Stephanie Klick

Stephanie Diane Baumgardner Klick
Texas State Representative for District 91 (Tarrant County)
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 8, 2013
Preceded by	Kelly Hancock
Born	August 19, 1956 Fort Worth, Texas
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Donald James Klick, Sr.
Children	Donald Klick Jr. Adam Ryan Klick David Russell Klick
Residence	Fort Worth, Texas
Alma mater	Nolan Catholic High School Texas Christian University (Fort Worth)
Occupation	Business consultant Registered nurse

Stephanie Diane Baumgardner Klick (born August 19, 1956)^[1] is a medical business consultant from Fort Worth, Texas, who is a Republican state representative for District 91, which encompasses a portion of populous Tarrant County.^[2]

First elected in 2012, Klick sought a second two-year term in the general election held on November 4, 2014, in which she defeated Democrat David Ragan of Richland Hills, Texas.^[3]

Background[edit]

Born Stephanie Diane Baumgardner, she attended Nolan Catholic High School in her native Fort Worth.^[4] In 1981, Klick received a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. A registered nurse, she works as a case manager to coordinate the care of those with catastrophic injuries. She is a compliance consultant for long-term care facilities handling the developmentally disabled. She is also a consultant for a law firm that specializes in medical malpractice defense cases.^[5]

In 2005, Klick was elected chairman of the Republican Party of Tarrant County, a position she held for six years. For the preceding five years, she was the party vice-chairman.^[5]

On November 10, 1979. she married Donald James Klick (born c. 1951), a real estate owner in Zephyr Cove, Nevada. The two reared their three sons, Donald Klick, Jr, Adam Ryan Klick and David Russell Klick, in the Azle section of Tarrant County prior to moving into Fort Worth.^[5][6]

Political life[edit]

When the incumbent Republican Representative Kelly Hancock did not seek reelection in 2012, Klick and three other party members entered the primary election. With 3,777 votes (39.9 percent) Kenneth Martin "Ken" Sapp led the field, followed by Klick, with 3,026 (31.9 percent). Two other candidates held a critical 28 percent of the ballots cast.^[7] In the runoff election, Klick prevailed, 4,671 (53.8 percent) to Sapp's 4,007 (46.2 percent).^[8]}}</ref>Klick faced no opposition in the general election held on November 6, 2012, in conjunction with the 2012 presidential election.

Klick serves on the House committees of (1) Elections, (2) Human Services, and (3) Rules and Resolutions.^[3]

Legislative positions[edit]

A pro-life legislator, Klick supported in 2013 the ban on abortion after twenty weeks of gestation; the measure passed the House, 96-49. She also supported companion legislation to increase medical and licensing requirements of abortion providers.^[9] These issues brought forth an unsuccessful filibuster in the state Senate led Republican-turned-Democrat Wendy Russell Davis, a nationally known liberal who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2014 against Republican Greg Abbott.^[10] The Texas Right to Life Committee rated her 85 percent favorable.^[11]

Considered a strongly conservative legislator, Klick voted against the legislation to establish a taxpayer-funded breakfast program for public schools; the measure passed the House, 73-58. She co-sponsored legislation to provide marshals for school security as a separate law-enforcement entity. She co-sponsored the extension of the franchise tax exemption to certain businesses, which passed the House 117-24. She voted against the adoption of the biennial state budget. Klick voted against the bill to prohibit texting while driving, which nevertheless passed the House, 97-45. She voted to require testing for narcotics of those individuals receiving unemployment compensation. Klick voted against the "equal pay for women" measure, which nevertheless passed the House, 78-61.^[9]

Klick co-sponsored the measure to forbid the state from engaging in the enforcement of federal regulations of firearms. She co-sponsored legislation to permit college and university officials to carry concealed weapons in the name of campus security. She voted to reduce the time required to obtain a concealed-carry permit in Texas. She backed the redistricting bills for the state House and Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Klick voted against term limits for certain state officials. In the name of election integrity, she voted for legislation to forbid one individual from turning in multiple ballots.^[9]

Interest group ratings[edit]

In 2013, Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum, then managed in Texas by Cathie Adams, a former state chairman of the Texas Republican Party, rated Klick 93 percent favorable; the Young Conservatives of Texas, 88 percent. The Texas League of Conservation Voters rated her 43 percent; a similar group Environment Texas rated her 25 percent. Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, founded by Michael Quinn Sullivan, rated her 99 percent; the Texas Association of Business scored her 73 percent. The National Rifle Association rated Klick 92 percent.^[11]

In 2015, Klick proposed legislation that could permit the use of medical marijuana in Texas.^[12]

References[edit]