Steve King (Colorado legislator)

Infobox State Representative
name=Steve King


state_house=Colorado
state=Colorado
district=54th
term_start=January 10 2007
preceded=
succeeded=Incumbent
date of birth=
place of birth=
date of death=
place of death=
spouse=Daun
profession=
religion=
party=Republican|

Steve King is a legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Republican in 2006, King represents House District 54, encompassing southern Mesa County and western Delta County, Colorado.cite web |url=http://comaps.org/district54h.html |title=State House District 54 |accessdate=2008-04-02 |format=html |work=COMaps ]

Biography

King graduated from Colon High School in Colon, Michigan in 1977, and then earned an associate's degree from Mesa College in 1980. After graduation, he worked as a police officer for the Grand Junction Police Department, receiving law enforcement officer certification from the Colorado Law Enforcement Training Academy in Golden, Colorado.cite web |url=http://www.votesteveking.com/steveprofilep2.html |title=Steve's Work History |accessdate=2008-04-04 |work=Steve King - State House 54 ]

King was promoted to detective in 1982, and then transferred back to the patrol division in 1986 while finishing an undergraduate degree. From 1987 to 1988, he worked briefly as an investment broker, and received his bachelor's degree in psychology from Mesa State College in 1988. He returned to the Grand Junction Police Department in 1988 as a field training officer. In 1990, King received the Grand Junction Police Department Medal of Honor for Life Saving. From 1991 to 1993, King served as president of the Grand Junction Police Officer's Association; in 1992, he was vice-president of the City of Grand Junction's Employees Association, and served as its president in 1993.

King began training in martial arts in 1977; he is a second degree black belt in Jeet Kune Do and Shorin-Ryu Style Karate. He received a gold medal in karate at the 1993 World Police and Fire Games and a silver medal at the 1995 games.

Shortly after marrying in 1991, King, with his wife, Daun, founded American National Protective Services, a company providing self-defense instruction to women and incident management and robbery prevention instruction to businesses. He remains the chief operating officer of the company. In 1999, King joined the Mesa County Sheriff's Office as an investigator for the Complex Crimes Unit. From 2000 through 2006, he served as president of the Mesa County Deputy Sheriff's Association. King still worked part-time with both the Mesa County Sheriff's Office and American National Protective Services during his first term as a legislator.cite news |first=Emily |last=Anderson |title=Day jobs: State rep kicks it in off-time |url=http://www.gjfreepress.com/article/20080804/COMMUNITY_NEWS/917475798/1076&parentprofile=-1 |work=Grand Junction Gree Press |date=4 August 2008 |accessdate=2008-08-10 ]

He and his wife aun have three children,cite web |url=http://www.votesteveking.com/profilep1.html |title=Optimism - Strong Family Values - Dedication |accessdate=2008-04-04 |work=Steve King - State House 54 ] including a son, Kody, born about 1997.cite news |first=Mike |last=Saccone |title=Students meet lawmakers at Capitol |url=http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/04/24/042508_1b_Liberty_Day.html |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |date=24 April 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-25 ]

Legislative career

2006 election

Infobox Colorado Legislation
Title=Rep.
Name=King
Year=2007
Bill Number 1=HB07-1002
Bill Number 2=HB07-1076
Bill Number 3=HB07-1125
Bill Number 4=HB07-1257
Bill Number 5=HB07-1343
Bill Number 6=HB07-1350
Bill Link 1=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/66957921E947F41D87257251007B8D0C?Open&file=1002_01.pdf
Bill Link 2=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/78D9DBFE2ECF34BD87257251007D4D62?Open&file=1076_01.pdf
Bill Link 3=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/D8AC55403F4AA2E387257251007C71D6?Open&file=1125_01.pdf
Bill Link 4=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/F9E71D7F4C18448087257267007B7DEB?Open&file=1257_eng.pdf
Bill Link 5=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/5664957448C7B55287257291005F8791?Open&file=1343_enr.pdf
Bill Link 6=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/452E5C758A713BAC8725725E00579AD0?Open&file=1350_enr.pdf
Bill Title 1=Concerning consent to search an inmate on parole.
Bill Title 2=Concerning the provision of training to prevent contraband smuggling, and making an appropriation therefore.
Bill Title 3=Concerning the regulation of certain communal living situations in which services are provided to fewer than four persons with special needs.
Bill Title 4=Concerning child abuse involving selling drugs with knowledge that a child is present.
Bill Title 5=Concerning genetic testing of all felony offenders, and making an appropriation therefor.
Bill Title 6=Concerning the creation of a victim address confidentiality program, making an appropriation therefor, and requiring a post-enactment review of the implementation of this act.
Bill Status 1=Postponed indefinitely in House committee
Bill Status 2=Postponed indefinitely in House committee
Bill Status 3=Postponed indefinitely in House committee
Bill Status 4=Postponed indefinitely in House committee
Bill Status 5=Signed by Gov. Ritter
Bill Status 6=Signed by Gov. Ritter

In 2006 legislative elections, King defeated Democrat Richard Alward with 62 percent of the popular vote.

2007 legislative session

During the 2007 legislative session, King served on the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee and the House Judiciary 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]

During his first legislative session, King introduced a bill, cosponsored by House Speaker Andrew Romanoff and signed into law by Gov. Ritter, to allow rape or domestic violence victims to use false addresses in public records.cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Brown |title=Victims call fake address key to safety |url=http://www.denverpost.com//ci_5534744 |work=Denver Post |date=28 March 2007 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] cite news |author=Staff Report |title=Under the dome |url=http://www.denverpost.com//ci_5689930 |work=Denver Post |date=18 April 2007 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] He was also an outspoken proponent of expanding Colorado's "Make My Day" law to cover businesses,cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Brown |title=House OKs "make my day" change |url=http://www.denverpost.com//ci_5229188 |work=Denver Post |date=14 February 2007 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Brown |title="Make My Day Better" advances |url=http://www.denverpost.com//ci_5225717 |work=Denver Post |date=14 February 2007 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] and against legislation which would have ended Colorado's use of the death penalty.cite news |first=Alan |last=Gathright |title=Lawmakers kill death-penalty bill |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5491532,00.html |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=18 April 2007 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] cite news |first=Alan |last=Gathright |coauthors=Sue Lindsay |title=Critics say cold-case bill a bid to kill death penalty |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/government/article/0,2777,DRMN_23906_5481875,00.html |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=13 April 2007 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ]

In November 2007, King led Republican legislators in a letter to President George W. Bush prohibiting illegal immigrants from being detained at jails using tasers.cite news |author=Staff Reports |title=Briefs: Kinetic race won't take place in 2008, perhaps ever again |url=http://www.denverpost.com//ci_7334682 |work=Denver Post |date=1 November 2007 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ]

2008 legislative session

In the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Mitchell sits on the House Judiciary 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]

King was a co-chair of a special legislative committee that recommended the censure of Rep. Douglas Bruce for kicking a photographer;cite news |author=Staff Reports |title=Joint statement from House on Bruce investigation |url=http://www.denverpost.com//ci_7978019 |work=Denver Post |date=15 January 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] King had called for his suspension from the House,cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Brown |title=Bruce alone in the House |url=http://www.denverpost.com//ci_8022254 |work=Denver Post |date=20 January 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] and voted to require Bruce to apologize for his actions.cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Brown |title=House to vote on Bruce censure |url=http://www.denverpost.com//ci_8065454 |work=Denver Post |date=24 January 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ]

During the 2008 session, King sponsored legislation to give universities (specifically, Mesa State College in his district and Colorado State University) greater control over their own investment funds,cite news |first=Colleen |last=Slevin |title=Mesa State, CSU ask lawmakers to control investments |url=http://www.denverpost.com//ci_8027414 |work=Denver Post |date=20 January 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] cite news |first=Mike |last=Saccone |title=Mesa State asset bill advances |url=http://www.gjsentinel.com/search/content/news/stories/2008/03/13/031408_9B_investments.html |work=Grand Junction Sentinel |date=13 March 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] to raise bails for DUI charges in which suspects also committ "aggravating offenses,"cite news |first=Lynn |last=Bartels |title=DUI victims' families back bail hike |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/apr/02/victims-families-hold-breath-over-dui-bill/ |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=2 April 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] cite news |first=Mike |last=Saccone |title=King to seek higher bonds in DUI ases |url=http://www.gjsentinel.com/search/content/news/stories/2008/03/06/030708_12b_bond.html |work=Grand Junction Sentinel |date=6 March 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] and to prevent child pornography from being copied during legal proceedings.cite news |first=Mike |last=Saccone |title=King’s child-porn bill picks up House support |url=http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2008/05/01/050208_3a_King_bill.html |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |date=1 May 2008 |accessdate=2008-05-02 ] He also sponsored a ballot measure to allow senior citizens to take advantage of property tax credits even after moving.cite news |first=Mike |last=Saccone |title=Committee approves King's tax proposal |url=http://www.gjsentinel.com/search/content/news/stories/2008/04/02/040308_4b_tax_question.html |work=Grand Junction Sentinel |date=2 April 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] In total, King sponsored 12 House and Senate bills, 7 of which were passed into law.cite news |first=Mike |last=Saccone |title=Lawmakers largely successful with bills |url=http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/06/14/061508_8b_Bill_report.html |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |date=14 June 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-19 ]

In September 2007, King was appointed by Gov. Bill Ritter to a 21-member task on handling and use of DNA evidence.cite news |first=Miles |last=Moffeit |title=Ritter: DNA over discipline |url=http://www.denverpost.com//ci_6866316 |work=Denver Post |date=12 September 2007 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] The task force recommended legislation, co-sponsored by King in the state house, to require that DNA evidence in capital cases be preserved.cite news |first=Miles |last=Moffeit |title=DNA bills spur heated testimony |url=http://www.denverpost.com//ci_8631392 |work=Denver Post |date=20 March 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] cite news |first=Miles |last=Moffeit |title=DMysteriously added phrase changes intent of DNA bill |url=http://www.denverpost.com//ci_8664896 |work=Denver Post |date=22 March 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] The bill spurred opposition from a number of district attorneys because of a provision that would require new trials in cases where evidence had been lost by law enforcement.cite news |first=Gary |last=Harmon |title=DNA bill pits King against usual allies |url=http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/04/10/041108_1A_King_DNA_bill.html |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |date=10 April 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-11 ] After the bill passed and was signed into law, Grand Junction law enforcement officials expressed concerned about the storage capacity required to meet the law's evidence preservation requirements, and approached King for assistance.cite news |first=Emily |last=Anderson |title=King's DNA law leads to capacity worries for GJ police evidence storage |url=http://gjfreepress.com/article/20080523/COMMUNITY_NEWS/792799438 |work=Grand Junction Free Press |date=23 May 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-13 ]

Following the legislative session, King was named to an interim committee focusing on wildfire and development issues in mountain areas of Colorado.cite news |author=Staff Reports |title=King appointed to forest committee |url=http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2008/06/11/061208_6b_King_appointment.html |work=Grand Junctino Sentinel |date=11 June 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-14 ]

2008 election

Rep. King is seeking re-election to the Colorado legislature in 2008; he faced no opposition for the Republican nominationcite news |first=Emily |last=Anderson |title=As races intensify, candidates reveal campaign funds |url=http://gjfreepress.com/article/20080428/COMMUNITY_NEWS/448570948 |work=Grand Junction Free Press |date=28 April 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-29 ] and faces no Democratic opposition in the general election.cite news |first=Mike |last=Saccone |title=Rep. King to face no opponent at polls |url=http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2008/06/12/061308_Candidate.html |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |date=12 June 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-14 ] cite news |first=Emily |last=Anderson |title=Campaign finance update |url=http://gjfreepress.com/article/20080613/COMMUNITY_NEWS/404419289 |work=Grand Junctino Free Press |date=13 June 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-14 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/House/members/Hou54.htm Legislative web site]
* [http://www.votesteveking.com/ Campaign web site]