Ken Summers (Colorado legislator)

Infobox State Representative
name=Kenneth Summers


state_house=Colorado
state=Colorado
district=22nd
term_start=January 10 2007
preceded=Matt Knoedler
succeeded=Incumbent
date of birth=birth date and age|1953|11|12
place of birth=Denver, Colorado
date of death=
place of death=
spouse=Debbie
profession=Pastor
religion=Assemblies of God
party=Republican|

Kenneth Guy Summers (born November 12 1953cite web |url=http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=65373 |title=Representative Summers |accessdate=2008-01-27 |format=html |work=Project Vote Smart] ) 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.cite web |url=http://comaps.org/district22h.html |title=State House District 22 |accessdate=2008-01-27 |format=html |work=COMaps ]

Biography

Born in Denver, Colorado, Summers was raised in Englewood, Colorado and graduated from Englewood High School.cite web |url=http://www.statebillinfo.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=Main.KenSummers |title=Ken Summers |accessdate=2008-01-30 |work=WikiCircuitMedia ] He earned a bachelor's degree in business education from the University of Northern Colorado in 1976,cite web |url=http://cfapp2.rockymountainnews.com/election/profiles/c_profiles.cfm?oper=cand_profile&id=12951&qa=1 |title=Kenneth Guy Summers - Colorado - State House District 22 candidate |accessdate=2008-01-30 |format=html |work=RockyMountainNews.com ] and was a business teacher at Eylwood High School for two years before beginning a career in Christian ministry.

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. 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; he was also a volunteer coach at Strasburg High School.

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.

He returned to Colorado in 1992 as senior pastor of Dakota Ridge Assembly in Littleton. 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, and a board member of Teen Challenge of the Rocky Mountains. He also helped found and served as president of Jericho Road Mentoring, a program to recruit mentors for children of prisoners.cite web |url=http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Stories/News/Politics/Story~125736.aspx |title=Meet CO House 22 Candidate Kenneth Summers |accessdate=2008-01-30 |work=YourHub.com ]

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 Summers is married; he and his wife, Debbie have two children: Christian and Stephanie.

Political activities

Summers served on the precinct committee of the Jefferson County Republican Party from 2002 to 2006. 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.cite press release | title=Governor Mitt Romney Announces Colorado Legislative Leadership Team | publisher=Romney for President | date=November 15 2007 | url=http://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/CO_Legislative_Leadership_Team | accessdate=2008-12-30 ] Shortly before Super Tuesday in February, he was announced as a Jefferson County chair for Romney's campaign.cite press release |title=Romney For President Announces Colorado County Chairs |publisher=Romney for President |date=2 February, 2008 |url=http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/48742104_mitt-romney-romney-president-announces-colorado-co |accessdate=2008-05-03 ]

Legislative career

Infobox Colorado Legislation
Title=Rep.
Name=Summers
Year=2007
Bill Number 1=HB07-1004
Bill Number 2=HB07-1111
Bill Number 3=HB07-1159
Bill Number 4=HB07-1227
Bill Number 5=HB07-1273
Bill Link 1=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/4168FD313F61C23E87257251007C5610?Open&file=1004_enr.pdf
Bill Link 2=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/777D7E914F122BFF87257251007C7CF0?Open&file=1111_01.pdf
Bill Link 3=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/7D4E227E583BC28D87257251007D481C?Open&file=1159_enr.pdf
Bill Link 4=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/2EBC5D901FFA4B818725725D00592FAB?Open&file=1227_01.pdf
Bill Link 5=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/CC5B81EA9080BA2687257260007CFE16?Open&file=1273_01.pdf
Bill Title 1=Concerning additional reporting requirements for the annual report regarding the "Colorado Sex Offender Lifetime Supervision Act of 1998."
Bill Title 2=Concerning educator licensing.
Bill Title 3=Concerning the manner in which a special district conducts a ballot issue election.
Bill Title 4=Concerning evaluations by commissions on judicial performance.
Bill Title 5=Concerning the subtraction of expenses for medical care from the state taxable income for the purpose of calculating state income tax liability.
Bill Status 1=Signed by Gov. Ritter
Bill Status 2=Postponed indefinitely in House committee
Bill Status 3=Signed by Gov. Ritter
Bill Status 4=Postponed indefinitely in House committee
Bill Status 5=Postponed indefinitely in House committee

2006 election

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"cite news |author=Editorial Board |title=Our choices for the Colorado House |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2006/oct/12/our-choices-for-the-colorado-house/
work=Rocky Mountain News |date=October 12 2006 |accessdate=2008-01-30 ] and the "Denver Post".cite news |author=Editorial Board |title=State House races |url=http://www.denverpost.com/endorsements/ci_4448954
work=Denver Post |date=October 7 2006 |accessdate=2008-01-30 ] Summers won in the Republican-leaning district with 53 percent of the popular vote.

2007 legislative session

During the 2007 legislative session, Summers served on the House Education Committee and the House Local Government Committee.cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/directory.nsf/HouCommWp?OpenView |title=House Committees of Reference |accessdate=2008-01-26 |format=html |work=Colorado General Assembly]

Summers sponsored a resolution declaring Colorado Charter Schools Week in April 2007,cite news |author=Staff Reports |title=On the side |url=http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_5595605
work=Denver Post |date=April 4 2007 |accessdate=2008-01-30 ] and unsuccessful legislation to allow individuals to deduct out-of-pocket medical expenses from taxable income.cite news |first=Andy |last=McElhany |title=Determine the real scope of the problem |url=http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_6530506
work=Denver Post |date=August 3 2007 |accessdate=2008-01-30 ]

2008 legislative session

In the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Summers sits on the House Education Committee and the House Local Government Committee.cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2008a/directory.nsf/HouCommWp?OpenView |title=House Committees of Reference |accessdate=2008-01-26 |format=html |work=Colorado General Assembly]

For the 2008 legislative session, Summers has sponsored legislation to restrict the eminent domain power of Denver's RTD,cite news |first=Kevin |last=Flynn |title=RTD condemnation splits board |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jan/23/rtd-condemnation-splits-board/
work=Rocky Mountain News |date=January 23 2008 |accessdate=2008-01-30 ] after the transit agency attempted to take property used by private businesses along a new rail line.cite news |first=Ed |last=Sealover |title=State bill would limit eminent-domain uses |url=http://www.milehighnews.com/Articles-i-2008-01-31-205305.114125_State_bill_would_limit_eminentdomain_uses.html
work=MileHighNews.com |date=31 January 2008 |accessdate=2008-02-14 ] Another of Summers' bills would have required voters to present photo identificationcite news |first=Mike |last=Saccone |title=Proposal would require photo ID to vote |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jan/12/proposal-would-require-photo-id-to-vote/
work=Rocky Mountain News |date=January 12 2008 |accessdate=2008-01-30 ] , but was killed in committee.cite news |first=Ed |last=Sealover |coauthors=Michael Davidson |title=Voting bills die |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/required_32891___article.html/bills_voters.html
work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=7 February 2008 |accessdate=2008-02-14 ] He has also introduced bills to create performance incentives for public school teachers,cite news |first=Andy |last=McElhany |title=Opening day speeches |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jan/09/opening-day-speeches/
work=Rocky Mountain News |date=January 9 2008 |accessdate=2008-01-30 ] and to facilitate the continuation of specialized license plates for state colleges.cite news |author=Associated Press |title=UNC faces elimination of Bear license plate due to low number |url=http://kjct8.com/Global/story.asp?S=7830806
work=KJCT8.com |date=6 February 2008 |accessdate=2008-02-14 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/House/members/Hou22.htm Legislative web site]