Jeanne Labuda

Infobox State Representative
name=Jeanne Labuda


state_house=Colorado
state=Colorado
district=1st
term_start=January 10, 2007
preceded=Fran Coleman
succeeded=Incumbent
date of birth=
place of birth=
date of death=
place of death=
spouse=Michael D. Taber
profession=Attorney
religion=Methodist
party=Democratic|

Jeanne Labuda (born c. 1947cite news |title=Candidate profile: Jeanne Labuda |url=http://denver.yourhub.com/Sheridan/Stories/News/Politics/Story~136498.aspx
work=YourHub.com |date=11 October 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-13 ] ) is a legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Democrat in 2006, Labuda represents House District 1, which encompasses Sheridan, Colorado and southeastern Denver.cite web |url=http://comaps.org/district01h.html |title=State House District 1 |accessdate=2007-12-23 |work=COMaps ]

Biography

Early career

After earning a bachelor's degree from Texas A&I University in 1968, 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 in South Texas 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.cite web |url=http://cfapp2.rockymountainnews.com/election/profiles/c_profiles.cfm?oper=cand_profile&id=11758&qa=1 |title=Jeanne Labuda - Colorado - State House District 1 candidate |accessdate=2007-12-13 |work=RockyMountainNews.com ]

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.

A resident of southwest Denver for over two decades,cite web |url=http://jeannelabuda.com/about.htm |title=About Jeanne |accessdate=2007-12-13 |work=JeanneLabuda.com ] Labuda has 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 has also been 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.

A "life-long Democrat," Labuda was the Democratic party co-captain for House District 1, and ran unsuccessfully for the Denver City Council. Labuda is married; she and her husband, Michael Taber, have two children: Danica and Emily, who are currently in college.

Legislative career

2006 election

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 Hernandezcite news |author=CoyoteGulch |title=Senate District 32 and House District 1 Debate |url=http://www.squarestate.net/showDiary.do?diaryId=1784
work=SquareState.net |date=25 June 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-13 ] , 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,cite news |first=Andrew |last=Oh-Willeke |title=SUpdated HD 1: Hernandez v. Labuda |url=http://coloradoconfidential.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=157
work=Colorado Confidential |date=24 July 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-13 ] and won the nomination with around 60% of the vote.cite news |first=Andrew |last=Oh-Willeke |title=Primary Results -- Colorado -- August 8, 2006 |url=http://coloradoconfidential.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=360
work=Colorado Confidential |date=8 August 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-13 ]

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.cite news |first=Andrew |last=Oh-Willeke |title=HD 1: The Race To Watch In Denver |url=http://coloradoconfidential.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=832
work=Colorado Confidential |date=17 October 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-13 ] Labuda was endorsed by the "Denver Post",cite news |author=Editorial Board |title=State House races |url=http://www.denverpost.com/dempsey/ci_4448954 |work=Denver Post |date=7 October 2006 |accessdate=2008-04-23 ] but not the "Rocky Mountain News".cite news |author=Editorial Board |title=Our choices for the Colorado House |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/editorials/article/0,2777,DRMN_23964_5059375,00.html |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=12 October 2006 |accessdate=2008-04-23 ] In the end, Labuda prevailed with 55% of the vote.

2007 legislative session

Infobox Colorado Legislation
Name=Labuda
Title=Rep.
Year=2007
Bill Number 1=HB07-1042
Bill Link 1= http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/9A7EEE33A37DCFB287257251007D64FB?Open&file=1042_enr.pdf
Bill Title 1=Concerning membership on specified boards that regulate mental health professions
Bill Status 1=Signed by Gov. Ritter
Bill Number 2=HB07-1161
Bill Link 2=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/D0EC6FC3F097DE4987257251007C70E2?Open&file=1161_enr.pdf
Bill Title 2=Concerning training for juvenile risk assessment.
Bill Status 2=Signed by Gov. Ritter
Bill Link 3=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/F907B819D0FFE86887257251007C6B1F?Open&file=1192_01.pdf
Bill Number 3=HB07-1192
Bill Title 3=Concerning the regulation of alternative health care providers, and, in connection therewith, requiring licensing of naturopathic doctors and authorizing complementary and alternative health care practices.
Bill Status 3=Postponed indefinitely in House committee
Bill Link 4=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/1CD2E8659EC68C3D87257261005A9042?Open&file=1213_enr.pdf
Bill Number 4=HB07-1212
Bill Title 4=Concerning the Colorado Health Facilities Authority.
Bill Status 4=Signed by Gov. Ritter

In the 2007 session of the General Assembly, Labuda served on the House Finance Committee, the House Health and Human Services Committee, and the House State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee.cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/directory.nsf/HouCommWp?OpenView |title=House Committees of Reference |accessdate=2007-12-14 |work=Colorado General Assembly]

Labuda focused on health care in the bill she introduced during her first legislative session; her most contentious bill proposed to regulate naturopathic physicianscite news |first=Joyzelle|last=Davis |title=Naturopathy - a healthy debate |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/mar/01/naturopathy---a-healthy-debate/
work=Rocky Mountain News |date=1 March 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-13 ] in response to several high-profile deaths associated with naturopathic practitioners with dubious credentials.cite news |first=Felix |last=Doligosa |title=Proposed legislation would regulate naturopaths |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/feb/16/proposed-legislation-would-regulate-naturopaths/
work=Rocky Mountain News |date=16 February 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-13 ] cite news |first=Ed |last=Sealover |title=Bills would provide business oversight |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20070409/ai_n18997294/pg_1
work=The Colorado Springs Gazette |date=9 April 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-13 ] The bill was opposed by the Colorado Medical Society, and supported by the Colorado Association of Naturopathic Physicians.cite web |url=http://www.coanp.org/capwiznewsletters.htm |title=Letters of Support Needed Now |accessdate=2007-12-13 |work=Colorado Association of Naturopathic Physicians] After extensive debate, Labuda, citing unresolved issues asked for its postponement.cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2007A/commsumm.nsf/b4a3962433b52fa787256e5f00670a71/91ed4da91883c664872572b80069db99?OpenDocument |title=House Committee on Health and Human Services (04/09/2007) |accessdate=2007-12-14 |work=Colorado General Assembly ] and plans to re-introduce similar legislation in 2008.cite news |first=Rena |last=Bloom |title=Colorado Health Freedom State Summit |url=http://www.wellspringdaily.com/?p=14
work=Your Daily Dose of Health |date=6 September 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-13 ]

2008 legislative session

Infobox Colorado Legislation
Name=Labuda
Title=Rep.
Year=2008
Bill Number 1=HB08-1064
Bill Number 2=HB08-1102
Bill Number 3=HB08-1176
Bill Number 4=HB08-1263
Bill Number 5=HB08-1412
Bill Link 1=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2008a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/4AFB7D1E11F0B90E872573680052EBCC?Open&file=1064_01.pdf
Bill Link 2=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2008a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/66072453A8DF6788872573770074166E?Open&file=1102_enr.pdf
Bill Link 3=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2008a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/6CB6AC052879F2C88725738C007FE687?Open&file=1176_enr.pdf
Bill Link 4=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2008a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/444F9A8885846DF5872573C6006A1E2F?Open&file=1263_enr.pdf
Bill Link 5=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2008a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/AE42299807DB164887257384005F36EF?Open&file=1412_eng.pdf
Bill Title 1=Concerning the regulation of naturopathic doctors.
Bill Title 2=Concerning an increase in the reserve requirement for the liquor enforcement division and state licensing authority cash fund.
Bill Title 3=Concerning the modification of the allocation of parental responsibilities of certain deployed service members.
Bill Title 4=Concerning modifications to victim notification requirements.
Bill Title 5=Concerning the revision of statutes in the Colorado Revised Statutes [...] clarifying the language to reflect the legislative intent of the laws.
Bill Status 1=Postponed indefinitely in House committee
Bill Status 2=Signed by Gov. Ritter
Bill Status 3=Signed by Gov. Ritter
Bill Status 4=Signed by Gov. Ritter
Bill Status 5=(in progress)

In the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Labuda sits on the House Finance Committee and the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee, as well as the Joint Legal Services Committee.cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2008a/directory.nsf/HouCommWp?OpenView |title=House Committees of Reference |accessdate=2008-01-19 |format=html |work=Colorado General Assembly]

Labuda has sponsored legislation to protect the child custody rights of Colorado National Guard troops and military reservists who are deployed for active duty.cite news |first=Alan |last=Gathright |title=Bill would safeguard custody for some troops |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/feb/27/bill-would-safeguard-custody-for-some-troops/
work=Rocky Mountain News |date=27 February 2008 |accessdate=2008-03-02 ] She has also re-introduced her bill to license naturopathic physicians; it was again opposed by the Colorado Medical Society.cite news |first=Tim |last=Hoover |title="Naturopathic doctors" face oversight |url=http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_8469678
work=Denver Post |date=5 March 2008 |accessdate=2008-03-06 ]

2008 election

Labuda has filed to run for a second term in the Colorado House of Representatives; she faced no challengers for the Democratic nomination, and will face Republican Tom Thomason in the November 2008 general election.cite web |url=http://www.elections.colorado.gov/WWW/default/Candidates/2008%20PRIMARY%20ELECTION%20CANDIDATE%20LIST%20-%20WEB.pdf |title=Unofficial Candidate List For the August 12, 2008 Primary Election |accessdate=2008-04-22 |work=Colorado Secretary of State ]

References

External links

* [http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/House/members/Hou01.htm Legislative web page]
* [http://jeannelabuda.com/ Campaign web site]