Stephen Fenberg
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Stephen Fenberg (born January 2, 1984) is an American politician who serves in the
Colorado Senate The Colorado Senate is the upper house of the Colorado General Assembly, the state legislature of the US state of Colorado. It is composed of 35 members elected from single-member districts, with each district having a population of about 123, ...
from the 18th district, since 2017, as a member of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...
. He serves as President of the Senate and served as Majority Leader from 2019 to 2022. Fenberg was born in
Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...
, and educated at the
University of Colorado Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder, CU, or Colorado) is a public research university in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 1876, five months before Colorado became a state, it is the flagship university of the University of Colorado syst ...
. During his time at college he founded New Era with
Leslie Herod Leslie Herod (born 1982) is an American politician, who was first elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in the 2016 elections. She serves on the House Joint Budget Committee, and the Legislative Interim Committee on School Finance, and ...
and
Joe Neguse Joseph D. Neguse ( ; born May 13, 1984) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Colorado's 2nd congressional district since 2019. The district is based in Boulder and includes many of Denver's northwestern subu ...
and registered 150,000 voters while serving as its director. He was elected to the Colorado Senate in the 2016 election and reelected in
2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
. Fenberg was selected to become the Majority Leader in 2018. He was selected to replace
Leroy Garcia Leroy Garcia is an American politician who served in the Colorado Senate from the 3rd district, from 2019 to 2022, as a member of the Democratic Party. He served as the president of the state senate from 2019 until his 2022 resignation to join ...
as President of the Senate following Garcia's resignation.


Early life

Stephen Fenberg was born in
Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...
, to Bill and Harriet Fenberg. His mother distributed party literature from the
Ohio Democratic Party The Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Ohio. Summit County Council President Elizabeth Walters has been the party's chairwoman since January 2021. U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown is the top Oh ...
during the 1990s. He married Lindsay Urban, with whom he has one child, on June 26, 2017, in Lyons, Colorado, conducted by the Jewish spiritual leader of the Jewish congregation in Boulder. He graduated from
University of Colorado Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder, CU, or Colorado) is a public research university in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 1876, five months before Colorado became a state, it is the flagship university of the University of Colorado syst ...
with a
bachelor degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ye ...
in environmental policy. He worked as the chief of staff for the
student union A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social, ...
while at college.


Career


Politics

Fenberg founded New Era, an organization which attempts to register young voters, along with
Leslie Herod Leslie Herod (born 1982) is an American politician, who was first elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in the 2016 elections. She serves on the House Joint Budget Committee, and the Legislative Interim Committee on School Finance, and ...
and
Joe Neguse Joseph D. Neguse ( ; born May 13, 1984) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Colorado's 2nd congressional district since 2019. The district is based in Boulder and includes many of Denver's northwestern subu ...
while attending college in 2006, and served as its executive director during which the organization registered 150,000 voters. He discussed creating the organization with Lisa Kaufmann, who later became the chief of staff for Governor Jared Polis.


Colorado Senate


Elections

Senator
Rollie Heath Stratton Rollins Heath Jr. (born December 28, 1937) is an American politician and former state legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado who previously served as the Colorado State Senate Assistant Minority Leader. Elected to the Colorado State Sen ...
, a member of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...
from the 18th district, was term-limited during the 2016 campaign and Fenberg ran to succeed him. He won the Democratic nomination without opposition and defeated Republican nominee M. Peter Spraitz. He won reelection in the 2020 election against Republican nominee Peg Cage.


Tenure

In 2017, Fenberg was appointed to serve on the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy, State, Veterans, and Military Affairs, and Transportation committees. Fenberg defeated Rachel Zenzinger in the Democratic caucus for the position of Majority Leader on November 8, 2018. On February 9, 2022, he was selected by the Democratic caucus to replace Senator
Leroy Garcia Leroy Garcia is an American politician who served in the Colorado Senate from the 3rd district, from 2019 to 2022, as a member of the Democratic Party. He served as the president of the state senate from 2019 until his 2022 resignation to join ...
as president of the state senate, due to Garcia resigning from the state senate, and assume the office on February 22. Senator
Dominick Moreno Dominick Moreno is an American politician, currently serving as a state legislator in Colorado. A Democrat, Moreno was elected to the 21st district of the Colorado Senate in 2016. He previously represented the 32nd district in the Colorado Hous ...
replaced Fenberg as Majority Leader. Fenberg endorsed Representative Diana DeGette for reelection during the 2020 election. He endorsed Senator
Michael Bennet Michael Farrand Bennet (born November 28, 1964) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Colorado, a seat he has held since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, he was appointed t ...
for reelection to the
United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...
in the 2022 election.


Political positions

Fenberg and Representatives Herod and
Julie McCluskie Julie Lynn McCluskie (born January 12, 1964) is an American politician who is a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 13th district, which includes the counties of Chaffee, Grand, Jackson, Lake, Park and Summit, including the ...
introduced legislation in 2020, that requested $14 million to fund a program, which would serve around 5,300 people, to have Colorado repay student loan debts for the first two years following graduation. Fenberg was among thirty-seven legislators who endorsed a letter in 2018, calling for
Planned Parenthood The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), or simply Planned Parenthood, is a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive health care in the United States and globally. It is a tax-exempt corporation under Internal Reve ...
to allow for their workers to form an union. He and nine other Democratic members of the state senate received a 100% score from the AFL–CIO in 2018. Fenberg received a 100% rating from Conservation Colorado in 2019. He was one of the signatures of a letter sent by Governor Jared Polis to President Joe Biden asking for immigration laws to be lessen and stating that Colorado was ready to accept refuges following the end of the
Afghanistan War War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC) *Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709) *Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see als ...
. He received an A rating from
NARAL Pro-Choice America NARAL Pro-Choice America, commonly known as simply NARAL ( ), is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization in the United States that engages in lobbying, political action, and advocacy efforts to oppose restrictions on abortion, to expand access to ...
. In 2017, Fenberg voted against legislation in the Finance committee which would allow concealed carry without a permit. Following the
2021 Boulder shooting On March 22, 2021, a mass shooting occurred at a King Soopers supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, United States. Ten people were killed, including a local on-duty police officer. The alleged shooter, 21-year-old Ahmad Al Aliwi Al-Issa, was arres ...
he stated that he supported an assault weapons ban and sponsored legislation to repeal a Colorado law which prohibited local governments from passing gun control stricter than state law. In 2017, he sponsored legislation to lower the minimum age to serve in the
Colorado General Assembly The Colorado General Assembly is the state legislature of the State of Colorado. It is a bicameral legislature that was created by the 1876 state constitution. Its statutes are codified in the ''Colorado Revised Statutes'' (C.R.S.). The ses ...
from 25 to 21. In 2019, he sponsored legislation that would allow paroled felons to vote and after its passage it allowed around 11,500 paroles to vote. Fenberg and Representative Paul Rosenthal sponsored legislation in 2017, to prohibit
conversion therapy Conversion therapy is the pseudoscientific practice of attempting to change an individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to align with heterosexual and cisgender norms. In contrast to evidence-based medicine and cli ...
on minors by licensed mental health professionals. He and Senator
Dominick Moreno Dominick Moreno is an American politician, currently serving as a state legislator in Colorado. A Democrat, Moreno was elected to the 21st district of the Colorado Senate in 2016. He previously represented the 32nd district in the Colorado Hous ...
, and Representatives
Dafna Michaelson Jenet Dafna Michaelson Jenet (born November 14, 1972) is a Democratic member of the Colorado House of Representatives. She represents House District 32 and prior to redistricting, District 30, which covered a portion of Adams County including parts ...
and
Daneya Esgar Daneya Leigh Esgar is a former Democratic member of the Colorado House of Representatives. She represented District 46, which covered a portion of Pueblo County. She was first elected to her seat in 2014, succeeding Leroy Garcia. In November 20 ...
sponsored legislation in 2019, to prohibit conversion therapy.


Electoral history


References


External links

* , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Fenberg, Steve 1984 births 21st-century American politicians Democratic Party Colorado state senators Living people Presidents of the Colorado State Senate University of Colorado Boulder alumni