Re-Elect Jennifer Pawlik
LD13 AZ House (Chandler, Gilbert and Sun Lakes)
ABOUT JENNIFER
I am Jennifer Pawlik, your Arizona State Representative in Legislative District 13 (previously LD17) which includes parts of Chandler, Gilbert and all of Sun Lakes.
I’m a native Arizonan, who’s proud to have grown-up, worked and raised a family in our beautiful State. I’ve been a teacher in the classroom for over 20 years, but felt I could make a difference by running for office.
Elected in 2018 as the first Democrat and the first woman to represent our District, I enjoy being the voice for all of LD13’s constituents. I love to hear your concerns, whether you are down at the Capitol or out in the neighborhood.
I’m a passionate advocate for public education, protecting voter rights and our environment, especially our water. My other priorities include preventing gun violence, encouraging workforce development and the creation of jobs.
I attended Arizona schools from kindergarten through college. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Northern Arizona University, and then earned a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. I have taught for over 20 years, nine of which were in the Chandler Unified School District. I now teach undergraduate students in the College of Education at Northern Arizona University, Chandler-Gilbert Community College campus.
I am an active member of the Democratic caucus, the Latino caucus, the Community and Legislative Partners in Aging forum, and I served on the Joint Legislative Dyslexia Study Group. On the House Education Committee, I am the Ranking Member and I’m also a member of the House Judiciary Committee.
When I am not engaged in legislative, education, and community activities, I enjoy spending time with my husband of 25 years, Jason Pawlik, and my adult twin daughters. We have loved living, working, and playing in Chandler for 13 years, and we look forward to many more!
MY PRIORITIES
DONATE TO JENNIFER PAWLIK’S CAMPAIGN
PUBLIC EDUCATION
Support Our Teachers
Teachers are professionals and should be treated as such. They should be trusted to make decisions for their classrooms without the interference of politicians. Teachers should not have to worry about being fined or losing their licenses. We should pay our teachers for their educational training and years of experience. We must consider that a large number of teachers are of retirement age, and the numbers of college students choosing to pursue a career in education is declining. We do not have enough certified teachers who are willing to teach to cover all the classrooms in Arizona.
Fully Funding Our Schools
Investing in public education isn’t just good for children – it’s good for our state’s future. Strong school systems will encourage businesses to relocate to (or remain in) Arizona. Businesses demand a well-educated workforce, and their employees want their children to attend great schools.
I believe education should be fully-funded, P-20 (preschool-university or workforce). I’ve introduced HB2335 to repeal the aggregate expenditure limit (AEL) allowing school districts the certainty of remaining open for the entire school year.
Aging Schools & Materials
More than 8 out of 10 Arizona students attend public schools, yet local districts struggle to fund their programs adequately. Buildings, text books, technology, and buses are aging. Some communities support their schools with bonds and overrides, but others do not. This has led to unequal funding across the state.
Mental Health
The pandemic has negatively impacted social and emotional learning and the overall mental health of our children. In the last decade, there have been a large number of young people who have died of suicide in the Southeast Valley. East Valley legislators, including myself, have worked on bills to help this serious issue including: suicide prevention training for students grades 6-12 as well as staff; mental health parity-which would require insurers to cover mental health as well as physical health. Arizona ranks last in the nation with 716 students per counselor. I’ve introduced bills to increase the number of school counselors and school social workers on campus.
GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION
I support the Second Amendment. I do not want to take guns away from law-abiding citizens who use them for hunting, recreation or protecting their families.
I do, however, believe we need to strengthen background checks to keep these weapons from people with a history of committing domestic abuse, violence or with serious mental illness.
I am in favor of implementing common sense measures to improve school security and protect our communities from gun violence.
JOBS & THE ECONOMY
I believe that education and job development go hand-in-hand. Businesses need a well-educated workforce, and their employees expect to live in a community with strong schools for their children. We have many STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and Career and Technical Education programs (CTE) in our high schools. A great example of one of these programs is the Cyber Security Academy at Basha High. Students graduate with industry recognized certificates.
Another route some may choose is apprenticeship programs offered by the unions around the valley. I’ve had the opportunity to visit the apprenticeship training facilities, and I was very impressed by the quality of the programs. Graduates of these programs have specialized training and are able to earn high wages upon completion.
Arizona residents want jobs where they can earn a competitive wage to keep up with the rising costs of healthcare, childcare, higher education and housing. They should not have to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet.
I am in favor of tax credits that have positive impacts on the community. Angel Investments and the Qualified Facilities R & D tax credits have allowed local business in our district to expand. This has brought thousands of high-paying jobs and an incredible amount of capital improvements to our district. This encourages bright, young people to stay in Arizona rather than seeking employment elsewhere.
HEALTHCARE
I will fight to protect Arizonans’ access to quality, affordable health care—especially our most vulnerable. I will work to protect the right to basic coverage, like emergency services and maternity care. During the 54th Legislature, I supported a bill that protects individuals with pre-existing conditions. I also supported Association Health Plans as a cost-effective way for small businesses to provide health care coverage for their employees.
We must also encourage preventive care, so that small problems don’t become worse. We must equip people to make smart choices about their own health and well-being.
The cost of prescription drugs-even with health insurance-has become too high for some individuals. Specifically, the cost of a vial of insulin is outrageous. I am hopeful that this is an area we can work on in the upcoming year.
Smart, targeted reforms like these will help make coverage affordable and accessible for individuals and small businesses alike. It’s all about striking a smart balance between promoting personal responsibility, and protecting those who need the most help.
Finally, we should recognize that many of our rural communities and tribal nations are lacking medical providers. This may be reconciled with programs that allow loan forgiveness for new medical professionals who work in remote areas. Allowing tele-medicine (after the Executive Order expires) may also be a solution that should be considered.
PROTECT OUR WATER AND THE ENVIRONMENT
As a desert-dweller, I recognize that water is a very precious resource. The Groundwater Management Act of 1980 was an innovative piece of legislation that required conservation of groundwater in five high-use areas of the state. In 2020 we passed the Drought Contingency Plan which was an agreement with the other Colorado River Basin states. We must continue to work on water policy to ensure we have adequate clean water in the future.
We must also focus on clean air. Particle pollution and ozone levels in our cities need to be reduced – Maricopa County currently has an ‘F’ from the American Lung Association for ozone and high particulate matter pollution.
With more sunshine than any other state in the nation, Arizona has the potential to be the leading state in the nation for clean energy and solar power. Our economy can benefit greatly from high-paying jobs in the solar industry as well as the money saved by residents and businesses from the use of solar power.
I’d like to respectfully acknowledge, and thank the Tohono O’odham Nation, upon whose traditional land LD 13 resides. I know I can learn much from the traditional stewards of this land.
VOTER RIGHTS
Arizona has traditionally led the way in making voting accessible and providing the constitutional right of citizens to propose ballot initiatives. I will fight to ensure voting remains fair, that people eligible to vote remain on the rolls and that votes are tabulated accurately and in a timely manner.
LATEST NEWS & UPDATES
Pawlik Leads Effort to Keep Schools Open
On February 22, the Arizona legislature approved waiving the K-12 public school spending cap. This cap threatened to shut down schools across Arizona by preventing districts from spending money...
Why You Should Only Use One Vote for LD13 AZ House
You can help your vote go further by voting only for me on your ballot, and not using your second vote. This is the best way to ensure that the moderate values of our district are represented in a...
Jennifer Pawlik honored with 2020 Outstanding Tech Representative Award
“The rapid growth of Arizona’s technology industry over the last 10 years can be attributed to our future-focused, technology-conscious legislators,” said Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO of the...
CONTACT REP. PAWLIK
For any legislative matters, please email jpawlik@azleg.gov