before beginning a career in Christian ministry.[1]
Summers became associate pastor of Lakewood First Assembly of God in 1978 and then senior pastor of High Plains Christian Center in Strasburg, Colorado in 1982.[1] While in Strasburg, Summers was a member of the Strasburg Parks and Recreation District Board, and the Board of Education for Strasburg School District 31J from 1986 to 1989;[1] he was also a volunteer coach at Strasburg High School.[4]
In 1989, Summers relocated to Colby, Kansas, where he was senior pastor of College Drive Assembly. In Colby, he coached baseball at Colby Community College and was a volunteer National Guard Chaplain.[4]
He returned to Colorado in 1992 as senior pastor of Dakota Ridge Assembly in Littleton.[1] While a pastor, he served as a sectional presbyter in the Rocky Mountain District Council of the Assemblies of God. Summers' community service while leading Dakota Ridge Assembly includes being a member and president of the South Jeffco Rotary Club, advisor to the Sox Place youth drop-in center in Denver, treasurer of NeighborHope Ministries,[4] and a board member of Teen Challenge of the Rocky Mountains.[1] He also helped found and served as president of Jericho Road Mentoring,[4] a program to recruit mentors for children of prisoners.[5]
Summers earned a master's degree in nonprofit management from Regis University in 2005 and has worked as a nonprofit consultant. He has also served on the board of Arapahoe Credit Union in Littleton, Colorado[4] Summers is married; he and his wife, Debbie have two children: Christian and Stephanie.[1]
Summers served on the precinct committee of the Jefferson County Republican Party from 2002 to 2006.[1] In 2007, as a state legislator, Summers was named a member of the Colorado Legislative Leadership Team for former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney's presidential campaign.[6] Shortly before Super Tuesday in February, he was announced as a Jefferson County chair for Romney's campaign.[7]
| Bills Introduced in 2007 by Rep. Summers (for which Rep. Summers is the primary originating sponsor) |
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|---|---|---|
| BILL | TITLE | OUTCOME |
| HB07-1004 | Concerning additional reporting requirements for the annual report regarding the "Colorado Sex Offender Lifetime Supervision Act of 1998." | Signed by Gov. Ritter |
| HB07-1111 | Concerning educator licensing. | Postponed indefinitely in House committee |
| HB07-1159 | Concerning the manner in which a special district conducts a ballot issue election. | Signed by Gov. Ritter |
| HB07-1227 | Concerning evaluations by commissions on judicial performance. | Postponed indefinitely in House committee |
| HB07-1273 | Concerning the subtraction of expenses for medical care from the state taxable income for the purpose of calculating state income tax liability. | Postponed indefinitely in House committee |
Summers faced Democrat Jayson Haberkorn, an elementary school teacher, in the 2006 race for the 22nd house district seat. Summers was endorsed by the Rocky Mountain News[8] and the Denver Post.[9] Summers won in the Republican-leaning district with 53 percent of the popular vote.[2]
During the 2007 legislative session, Summers served on the House Education Committee and the House Local Government Committee.[10]
Summers sponsored a resolution declaring Colorado Charter Schools Week in April 2007,[11] and unsuccessful legislation to allow individuals to deduct out-of-pocket medical expenses from taxable income.[12]
In the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Summers sits on the House Education Committee and the House Local Government Committee. [13]
For the 2008 legislative session, Summers has sponsored legislation to restrict the eminent domain power of Denver's RTD,[14] after the transit agency attempted to take property used by private businesses along a new rail line.[15] Another of Summers' bills would have required voters to present photo identification,[16] but was killed in committee.[17] He has also introduced bills to create performance incentives for public school teachers,[18] and to facilitate the continuation of specialized license plates for state colleges.[19]
Summers sought a second term in the 2008 Colorado legislative elections, running against Democrat Camille Ryckman. His re-election bid was endorsed by the Denver Post,[20] and he won with 54 percent of the popular vote.[21]
For the 2009 legislative session, Summers was named to seats on the House Education Committee and the House Finance Committee.[22] Shortly before the beginning of the session, Summers was also named to an ethics panel charged with investigating allegations of vote-buying on the part of Rep. David Balmer in a house leadership election.[23]
Summers plans to sponsor legislation to provide tax credits to investors in startup companies that stem from university research projects.[24] Summers also reintroduce his legislation to require photo IDs in order to vote,[25] a measure which was killed in committee on a party-line vote.[26] Summers also sponsored legislation to limit damages collected by uninsured drivers in automobile accidents.[27]
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