Joel Judd

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Joel Judd
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 5th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 8, 2003[1]
Born	September 11, 1951 (1951-09-11) (age 56) Denver, Colorado
Political party	Democratic
Profession	Attorney
Religion	Jewish[2]

Joel Stanton Judd (born September 10, 1951^[2]) is a Colorado legislator. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Democrat in 2002, Judd represents House District 5, which encompasses downtown Denver, Colorado.^[3]

Contents 1 Biography 2 Legislative career 2.1 Sponsored legislation 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Biography

Born in Denver, Colorado, Judd earned a bachelor's degree from New College of Florida in 1972 and then returned to Colorado, earning a law degree from the University of Denver in 1976. He then entered private practice, working at Feder & Morris from 1976 to 1977, at Reckseen and Lau from 1977 to 1982, and finally opening an individual law practice in 1982.^[2]

As a community member, Judd has served as President of the Downtown Denver Optimists Club from 1980 to 1983, and as President of Denver's Jewish Community Center, from 1985 to 1988. Also an active outdoorsman, Judd maintains a list of his favorite hikes on his campaign web site;^[4] he was also president of the Denver Mosaic Outdoor Mountain Club from 1994 to 1997,^[2] and served on Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America's national board of directors from 1998 to 1999.^[5]

[edit] Legislative career

Judd was first elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2002, defeating Republican Brandi Moreland and Constitution Party candidate Christopher Wilson with over 70 percent of votes cast. Judd was re-elected in 2004, defeating Republican John Wren with over 75 percent of the vote, and then elected to a third term in 2006 with no opposition.^[3]

During his first term, Judd sat on the House Information and Technology Committee and the House Judiciary Committee.^[1] In his second term, Judd moved to the House Appropriations Committee and to the House Finance Committee where, under Democratic control of the legislature, he was named Vice-Chairman.^[6] Currently in his third term, Judd remains on the House Appropriations Committee and chairs the House Finance Committee.^[7][8]

[edit] Sponsored legislation

In 2006, Judd sponsored a measure to allow pregnant teenagers to seek medical treatment without parental consent; the bill passed the legislature and was enacted into law, albeit without the signature of Gov. Bill Owens.^[9]

During the 2007 legislative session, in reaction to a 2006 hit and run accident that killed a mother and her two young children in downtown Denver, Judd sponsored legislation to strengthen penalties for drunk driving and require ignition interlock devices on the automobiles of those convicted of DUIs.^[10] The measure would have made Colorado's drunk-driving laws the strictest in the nation,^[11] but was defeated in the legislature.^[12] Another 2007 measure by Judd, designed to limit handguns with vehicles unless the owner held a concealed carry permit,^[13] was opposed by gun-rights advocates and the National Rifle Association,^[14] and was defeated in committee.

A another proposal of Judd's, that would have required casinos to withhold child support money from the gambling winnings of deadbeat parents passed the state house, was blocked in a Senate committee^[15] in both 2006 and again in 2007.^[16]

One of Judd's successful 2007 bills was a measure to increases penalties for employers who willfully withhold pay from employees, written and pushed through the legislature with the help of students from the University of Denver's law clinic.^[17][18]

In the 2008 session, Judd has introduced legislation to requite ignition interlocks for drivers convicted of driving while intoxicated,^[19] and to limit campaign contributions from limited liability corporations.^[20]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Legislative web site
• Campaign web site