Steve Johnson (Colorado legislator)

Infobox State Senator
name=Steve Johnson


state_senate=Colorado
state=Colorado
district=15th
term_start = January 8 2003cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/2003a/inetc&j.nsf/(jousen)/F41C6FED33CE259187256CA80058F2F0/$FILE/jour_001.pdf |title=Senate Journal - January 8, 2003 |accessdate=2007-11-18 |format=pdf |work=Colorado General Assembly ]
term_end2 =
preceded =Stan Matsunaka
succeeded =Incumbent
office2 = Member of the Colorado House of Representativesfrom the 49th district
term_start2 = January 1997
term_end2 = January 8 2003
predecessor2 =
successor2 = Kevin Lundberg
date of birth=birth date and age|1960|04|21
place of birth=Columbus, Ohio
date of death=
place of death=
spouse=Lynette
profession=veterinarian, educator
religion=Baptist
party=Republican|

Steve Johnson is a Republican member of the Colorado Senate, representing the 15th District since 2003. His district encompasses rural Larimer County and the cities of Loveland and Estes Park.cite web |url=http://www.comaps.org/cosenate.html |title=Colorado State Senate Districts |accessdate=2007-03-14 |format=html |work=COMaps ] Previously he was a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from 1997 through 2002.

Biography

Johnson holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry and a D.V.M. from Colorado State University, Johnson worked as a veterinarian in Loveland, Colorado, and currently teaches at Heritage Christian High School. Johnson is married and has no children.cite web |url=http://cfapp2.rockymountainnews.com/election/profiles/c_profiles.cfm?oper=cand_profile&id=12616&qa=1,3 |title=Steve Johnson - Colorado - State Senate District 15 candidate |accessdate=2007-03-14 |format=html |work=Rocky Mountain News ]

Johnson was a member of the Larimer County Planning Commisson from 1987 to 1996, and was first elected to the State House in 1996.cite web |url=http://cfapp2.rockymountainnews.com/election/profiles/c_profiles.cfm?oper=cand_profile&id=12616&qa=1,3 |title=Steve Johnson - Colorado - State Senate District 15 candidate |accessdate=2007-03-14 |format=html |work=Rocky Mountain News ] In 2002, he was elected to the State Senate over Democrat Kathy Gilliland, and was re-elected in 2006, defeating Democrat Jennifer Miller.cite web |url=http://www.co.larimer.co.us/elections/elections_tab.htm |title=Election Information |accessdate=2007-03-14 |author=Larimer County, Colorado |format=html |work=Larimer County Virtual Courhouse] In the 2007-2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Johnson sits on the powerful Joint Budget Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee.cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/Clics/Clics2007A/csl.nsf/DirectoryHou?openframeset |title=Senate Committees |accessdate=2007-03-14 |format=html |work=Colorado General Assembly]

A moderate Republican, Johnson was the State Senate sponsor for Referendum C, a statewide measure to remove TABOR restrictions on the state budget; his sponsorship put him at odd with other fiscally conservative Republicans. In addition to his work on the six-member Joint Budget Committee preparing the state budget, Johnson has expressed priorities of expanding funding to higher education and re-opening the state drivers' license office in Loveland.cite news |first=Andra |last=Coberly |title=A Rare Find: A Republican With Power
url=http://www.knowledgemessenger.com/a/ViewNewsletter.asp?id=2957&App=senjohnson |work=Fort Collins Weekly |date=3 January 2007 |accessdate=2007-03-14 ] / The office reopened on May 16, 2008.

In June 2007, Johnson — otherwise healthy and athletic, having recently taken second place in a legislative fitness challenge — suffered a heart attack. That same summer, Johnson taught an organic chemistry class at Colorado State University. Since then, Johnson has placed a renewed emphasis on affordable health care, calling it a "moral issue" for the Republican Party.cite news |first=Andra |last=Coberly |title=HHeart attack motivates Colo. senator to be more heart-healthy |url=http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071028/NEWS/110270208
work=Greeley Tribune |date=28 October 2007 |accessdate=2007-11-18 ] cite news |first=Jason |last=Kosena |title=Health care dominates meeting |url=http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071104/NEWS01/711040351/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02&template=printart
work=Fort Collins Coloradoan |date=4 November 2007 |accessdate=2007-11-18 ]

In January 2008, Johnson, facing the end of his senate tenure in 2010, announced his candidacy for a seat on the Larimer County Board of Commissioners. [http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080122/NEWS01/801220305/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 The Coloradoan - www.coloradoan.com - Ft. Collins, CO ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/senate/members/sen15.htm State Senator Steve Johnson] official government site
* [http://www.knowledgemessenger.com/a/?app=senjohnson Senator Steve Johnson] personal website
* [http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=12318 Project Vote Smart - Senator Steve Johnson (CO)] profile
*"Follow the Money" - Steve Johnson
** [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=20066&c=418248 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=20046&c=411151 2004] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=20026&c=34029 2002] Senate campaign contributions
** [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=20006&c=347586 2000] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=19986&c=347209 1998] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=19966&c=346873 1996] House campaign contributions
* [http://cfapp2.rockymountainnews.com/election/profiles/c_profiles.cfm?oper=cand_profile&id=12616&qa=1,3 Rocky Mountain News - Steve Johnson] candidate profile