Current Office: Senator
First Elected: 2007
Next Election: 2012
Party: Democratic

General

Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Lauren; 7 Children
Birth date:
Birthplace: Michigan City, IN
Home City: LaPorte IN
Religion:

Profession

Sheriff, LaPorte County, 1999-2007 Deputy/Sergeant/Captain/Chief Deputy, LaPorte County Sheriff's Office, 1975-2007 Chief Investigator/Paralegal, LaPorte County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Air Traffic Controller, United States Air Force United States Army Reserves

Education

Paralegal Certificate, Indiana University BA, Political Science/History, Valparaiso University

Committees

Appointments and Claims
Elections
Homeland Security, Transportation and Veterans Affairs
Natural Resources
Pensions and Labor
Public Policy
Subcommittee on Public Safety

HB 1149 Prohibits Smoking in Public Places
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1149 Prohibits Smoking in Public Places
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1001 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join a Labor Organization
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 89 Requiring the Instruction of Origin of Life Theories from Multiple Religions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 269 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

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HB 1149 Prohibits Smoking in Public Places
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1149 Prohibits Smoking in Public Places
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1001 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join a Labor Organization
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 89 Requiring the Instruction of Origin of Life Theories from Multiple Religions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 269 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 170 Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest in Local Government
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1216 Public Works Projects
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Nay

HB 1601 Legislative Redistricting
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1003 School Vouchers
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

HB 1210 Repealing Medicaid Funding for Planned Parenthood
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

SB 575 Collective Bargaining for School Employees
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Nay

HB 1210 Repealing Medicaid Funding for Planned Parenthood
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

S. Amdt. 5 State Appropriations and Abortion Facilities
Stage: Amendment Vote
Vote: Nay

HB 1002 Charter School Amendments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

SB 192 Authorizing a Study of Marijuana
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 1 Evaluating and Licensing of Teachers
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 192 Authorizing a Study of Marijuana
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 1 Evaluating and Licensing of Teachers
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 575 Collective Bargaining for School Employees
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 47 Gambling Expansion
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1065 Authorizing Firearms at Workplace
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 75 Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1367 Education Law Amendments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

SB 150 School Year Beginning and Ending Limitations
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SJR 13 Defining Marriage as Being Between One Man and One Woman
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 23 Unemployment Tax Law Amendments
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 23 Unemployment Tax Law Amendments
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 23 Unemployment Tax Law Amendments
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1001 2010 Budget Bill
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1491 St. Joseph Superior Court Judges
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1604 Authorizing Local Tax Increases to Fund Sports and Convention Facilities
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1607 West Lake Commuter Rail Project
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1604 Authorizing Local Tax Increases to Fund Sports and Convention Facilities
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1607 West Lake Commuter Rail Project
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1379 Unemployment Benefit Amendments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

SB 512 Eliminating Township Boards in Counties Without a Consolidated City
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 90 Pre-Abortion Notification Requirement
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1001 Property Tax Reduction
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Nay

SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Nay

HB 1001 Property Tax Reduction
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Nay

SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Nay

HB 1210 Teacher Certification
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1153 Low-Stakes Gambling
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1001 Property Tax Reduction
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

Amnd. 17 Elimination of Township Assessors
Stage: Amendment Vote
Vote: Nay

Amnd. 19 Referendum on Township Assessors
Stage: Amendment Vote
Vote: Yea

Amnd. 17 Elimination of Township Assessors
Stage: Amendment Vote
Vote: Nay

Amnd. 19 Referendum on Township Assessors
Stage: Amendment Vote
Vote: Yea

Amnd. 17 Elimination of Township Assessors
Stage: Amendment Vote
Vote: Nay

Amnd. 19 Referendum on Township Assessors
Stage: Amendment Vote
Vote: Yea

SB 3 Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 146 Pre-Abortion Notification Requirement
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 16 Change in Township Assessment
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 335 Immigration Bill
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 143 Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 3 Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 335 Immigration Bill
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 16 Change in Township Assessment
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 3 Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 143 Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 143 Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 335 Immigration Bill
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 143 Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 3 Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 146 Pre-Abortion Notification Requirement
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SJR 7 Definition of Marriage
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 3 Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 18 Allowing Referendum on Public Construction Projects
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1835 Slot Machines at Race Tracks
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1001 Operating Budget
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1678 Employer Health Insurance Plans
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1835 Slot Machines at Race Tracks
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1678 Employer Health Insurance Plans
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1835 Slot Machines at Race Tracks
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1510 Charity Gambling and Illegal Gambling Enforcement
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1678 Employer Health Insurance Plans
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Yea

HB 1001 Operating Budget
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1478 Property Tax Reduction
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1510 Charity Gambling and Illegal Gambling Enforcement
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1478 Property Tax Reduction
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1835 Slot Machines at Race Tracks
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

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