| Steve Johnson | |
| Image Name: | COLeg-SteveJohnson.JPG |
| State Senate: | Colorado |
| State: | Colorado |
| District: | 15th |
| Term Start: | January 8, 2003[1] |
| Term End: | January 6, 2009[2] |
| Preceded: | Stan Matsunaka |
| Succeeded: | Kevin Lundberg |
| Office2: | Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 49th district |
| Term Start2: | January 1997 |
| Term End2: | January 8, 2003 |
| Successor2: | Kevin Lundberg |
| Birth Date: | 21 April 1960 |
| Birth Place: | Columbus, Ohio |
| Spouse: | Lynette |
| Profession: | Veterinarian, educator |
| Party: | Republican |
Steve Johnson (born April 21, 1960) is an American former politician. He was a county commissioner of Larimer County, Colorado, and a Republican member of the Colorado Senate. From 2003 to 2009, Johnson represented the 15th Senate district, encompassing rural Larimer County and the cities of Loveland and Estes Park.[3] Previously he was a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from 1997 through 2002.
Johnson holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry and a D.V.M. from Colorado State University, Johnson worked as a veterinarian in Loveland, Colorado, and currently works as a county supervisor for Larimer County. He has taught science at Heritage Christian High School. Johnson is married and has no children.[4]
Johnson was a member of the Larimer County Planning Commission from 1987 to 1996, and was first elected to the State House in 1996.[4] In 2002, he was elected to the State Senate over Democrat Kathy Gilliland, and was re-elected in 2006, defeating Democrat Jennifer Miller.[5] In the 2007-2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Johnson sat on the powerful Joint Budget Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee.[6]
A moderate Republican, Johnson was the State Senate sponsor for Referendum C, a statewide measure to remove TABOR restrictions on the state budget; his sponsorship put him at odd with other fiscally conservative Republicans. In addition to his work on the six-member Joint Budget Committee preparing the state budget, Johnson has expressed priorities of expanding funding to higher education and re-opening the state drivers' license office in Loveland.[7] / The office reopened on May 16, 2008.
In June 2007, Johnson - otherwise healthy and athletic, having recently taken second place in a legislative fitness challenge - suffered a heart attack. That same summer, Johnson taught an organic chemistry class at Colorado State University. Since then, Johnson has placed a renewed emphasis on affordable healthcare, calling it a "moral issue" for the Republican Party.[8] [9]
In January 2008, Johnson, facing the end of his senate tenure in 2010, announced his candidacy for a seat on the Larimer County Board of Commissioners.[10]
He was elected in 2008, in 2012 without opposition, and again in 2016.
In 2015, Johnson was named Colorado Commissioner of the Year by the state-wide County Commissioner organization, Colorado Counties, Inc.
He retired from politics in 2021.[11]