Peter C. Knudson

Peter Charles Knudson is an American politician. A Republican, he is a member of the Utah State Senate, representing the state's 17th senate district in Box Elder, Cache and Tooele Counties including Brigham City.

Peter C. Knudson
Knudson in March 2013
Member of the Utah Senate from the 17th district
In office January 20, 2003 – January 1, 2019
Preceded by	Bill Wright[1]
Succeeded by	Scott Sandall[2]
Member of the Utah Senate from the 24th district
In office January 20, 1999 – January 20, 2003
Preceded by	John P. Holmgren[3]
Succeeded by	Leonard Blackham
Member of the Utah House of Representatives from the 2nd district
In office January 1, 1995 – December 31, 1998
Preceded by	Rob Bishop[4]
Succeeded by	Ben Ferry[5]
36th Mayor of Brigham City
In office January 3, 1978 – January 5, 1990
Preceded by	Harold B. Felt[6]
Succeeded by	Clark N. Davis
Member of the Brigham City Council
In office 1974–1978
Preceded by	Rudolph M. Kaiser[7]
Succeeded by	Robert C. Valentine[8]
Personal details
Born	(1937-10-26) October 26, 1937
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Georgianna
Children	4
Residence	Brigham City, Utah
Occupation	Orthodontist

Early life, education, and career

Peter Knudson started his career in the military.[9] He was a Colonel in the United States Army Reserve.[9] Knudson has an A.S. from Weber State University, his B.S. from Utah State University, his D.D.S. from University of the Pacific's Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, his M.S. from Loyola University and a Certificate of Specialty in Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Orthodontics, Loyola University.[9] Knudson met his wife, Georgie, in their senior year at the University of Utah.[10] She was engaged to someone else, and he was going steady.[10] After they had terminated their previous relationships, friends introduced them again and they began seeing each other.[10] Georgie attended Stanford University after finishing at the University of Utah while Knudson attended dental school at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in San Francisco.[10] By the end of their first quarter, they were engaged and they were married at the end of the school year in 1963.[10] They have four children.[10]

Peter Knudsen works as an orthodontics specialist at the University of Utah at the Greenwood clinic.

Background and affiliations

• Brigham City Mayor ('78–90)
• Brigam City Council ('74–78)
• State Job Training Coord. Council (Chair '92–94)

Knudson worked as an orthodontist for many years.[9] Throughout his career, he won many awards including the Distinguished Service Award from the Utah Dental Association.[9] He also served on a number of dentistry and orthodontic boards, including the following:

• Diplomat, American Board of Orthodontics
• Fellow International College of Dentists
• Fellow American College of Dentists, Utah Association of Orthodontists (past president)
• Rocky Mountain Association of Orthodontists
• American Association of Orthodontists
• American Dental Association
• College of Diplomats of the American Board of Orthodontists
• Pierre Fauchard Academy
• Utah Dental Association

[9]

Political career

Knudson started his political career on the Brigham City Council from 1974 to 1978.[9] He then served as the 36th[11] Mayor of Brigham City from 1978 to 1990.[9] He was elected to the House of Representatives and served there from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 1998.[9] He was elected to the Senate in 1998.[9] Throughout his political career he also served on the Utah League of Cities and Towns as president and the National League of Cities on the Board of Directors and advisory council.[9] The Utah League of Cities and Council named Knudson the Most Outstanding Elected Public Official.[9] Peter Knudson won reelection in 2014 against two challengers, one Democrat, and one member of the Constitution Party. He won 75% of the vote.[12] In 2016, Knudson served as the Assistant Majority Whip.[9] In 2016 he was also on the following committees:

• Executive Appropriations Committee
• Infrastructure and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee
• Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Quality Appropriations Subcommittee
• Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee
• Senate Ethics Committee (Chair)
• Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee
• Senate Rules Committee
• Senate Health and Human Services Committee

[13]

Election

2014

2014 Utah State Senate election District 24

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Peter Knudson	14,431	74.7%
	Democratic	Scott Totman	2,949	15.3%

[12]

Legislation

2016 sponsored bills

Bill number and title	Bill status
S.B. 18 Workforce Services Job Listings Amendments	Governor Signed 3/23/2016
S.B. 35 Veteran License Plates Amendments	Governor Signed 3/18/2016
S.B. 53 Veteran's Definition Amendments	Governor Signed 3/23/2016

[14]

Notable legislation

As Knudson is a former military man himself, he has been the primary and floor sponsor to many bills which help veterans.[15] In 2014, Knudson floor sponsored House Bill 275, which officially designates March 29 as Vietnam War Memorial Day.[15] During the 2016 legislative session Senator Knudson passed a veteran's license plate bill that allows veterans to display a license plate indicating which campaign or theater the veteran served in.[16]

References

1. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=3017
2. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=793946
3. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=223767
4. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=208904
5. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=208982
6. https://brighamcityhistory.org/government/mayor-of-brigham-city/
7. https://www.newspapers.com/image/468216491/
8. https://www.newspapers.com/image/468794717/
9. "Knudson, Peter C." Utah State Senate. Archived from the original on 2015-01-10.
10. "Biological Sketch". Retrieved April 13, 2014.
11. "Peter C. Knudson". Brigham City History Project. 2016-01-07. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
12. "Peter Knudson - Ballotpedia". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
13. "District 17 Senator - Utah State Senate". senate.utah.gov. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
14. "2016 -- Legislation(Senate)". le.utah.gov. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
15. "Knudson, Peter C. Sponsored Legislation". Utah State Senate. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
16. "SB0035". le.utah.gov. Retrieved 2016-03-31.