Meet Laura

For 10 years Laura Knaperek represented District 27 and later District 17 in the State Legislature where she was a voice for Tempe, Ahwatukee and parts of Scottsdale and Chandler.

 

While in the Legislature, Laura was a steadfast advocate for Arizona’s families.  Whether it was ensuring that Arizonans kept more of their hard-earned dollars, or working to increase educational opportunities for our state’s kids, Laura’s focus was on making Arizona a better place to raise a family, start a business or go to school.

 

Laura burnished her credentials as a fiscal conservative in her legislative career, having chaired the House Appropriations Committee and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.  Laura believes Arizona families are overtaxed, and she shepherded a $390 million income tax reduction through the state Legislature in 2006 aimed at lessening the tax burden on our state’s working families and small businesses. The cut was the largest income tax rate reduction in the state's history.

 

Laura is also a champion for the disabled, having sponsored legislation to increase educational and work-related opportunities for the disabled in Arizona.  Prior to her election to the Legislature, Laura was the executive director for the Arizona Consortium for Children with Chronic Illness, where she was an advocate for children with special needs. She has also volunteered on the boards of the Arizona Center for Habilitation; Mentally IllKids in Distress; the Arizona Initiative for Mental Health; and the President’s Committee on Mental Retardation.

 


Laura believes strongly that children deserve the best education available and that their parents should be free to choose what educational environment is best for their family.Her work for kids and families is evidenced by her tenure on the Kyrene Elementary Governing Board, the Great Schools Advisory Board and, in the Legislature, as vice chairman of the House Education Committee. Her work for families continues today as the executive director of United Families International.

 

Laura and her husband reside in Tempe where they have raised six children. Laura and Bob have eight grandchildren.