| Ralph Okerlund | |
| Office: | Majority Leader of the Utah Senate |
| Term Start: | January 28, 2013 |
| Term End: | December 31, 2020 |
| Predecessor: | Scott K. Jenkins |
| Successor: | Evan Vickers |
| State Senate1: | Utah |
| District1: | 24th |
| Term Start1: | January 1, 2009 |
| Term End1: | December 30, 2020 |
| Predecessor1: | Darin G. Peterson |
| Successor1: | Derrin Owens |
| Party: | Republican |
| Education: | Dixie State University University of Utah (BA) |
Ralph Okerlund[1] is an American politician and a Republican and a former member of the Utah State Senate that represented District 24 from 2009 to 2020.[2] He was the Senate's majority leader from January 28, 2013 to 2020.
Okerlund earned his AA from Dixie State College (now Utah Tech University) and his BS in political science from the University of Utah.[3] He has worked in agriculture. Okerlund is married to his wife, Cindy and they have three children.[4]
Before he was a senator, Okerland was on the Monroe City Council, served as Monroe City Mayor and the Sevier County Commissioner, was president of Utah State Association of Commissioners and Councilmen, and was president of Utah Association of Counties. Senator Okerlund was elected to the Senate in 2008.
In 2016, Senator Okerlund served on the following committees:[5]
During the 2014 General Session, Senator Okerlund was conducting a meeting with House and Senate GOP leaders when he stepped out into the hallway and apparently passed out.[6] He said he had felt light-headed. He was not able to return for the last two days of the session.
| Bill Number | Bill Title | Bill Status | |
|---|---|---|---|
| S.B. 63 | Survey Monument Replacement | Governor Signed 3/22/2016 | |
| S.B. 70 | Insurance Modifications | Senate/Filed for bills not passed 3/10/2016 | |
| S.B. 71 | Children's Justice Center Amendments | Governor Signed 3/25/2016 | |
| S.B. 102 | High Cost Infrastructure Amendments | Governor Signed 3/28/2016 | |
| S.B. 134 | Oil and Gas Conservation Account Amendments | Sent to Governor 3/15/2016 | |
| S.B. 144 | Dead and Domestic Animal Disposal Amendments | Governor Signed 3/17/2016 | |
| S.B. 147 | Revisor's Technical Corrections to Utah Code | Governor Signed 3/28/2016 | |
| S.B. 205 | Ethics Revisions | Governor Signed 3/28/2016 | |
| S.B. 257 | Public-Private Partnership Amendments | Senate/Filed for bills not passed 3/10/2016 | |
| S.B. 258 | Distribution of Local Sales Tax Revenue | Governor Signed 3/28/2016 | |
| SCR 4 | Concurrent Resolution- Old Spanish Trail Designation | Governor Signed 3/1/2016 | |
| SCR 10 | Communications Spectrum Translator System Concurrent Resolution | Governor Signed 3/10/2016 | |
| SCR 14 | Concurrent Resolution Designating Utah Broadcasters Awareness Week | Governor Signed 3/18/2016 | |
| SJR 5 | Joint Resolution Authorizing Pay of In-session Employees | Sent to Lt. Gov 2/19/2016 |
Senator Okerlund was the Floor Sponsor for the following bills:
In 2014, Senator Okerlund sponsored S.B. 88 Substitute Child Interview Amendments, which clarifies the right of child victims to keep confidential their interviews that are conducted at a Children's Justice Center, including video and audio recordings, and transcripts of those recordings.[10] This bill helps protect children who have suffered from abuse. It was passed and signed by the Governor.