Tim Schaffer

Not to be confused with Tim Schafer.
Tim Schaffer
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 77th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 6, 2015
Preceded by Gerald Stebleton
In office
January 3, 2001-December 31, 2006
Preceded by Jon D. Myers
Succeeded by Gerald Stebleton
Member of the Ohio Senate
from the 31st district
In office
January 2, 2007-December 31, 2014
Preceded by Jay Hottinger
Succeeded by Jay Hottinger
Personal details
Born January 25, 1963[1]
Columbus, Ohio
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Lori Schaffer
Residence Lancaster, Ohio
Alma mater Mount Union College
Profession Charity & Association Executive
Religion United Methodist

Tim Schaffer is a Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives who has represented the 77th District since 2015. He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 until 2006, and of the Ohio Senate from 2007 to 2014.

Career

Schaffer holds a B.A. in Political Science and Communications from Mount Union College, and has also served as chairman of the Fairfield County, Ohio Republican Party.

With Representative Jon D. Myers unable to run for another term due to term limitations, Schaffer, along with Bryan Fox, vied for the Republican nomination. Schaffer won the nomination with 58% of the electorate.[2] He faced Democrat Dennis Lupher in the general election, and won again with 58% of the votes.

In 2002, Schaffer coasted to a second term unopposed. In 2004, Schaffer again faced primary opposition in Bradley J. Sodders, but won with 85.58% of the vote.[3] He again ran unopposed in the general election, and was sworn into a third term on January 3, 2005.

Schaffer is not eligible to run for re-election to the Senate in 2014 due to term limits. He is instead running for District 77 in the Ohio House of Representatives.

Ohio Senate

Since Jay Hottinger was unable to run again for his seat in the Ohio Senate, Schaffer sacrificed a fourth term in the House to run for the Thirty First District of the Senate. In a three-way primary with fellow Representative Ron Hood and Jeff Furr, Schaffer won the nomination with 48.59% of the vote. Again facing Dennis Lupher, Schaffer moved to the Senate, earning 57.26% of the votes.[4] In his first term, Schaffer served as Chairman of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee in the 128th General Assembly.

In 2010, Schaffer, again facing Lupher, won a second Senate term with 67.29% of the vote.[5] Subsequently, Senate President Tom Niehaus named Schaffer as a member of the committees on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources (as vice chairman); Energy and Public Utilities; Insurance, Commerce and Labor; and Ways and Means and Economic Development (as Chairman).

Policies, positions and initiatives

For one of his first measures in the 129th General Assembly, Schaffer has introduced a bill that directs the state auditor to conduct at least four performance audits per biennium of two executive agencies and two non-executive agencies.[6]

Schaffer has also introduced legislation that allows for holders of a concealed carry license to carry their weapons in bars and restaurants provided that they are not consuming alcohol. The bill was controversial, but passed the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate.[7] Schaffer has stated Ohio is the only state with "specific mandates" on how guns must be carried in vehicles. He said the restrictions are confusing and have led to the arrest of out-of-state residents unaware of the law.[8] The National Rifle Association-backed bill was staunchly opposed by law enforcement groups such as the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police and Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio.[9] The bill ultimately passed and was signed into law by Ohio Governor John Kasich.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Tim Schaffer at Project Vote Smart
  2. ↑ Blackwell, Kenneth 2000 primary election results (2000-03-07)
  3. ↑ Blackwell, Kenneth 2004 primary election results (2004-03-02)
  4. ↑ Blackwell, Kenneth 2006 general election results (2006-11-07)
  5. ↑ Brunner, Jennifer 2010 general election results (2010-11-02)
  6. ↑ Senator Schaffer introduces legislation to require performance audits
  7. ↑ Candinsky, Catherine (2011-04-13). "Bill for concealed guns in bars advances in state Senate". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  8. ↑ Candinsky, Catherine (2011-04-13). "Restaurants' opposition might stop gun bill in House". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  9. ↑ Marshall, Aaron (2011-04-14). "Ohio Senate passes bill allowing concealed weapons in bars and restaurants". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  10. ↑ Johnson, Alan (2011-06-19). "Bill can expunge gun-crime record". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2011-06-20.

External links