Amy Stephens

In 2006, Stephens won a 3:1 victory over Democratic opponent Jan Hejtmanek[9] in an overwhelmingly Republican district.[10] During her campaign, Stephens identified infrastructure issues, including water, as among her major legislative concerns.[5]

In the 2007 session of the state legislature, Stephens sat on the House Judiciary Committee and was the ranking Republican on the House Business & Labor Affairs Committee.[11] Four bills introduced by Rep. Stephens were passed by the General Assembly,[12] most prominently a measure that would prohibit criminal charges against illegal immigrants from being dismissed without their deportation.[13][14] In November 2007, upon Rep. Bill Cadman's appointment to the Colorado Senate, the first-term legislator was elected to succeed him as House Minority Caucus Chair.[15]

In the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Stephens sat on the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. [16] Stephens sponsored a bill to tax in-room pay-per-view movies sold by hotels to fund child advocacy centers; after facing opposition from the hotel industry, Stephen asked for the bill to be killed in committee.[17] Stephens also sponsored a bill, passed by the General Assembly, to streamline the teaching licensure application process for military spouses,[18] and sponsored another bill to provide unemployment benefits to military spouses forced to relocate out of state.[19] She sponsored successful legislation to require hospitals to publicly publish charges for common medical procedures.[20][21] Stephens led Republican opposition to the 2008 state budget, criticizing it for excessive spending.[22][23]

Stephens again faced Democrat Jan Hejtmanek in the November 2008 legislative election.[24]

In September 2008, Stephens was named to the "Palin Truth Squad," representatives of the McCain-Palin presidential campaign tasked with countering alleged distortions concerning the record of Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.[25] In that capacity, she made a number of media statements in support of Palin during the 2008 presidential campaign,[26] spoke at an October rally in Colorado Springs featuring Palin,[27] and delivered the invocation at a Denver rally featuring John McCain.[28] In October, Stephens, with other Republican legislators, participated in a statewide "Save, Don't Spend" RV Tour critical of Democratic policies.[29][30]

After winning re-election with 76 percent of the popular vote,[31] Stephens was also re-elected Minority Caucus Chair by House Republicans, fending off a challenge for the post from Rep. Ellen Roberts.[32]

With Democratic Rep. Joe Rice, Stephens sponsored legislation allowing health insurance providers to offer discounts for participation in wellness programs.[33][34] Responding to a deal between labor and business leaders to remove several statewide referendums from the 2008 general election ballot, Stephens introduced legislation that would prohibit financial deals that would impact initiatives on Colorado election ballots.[35][36] The measure was defeated in a House committee.[37]

As a consequence of redistricting in the state of Colorado, Representative Stephens ran for the State House in the 19th House District. The seat was previously held by Republican legislator Marsha Looper since the 2006 general election. Representative Stephens faced third party challengers from the ACN and Libertarian parties, but was reelected with over 80% of the vote.[38][39]

In the 2013 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Stephens sat as Ranking Member on the House Health, Insurance & Environment Committee and House Public Health Care & Human Services Committee. Stephens played a critical role in passing a bill that identifies mandatory reporters for incidents of elder abuse and applies a class 3 misdemeanor as a penalty for failing to do so (SB 111 Require Reports Of Elder Abuse and Exploitation). She also made it easier for mental health care providers from other states to work in treatment facilities operated by the U.S. Armed Forces (HB 1065 Federal Professionals Mental Health Authority). Additionally, Stephens passed a piece of legislation targeted at reporting waste-prevention in health care (HB 1196 Report Waste-Prevention Methods Accountable Care), as well as another bill assisting home-schooled students in participating in extracurricular activities in public schools (HB 1095 Home School Students Participation in Activities).

Stephens organized a campaign for U.S. Senate to run against Mark Udall. On February 26, 2014, while in the process of raising campaign funds and gathering signatures to petition onto the June Republican primary ballot, she announced her intentions to drop out of the race and support Cory Gardner.[40]