Wikipedia

Jeanne Labuda

Jeanne Labuda (c. 1947[2] – July 25, 2022[3]) was a former legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Democrat in 2006, Labuda represented House District 1.[4]

Jeanne Labuda
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives
from the 1st district
In office
January 10, 2007 – January 7, 2015
Preceded byFran Coleman
Succeeded bySusan Lontine
Personal details
Born1947 (age 76–77)
Texas
DiedJuly 25, 2022
Hampton, Virginia
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMichael D. Taber[1]
Alma materUniversity of Colorado, Boulder
Texas A&I University
OccupationTeacher, attorney, politician

Biography edit

Early career edit

After earning a bachelor's degree from Texas A&I University in 1968,[1] Labuda worked for two and a half years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia. She then taught for several years — working both as a high school teacher of English and government[1] in South Texas[5] and as a teaching assistant at the University of Texas at Austin. She has also worked as a claims representative for the Social Security Administration.[1]

Labuda later earned a J.D. from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1989 and served as a staff attorney for Liberty Mutual and TIG Insurance Company before becoming an assistant attorney general for the state of Colorado.[1]

A resident of southwest Denver for over three decades,[5] Labuda served as a board member and chair of the Harvey Park Improvement Association. She was also appointed by Mayor Wellington Webb as neighborhood liaison for southwest Denver, to the Denver Planning Board by mayors Webb and Peña, and to the community advisory board for Father Ed Judy House by Denver City Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz. She was president of the Denver Chapter of the American Association of University Women and a member of the executive committee for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Sierra Club.[1]

A "life-long Democrat,"[5] Labuda was the Democratic party co-captain for House District 1, and ran unsuccessfully for the Denver City Council.[1] Labuda was married; she and her husband, Michael Taber, had two children: Danica and Emily,[1] who are both college graduates. They also had a son, Lukas, who died of SIDS when he was two years old.[5]

Legislative career edit

2006 election edit

In 2006, Labuda sought the Democratic nomination for the open seat vacated by Rep. Fran Coleman, who unsuccessfully ran for the Colorado Senate. In the party primary, Labuda emphasized her experience in contrast with younger Denver deputy district attorney Alfredo Hernandez,[6] who garnered endorsements from a number of sitting representatives. Labuda was able to spend more money in the primary, in part by loaning her campaign over $30,000,[7] and won the nomination with around 60% of the vote.[8]

In the general election, Labuda faced Republican paralegal Aimee Rathburn. In the only competitive Denver-area race, both candidates raised tens of thousands in the Democratic-leaning district.[9] Labuda was endorsed by the Denver Post,[10] but not the Rocky Mountain News.[11] In the end, Labuda prevailed with 55% of the vote.[4]

2007 legislative session edit

During the 2007 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Labuda served on the House Finance Committee, the House Health and Human Services Committee, and the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee.[12]

Labuda focused on health care in the bills she introduced during her first legislative session; her most contentious bill proposed to regulate naturopathic physicians[13] in response to several high-profile deaths associated with naturopathic practitioners with dubious credentials.[14][15] The bill was opposed by the Colorado Medical Society,[13] and supported by the Colorado Association of Naturopathic Physicians.[16] After extensive debate, Labuda, citing unresolved issues, asked for its postponement.[17]

2008 legislative session edit

During the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Labuda sat on the House Finance Committee and the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee, as well as the Joint Legal Services Committee.[18]

Labuda sponsored legislation to protect the child custody rights of Colorado National Guard troops and military reservists deployed for active duty.[19] She also re-introduced her bill to license naturopathic physicians; it was again opposed by the Colorado Medical Society.[20]

2008 election edit

Labuda filed to run for a second term in the Colorado House of Representatives; she faced no challengers for the Democratic nomination, and faced Republican Tom Thomason in the November 2008 general election.[21]

Labuda's re-election bid was endorsed by the Denver Post;[22] she prevailed with 59 percent of the popular vote.[23]

2009 legislative session edit

For the 2009 legislative session, Labuda was named to seats on the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and the Legislative Legal Services Committee, and was named vice-chair of the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee.[24]

2010 legislative session edit

During the 2010 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Labuda served on the House Finance Committee and as the vice-chair of the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee.[25]

2010 election edit

Labuda ran for her third term in the November 2010 general election against Republican Danny E. Stroud.[26] She won the election with 56.3% of the vote.[26]

2011 legislative session edit

For the 2011 session, Labuda served on the House Finance Committee.[27] She was also a member of the Task Force on Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System [28] and the Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission.[29]

2012 legislative session edit

For the 2012 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Labuda serves on the House Finance Committee [30] and the House Local Government Committee.[31] She also sits on the Committee on Legal Services,[32] the Task Force on Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System,[33] and the Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission.[34]

2012 election edit

In the 2012 General Election, Representative Labuda faced Republican challenger John Kidd. Labuda was reelected by a margin of 62% to 34% with the remaining 4% going to libertarian candidate Mike Law.[35][36]

2015 election edit

In 2015 Jeanne Labuda ran for Denver City County District 2. "I'm running for Denver City Council because I want to maintain a legacy of commitment to the citizens of District 2 and bring my financial and budgetary acumen to the Denver City Council."[37]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Jeanne Labuda - Colorado - State House District 1 candidate". RockyMountainNews.com. Retrieved 2007-12-13.[dead link]
  2. ^ "Candidate profile: Jeanne Labuda". YourHub.com. 11 October 2006. Archived from the original on 25 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  3. ^ "Jeanne Labuda Obituary (1947 - 2022) Denver Post". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
  4. ^ a b "State House District 1". COMaps. Archived from the original on 2008-03-04. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  5. ^ a b c d "About Jeanne". JeanneLabuda.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  6. ^ CoyoteGulch (25 June 2006). "Senate District 32 and House District 1 Debate". SquareState.net. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  7. ^ Oh-Willeke, Andrew (24 July 2006). "SUpdated HD 1: Hernandez v. Labuda". Colorado Confidential. Archived from the original on 11 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  8. ^ Oh-Willeke, Andrew (8 August 2006). "Primary Results -- Colorado -- August 8, 2006". Colorado Confidential. Archived from the original on 11 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  9. ^ Oh-Willeke, Andrew (17 October 2006). "HD 1: The Race To Watch In Denver". Colorado Confidential. Archived from the original on 2007-10-19. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  10. ^ Editorial Board (7 October 2006). "State House races". Denver Post. Archived from the original on 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  11. ^ Editorial Board (12 October 2006). "Our choices for the Colorado House". Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on December 1, 2006. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  12. ^ "House Committees of Reference". Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
  13. ^ a b Davis, Joyzelle (1 March 2007). "Naturopathy - a healthy debate". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  14. ^ Doligosa, Felix (16 February 2007). "Proposed legislation would regulate naturopaths". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  15. ^ Sealover, Ed (9 April 2007). "Bills would provide business oversight". The Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2007-12-13.[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ "Letters of Support Needed Now". Colorado Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Archived from the original on 2007-10-28. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  17. ^ "House Committee on Health and Human Services (04/09/2007)". Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
  18. ^ "House Committees of Reference". Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
  19. ^ Gathright, Alan (27 February 2008). "Bill would safeguard custody for some troops". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
  20. ^ Hoover, Tim (5 March 2008). ""Naturopathic doctors" face oversight". Denver Post. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
  21. ^ "Unofficial Candidate List For the August 12, 2008 Primary Election" (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved 2008-04-22.
  22. ^ Editorial Board (17 October 2008). "Post's picks in Colorado's House of Representatives". Denver Post. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
  23. ^ "Colorado Statewide Cumulative Report - 2008 General Election". Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved 2008-12-04.[permanent dead link]
  24. ^ "House Democrats Unveil 2009 Committee Chairs & Assignments" (Press release). Colorado House Democrats. 18 November 2008. Archived from the original on 3 January 2010.
  25. ^ "2010 House Committees of Reference". Colorado Legislative Council. Archived from the original on 2013-04-08. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
  26. ^ a b "Colorado State House 2010 Election Results". Denver Post. Archived from the original on 2011-08-14. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
  27. ^ "House Finance Committee Members". Colorado Legislative Council. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
  28. ^ "Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System Task Force Members". Colorado Legislative Council. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
  29. ^ "Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission Interim". Colorado Legislative Council. Archived from the original on 2012-05-23. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
  30. ^ "House Finance Committee Members". Colorado Legislative Council. Archived from the original on 2011-11-14. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
  31. ^ "House Local Government Committee Members". Colorado Legislative Council. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
  32. ^ "Committee on Legal Services Members". Colorado Legislative Council. Archived from the original on 2012-01-30. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
  33. ^ "Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System Task Force Members". Colorado Legislative Council. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
  34. ^ "Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission Interim". Colorado Legislative Council. Archived from the original on 2012-05-23. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
  35. ^ "CO - Election Results - Colorado Secretary of State". Archived from the original on 2017-03-14. Retrieved 2012-11-09.
  36. ^ "State House 2012 Election Results - Denver Post". Archived from the original on 2014-07-08. Retrieved 2012-11-09.
  37. ^ "Labuda Campaign for Denver City Council District 2 Website". Archived from the original on 2015-09-14. Retrieved 2015-04-21.

External links edit

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