LaWanna Shurtliff

LaWanna "Lou" Shurtliff is an American politician who served in the Utah House of Representatives from 1999 through 2008, and was elected again in 2018.

LaWanna Shurtliff
Member of the
Utah House of Representatives
from the 10th district
Assumed office
January 1, 2019
Preceded byDixon Pitcher
In office
1999–2008
Personal details
BornStar Valley, Wyoming, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materUtah State University (BS)

Early life and education

Shurtliff earned a BS in Business and English Education from Utah State University in 1957.[1]

Career

Shurtliff was asked last minute by the Weber County Democratic Party to run for the Utah State Senate. Shurtliff lost by under 200 votes and garnered 49.92%. [2]

In 1998 Pat Larsen was retiring from her seat in the Utah House of Representatives in District 10. Shurtliff ran to succeed her friend Pat and won against Republican Bill Turner. Shurtliff had held the District 10 seat, from 1999 through 2008, and was last elected in 2006 to the seat, which covers southern Ogden and South Ogden. She didn't seek reelection after that last term. During her time in the legislature from 1999 to 2008 Shurtliff passed legislation related to assisting victims of domestic violence, establishing some of the first stalking injunctions in the country and increasing funding for Utah schools and teachers.

Three days before the 2018 filing ended Shurtliff was approached by two Weber State University students and was asked to run for her old seat in House District 10, offering to manage her campaign. She filed the next day and was the only Democrat to file for that race.[3] In the 2018 general election, she defeated Republican candidate Lorraine Brown, with 53.89% of the vote. [4] Shurtliff is the first Democrat to win a Utah House race in Weber County since Neil Hansen won the District 9 race in 2008.[5]. During the 2019 session Shurtliff sponsored multiple pieces of legislation that addressed substance abuse and justice reform. [6]. Lou Shurtliff also voted against SB 96 that altered the medicaid expansion initiative that passed in 2018. She credited her vote against altering the initiative due to her district voting over 60% in favor of it and "respecting the will of the people". [7]

Shurtliff was also a founding executive committee member to the group Weber County Forward.[8]

Personal life

Shurtliff and her husband Bob Shurtliff raised their two children in Ogden. Shurtliff is a retired English teacher at Ogden High School.[9] She taught at Ogden High School from 1966 to 1994.[10]

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References
  1. VoteSmart biography
  2. http://www.weberelections.com/results/index.php
  3. http://toddcastutah.libsyn.com/rep-lou-shurtliff-on-substance-abuse-and-justice-reform
  4. Ballotpedia
  5. "Weber County Dems on track to win first Utah House seat in a decade," Ogden Standard Examiner, Nov. 7, 2018
  6. https://le.utah.gov/~2019/bills/static/HB0359.html
  7. https://le.utah.gov/av/floorArchive.jsp?markerID=105619
  8. https://www.standard.net/news/government/weber-county-leaders-to-debate-plan-seeking-study-into-changing/article_95fb4919-7b6d-52e6-982f-72aa3d999fce.html
  9. "Meet the seven new women — five Democrats and two Republicans — who will join the Utah Legislature in January," Salt Lake Tribune, December 26, 2018
  10. VoteSmart biography
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