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Jani Iwamoto | |
|---|---|
| Member of theUtah Senate from the4th district | |
| In office January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Patricia W. Jones |
| Succeeded by | Stephanie Pitcher (Redistricting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Steve |
| Alma mater | University of California, Davis (JD) |
| Profession | Attorney |
Jani Iwamoto is a formerDemocratic member of theUtah Senate, representing the4th District. Previously she served as a council member of the Salt Lake County Council.[1]
Iwamoto was born and raised in Salt Lake County. She is a third-generation Japanese American.[2]
She graduated fromHighland High School and got a degree in mass communications from theUniversity of Utah. She then obtained a legal degree fromUniversity of California at Davis. After graduation she practiced law as a partner and litigator in northern California. After living in California for several years she moved back to Utah. Once back in Utah she became more politically active. She first began working with the No! coalition, which sought to keep high level nuclear waste out of Utah. Later she was appointed by GovernorJon Huntsman, Jr. to serve on the Central Utah Water Conservancy District Board of Trustees, and the Court of Appeals Judicial Nominating Committee. Iwamoto is married and has two children, she currently resides inHolladay, Utah.[3]
Iwamoto's first elected position was serving on the Salt Lake County Council as a councilmember. She served from 2009-2013. In 2014 she ran for the Utah State 4th district Senate seat, and won.[4] Since 2014 she has been serving as the senator for this district. In 2018 she was elected Assistant Minority Whip by the Democrats in the Utah Senate.[5][6]
In 2016, Senator Iwamoto served on the following committees in the legislature
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Sabrina Peterson | 13,084 | 40 | |
| Democratic | Jani Iwamoto | 19,602 | 60 | |
| Bill Title and Number | Bill Status |
|---|---|
| S.B. 81 Redistricting Advisory Commission | Senate/Filed for bills not passed 3/10/2016 |
| S.B. 140 Home and Community-Based Services Amendments | Governor Signed 3/28/2016 |
| S.B. 185 Labor Ready Amendments | Governor Signed 3/21/2016 |
| S.B. 192 Study on Claims Exceeding Statutory Limit | Governor Signed 3/18/2016 |
| S.B. 196 Retail Bag Impact Reduction Program | Senate/Filed for bills not passed 3/10/2016 |
| S.C.R. 7 Concurrent Resolution Honoring Those Who Have Assisted Korean War Veterans | Governor Signed 2/12/2016 |
| S.C.R 13 Concurrent Resolution Honoring Randy Horiuchi | Governor Signed 3/28/2016 |
In 2016 Senator Iwamoto sponsored a bill that would have charged a dime for the use of plastic or paper bags. The bill did not pass, but Senator Iwamoto has said she will bring the bill back and attempt to pass it again during the 2017 legislative session.[8]
