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Stephanie Kunze Biography

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Senator Stephanie Kunze serves the people of Senate District 16

Senator Stephanie Kunze is currently serving her second term in the Ohio Senate representing the people of the 16th Senate District, which includes a portion of Franklin County and all of Madison and Pickaway counties. She is Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. 

Prior to her service in the Ohio Senate, she was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 2012, where she served two terms. Before her time in the Ohio Legislature Senator Kunze was elected to Hilliard City Council in 2009.

Senator Kunze has been at the forefront of numerous pieces of important legislation as she brings commonsense, data driven solutions to issues facing Ohio. She has been instrumental in supporting economic strategies and sponsoring legislation to create opportunities for Ohioans to access employment. She is committed to serving children and chairs the Infant Mortality Commission and Children's Trust Fund Board. 

She has championed bills that have helped survivors of human trafficking expunge their records in order to gain a certificate of qualification for employment and to access housing. Other legislation she has sponsored that have become law include increased penalties for promoting prostitution, domestic violence and hazing on college campuses. Her mission is advocating for Ohioans to have access to the tools needed to create the life they envision by removing barriers and supporting families.

Senator Kunze has earned numerous legislative awards for her work in the Statehouse, including the Ohio Humanities Hero Award, Ohio Domestic Violence Advocacy Award, and Legislator of the Year - Ohio Public Transit Association. She is also a member of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Madison County Chamber of Commerce, Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce, The Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce, and Franklin County Farm Bureau. 

Senator Kunze graduated with a degree in English from Indiana University. She and her husband, Matt, have raised two daughters and live in Dublin. Her greatest joy and accomplishment is her family.

135th General Assembly Committee Assignments:

  • Transportation (Chairman)
  • Local Government Committee
  • Insurance Committee
  • Financial Institutions and Technology Committee 
  • Rules & Reference Committee
  • Select Committee on Rail Safety
  • JCARR

135th General Assembly Appointments:

  • Ohio Children's Trust Fund (Chairman)
  • Commission on Infant Mortality (Co-Chairman)
  • Governor's Executive Workforce Board
  • Ohio Rail Development Commission 
  • Former Co-chair of the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission