Tonya Schuitmaker

Tonya Schuitmaker (born March 10, 1968) is the current President Pro Tempore of the Michigan State Senate. A member of the Republican party, she is the State Senator from Michigan's 20th State Senate District, serving since 2011. Prior to her election to the Senate, she served three terms in the Michigan State House of Representatives. She was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in November 2004 and then again in 2006 and 2008 from the 80th House District, which included all of Van Buren County, the city of Otsego and the townships of Otsego and Watson in Allegan County.

Education

Schuitmaker graduated in 1986 from Mattawan High School. She earned a B.A. in business from Michigan State University in 1990 and a J.D. from the Detroit College of Law in 1993.

Professional career

Prior to her election to the Michigan House of Representatives, Schuitmaker unsuccessfully ran for an open Van Buren County Circuit Judge seat to replacing a retired judge,^[1] she was 28 years old and had practiced law for 3 years. Schuitmaker was a partner in her family's law firm of Schuitmaker, Cooper and Schuitmaker.^[1] At her family's firm, Schuitmaker focused on estate, family, business and governmental law. Schuitmaker is licensed to practice law in Michigan, Florida and Illinois.

Roles within State House of Representatives

• 2009-2010
  • Assistant Minority Floor Leader
  • Minority Vice Chair, House Judiciary Committee
  • Appropriations Committee
    • Subcommittee on Judiciary
  • Energy & Technology Committee
  • Minority Vice Chair, Energy & Technology on Consumer Safety Sub-Committee
  • Michigan Law Revision Commission

• 2007-2008
  • Assistant Minority Floor Leader
  • Minority Vice Chair, House Judiciary Committee
  • House Education Committee
  • Michigan Tourism Task Force
  • Product Safety Task Force

• 2005-2006
  • Vice Chair, House Judiciary Committee
    • Chair, Subcommittee on Accountability and Public Safety
    • Subcommittee on Medicaid Fraud Whistleblower Protection (Qui Tam)
    • Subcommittee on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry
  • House Energy and Technology Committee
  • House Commerce Committee
  • House Local Government and Urban Policy Committee

Community involvement

Schuitmaker has served on the State of Michigan Board of Medicine, the Van Buren Community Mental Health Board, and the Intercare Community Health Network. She is also a member of the Van Buren County Community Corrections Advisory Board. Schuitmaker is involved with the Paw Paw Rotary, the Paw Paw Optimist Club, Daughters of the American Revolution and the Farm Bureau. She has also served as president of the Van Buren County Republican Women and as Vice Chair for Van Buren County Republicans. Schuitmaker served as the State Chairperson for the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Schuitmaker was named a 2014 Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow.^[2]

Personal

Schuitmaker, her husband Steve, and their two children, Jordan and Savina, live in Lawton, Michigan.

Electoral history

• 2010 Election for State Senate District 20^[3]
  • Tonya Schuitmaker (R), 58%
  • Bobby Hopewell (D), 42%
• 2008 Election for State House District 80
  • Tonya Schuitmaker (R), 61%
  • Jessie Olson (D), 39%
• 2006 Election for State House District 80
  • Tonya Schuitmaker (R), 61%
  • Jessie Olson (D), 39%
• 2004 Election for State House District 80
  • Tonya Schuitmaker (R), 58%
  • Art Toy (D), 42%
• 2004 Republican Primary for State House District 80
  • Tonya Schuitmaker (R), 56%
  • John Henry (R), 26%
  • Steven Goforth (R), 12%
  • Larry King (R), 6%
• 1996 Van Buren County 36th Circuit Court Run-off
  • Paul Hamre, 56%
  • Tonya Schuitmaker, 44%
• 1996 Van Buren County 36th Circuit Court
  • Paul Hamre, 2,489 (28%)
  • Tonya Schuitmaker, 1,655 (19%)
  • Roman Plasczak, 1,634 (18%)
  • John McNeil, 1,006 (11%)
  • Mark Manning, 976 (11%)
  • Barbara Donnelly, 611 (7%)
  • Gary Dunton, 508 (6%)

References

1. 1 2 http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/07/post_67.html
2. ↑ "About the Rodel Fellowship Program". 
3. ↑ http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/10GEN/07020000.html

External links

• Representative Tonya Schuitmaker House District 80
• Campaign Website