{{short description|American teacher, attorney, and politician from Colorado}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Jeanne Labuda | state_house = Colorado | state = Colorado | district = 1st | term_start = January 10, 2007 | term_end = January 7, 2015 | preceded = Fran Coleman | succeeded = Susan Lontine | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1947}} | birth_place = Texas | death_date = July 25, 2022 | death_place = Hampton, Virginia | alma_mater = University of Colorado, Boulder<br>Texas A&I University | spouse = Michael D. Taber<ref name="rmn"/> | occupation = Teacher, attorney, politician | party = Democratic| }}
'''Jeanne Labuda''' (c. 1947<ref name="yourhub">{{cite news |title=Candidate profile: Jeanne Labuda |url=http://denver.yourhub.com/Sheridan/Stories/News/Politics/Story~136498.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825225513/http://denver.yourhub.com/Sheridan/Stories/News/Politics/Story~136498.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 August 2007 |work=YourHub.com |date=11 October 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-13 }}</ref> – July 25, 2022<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jeanne Labuda Obituary (1947 - 2022) Denver Post |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/denverpost/name/jeanne-labuda-obituary?id=36262765 |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=Legacy.com}}</ref>) was a former legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Democrat in 2006, Labuda represented House District 1.<ref name="map">{{cite web|url=http://comaps.org/district01h.html |title=State House District 1 |accessdate=2007-12-23 |work=COMaps |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080304220756/http://www.comaps.org/district01h.html |archive-date=2008-03-04 }}</ref>
==Biography==
===Early career===
After earning a bachelor's degree from Texas A&I University in 1968,<ref name="rmn"/> Labuda worked for two and a half years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia. She then taught for several years — working both as a high school teacher of English and government<ref name="rmn"/> in South Texas<ref name="bio"/> and as a teaching assistant at the University of Texas at Austin. She has also worked as a claims representative for the Social Security Administration.<ref name="rmn">{{cite web |url=http://cfapp2.rockymountainnews.com/election/profiles/c_profiles.cfm?oper=cand_profile&id=11758&qa=1 |title=Jeanne Labuda - Colorado - State House District 1 candidate |accessdate=2007-12-13 |work=RockyMountainNews.com }}{{dead link |date=April 2015}}</ref>
Labuda later earned a J.D. from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1989 and served as a staff attorney for Liberty Mutual and TIG Insurance Company before becoming an assistant attorney general for the state of Colorado.<ref name="rmn"/>
A resident of southwest Denver for over three decades,<ref name="bio">{{cite web|url=http://jeannelabuda.com/about.htm |title=About Jeanne |accessdate=2007-12-13 |work=JeanneLabuda.com |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013193150/http://www.jeannelabuda.com/about.htm |archive-date=October 13, 2008 }}</ref> Labuda served as a board member and chair of the Harvey Park Improvement Association. She was also appointed by Mayor Wellington Webb as neighborhood liaison for southwest Denver, to the Denver Planning Board by mayors Webb and Peña, and to the community advisory board for Father Ed Judy House by Denver City Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz. She was president of the Denver Chapter of the American Association of University Women and a member of the executive committee for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Sierra Club.<ref name="rmn"/>
A "life-long Democrat,"<ref name="bio"/> Labuda was the Democratic party co-captain for House District 1, and ran unsuccessfully for the Denver City Council.<ref name="rmn"/> Labuda was married; she and her husband, Michael Taber, had two children: Danica and Emily,<ref name="rmn"/> who are both college graduates. They also had a son, Lukas, who died of SIDS when he was two years old.<ref name="bio"/>
==Legislative career==
===2006 election===
In 2006, Labuda sought the Democratic nomination for the open seat vacated by Rep. Fran Coleman, who unsuccessfully ran for the Colorado Senate. In the party primary, Labuda emphasized her experience in contrast with younger Denver deputy district attorney Alfredo Hernandez,<ref name="debate">{{cite news |author=CoyoteGulch |title=Senate District 32 and House District 1 Debate |url=http://www.squarestate.net/showDiary.do?diaryId=1784 |work=SquareState.net |date=25 June 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724081536/http://www.squarestate.net/showDiary.do?diaryId=1784 |archive-date=24 July 2011 }}</ref> who garnered endorsements from a number of sitting representatives. Labuda was able to spend more money in the primary, in part by loaning her campaign over $30,000,<ref name="alfredo">{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Oh-Willeke |title=SUpdated HD 1: Hernandez v. Labuda |url=http://coloradoconfidential.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=157 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070811085917/http://coloradoconfidential.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=157 |url-status=dead|archive-date=11 August 2007 |work=Colorado Confidential |date=24 July 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-13 }}</ref> and won the nomination with around 60% of the vote.<ref name="winner">{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Oh-Willeke |title=Primary Results -- Colorado -- August 8, 2006 |url=http://coloradoconfidential.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=360 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070811085917/http://coloradoconfidential.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=360 |url-status=dead|archive-date=11 August 2007 |work=Colorado Confidential |date=8 August 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-13 }}</ref>
In the general election, Labuda faced Republican paralegal Aimee Rathburn. In the only competitive Denver-area race, both candidates raised tens of thousands in the Democratic-leaning district.<ref name="towatch">{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Oh-Willeke |title=HD 1: The Race To Watch In Denver |url=http://coloradoconfidential.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=832 |work=Colorado Confidential |date=17 October 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071019033227/http://www.coloradoconfidential.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=832 |archive-date=2007-10-19 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Labuda was endorsed by the ''Denver Post'',<ref name="denpost">{{cite news|author=Editorial Board |title=State House races |url=http://www.denverpost.com/dempsey/ci_4448954 |work=Denver Post |date=7 October 2006 |accessdate=2008-04-23 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524061420/http://www.denverpost.com/dempsey/ci_4448954 |archive-date=2011-05-24 }}</ref> but not the ''Rocky Mountain News''.<ref name="rockyend">{{cite news|author=Editorial Board |title=Our choices for the Colorado House |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/editorials/article/0,2777,DRMN_23964_5059375,00.html |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=12 October 2006 |accessdate=2008-04-23 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061201094305/http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/editorials/article/0%2C2777%2CDRMN_23964_5059375%2C00.html |archive-date=December 1, 2006 }}</ref> In the end, Labuda prevailed with 55% of the vote.<ref name="map"/>
===2007 legislative session===
During the 2007 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Labuda served on the House Finance Committee, the House Health and Human Services Committee, and the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee.<ref name="legassem">{{cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/directory.nsf/HouCommWp?OpenView |title=House Committees of Reference |accessdate=2007-12-14 |work=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref>
Labuda focused on health care in the bills she introduced during her first legislative session; her most contentious bill proposed to regulate naturopathic physicians<ref name="health">{{cite news |first=Joyzelle|last=Davis |title=Naturopathy - a healthy debate |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/mar/01/naturopathy---a-healthy-debate/ |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=1 March 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-13 }}</ref> in response to several high-profile deaths associated with naturopathic practitioners with dubious credentials.<ref name="proposed">{{cite news |first=Felix |last=Doligosa |title=Proposed legislation would regulate naturopaths |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/feb/16/proposed-legislation-would-regulate-naturopaths/ |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=16 February 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-13 }}</ref><ref name="oversight">{{cite news |first=Ed |last=Sealover |title=Bills would provide business oversight |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20070409/ai_n18997294/pg_1 |work=The Colorado Springs Gazette |date=9 April 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-13 }}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The bill was opposed by the Colorado Medical Society,<ref name="health"/> and supported by the Colorado Association of Naturopathic Physicians.<ref name="naturo">{{cite web|url=http://www.coanp.org/capwiznewsletters.htm |title=Letters of Support Needed Now |accessdate=2007-12-13 |work=Colorado Association of Naturopathic Physicians |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028090327/http://www.coanp.org/capwiznewsletters.htm |archive-date=2007-10-28 |url-status=dead}}</ref> After extensive debate, Labuda, citing unresolved issues, asked for its postponement.<ref name="cmte">{{cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2007A/commsumm.nsf/b4a3962433b52fa787256e5f00670a71/91ed4da91883c664872572b80069db99?OpenDocument |title=House Committee on Health and Human Services (04/09/2007) |accessdate=2007-12-14 |work=Colorado General Assembly }}</ref>
===2008 legislative session===
During the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Labuda sat on the House Finance Committee and the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee, as well as the Joint Legal Services Committee.<ref name="cmte2008">{{cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2008a/directory.nsf/HouCommWp?OpenView |title=House Committees of Reference |accessdate=2008-01-19 |work=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref>
Labuda sponsored legislation to protect the child custody rights of Colorado National Guard troops and military reservists deployed for active duty.<ref name="mil">{{cite news |first=Alan |last=Gathright |title=Bill would safeguard custody for some troops |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/feb/27/bill-would-safeguard-custody-for-some-troops/ |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=27 February 2008 |accessdate=2008-03-02 }}</ref> She also re-introduced her bill to license naturopathic physicians; it was again opposed by the Colorado Medical Society.<ref name="natur2">{{cite news |first=Tim |last=Hoover |title="Naturopathic doctors" face oversight |url=http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_8469678 |work=Denver Post |date=5 March 2008 |accessdate=2008-03-06 }}</ref>
===2008 election===
Labuda filed to run for a second term in the Colorado House of Representatives; she faced no challengers for the Democratic nomination, and faced Republican Tom Thomason in the November 2008 general election.<ref name="soslist">{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.colorado.gov/WWW/default/Candidates/2008%20PRIMARY%20ELECTION%20CANDIDATE%20LIST%20-%20WEB.pdf |title=Unofficial Candidate List For the August 12, 2008 Primary Election |accessdate=2008-04-22 |work=Colorado Secretary of State |archive-date=2008-04-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080425035140/http://www.elections.colorado.gov/WWW/default/Candidates/2008%20PRIMARY%20ELECTION%20CANDIDATE%20LIST%20-%20WEB.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Labuda's re-election bid was endorsed by the ''Denver Post'';<ref name="dphouse">{{cite news |author=Editorial Board |title=Post's picks in Colorado's House of Representatives |url=http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_10741559 |work=Denver Post |date=17 October 2008 |accessdate=2008-11-01 }} </ref> she prevailed with 59 percent of the popular vote.<ref name="gen08">{{cite web|url=http://coreports.ezvotetally.com/Reserved.ReportViewerWebControl.axd?ReportSession=jexpso55dlbays450fyzrmb4&ControlID=3a1b317069f040849b2b689d78addfc9&Culture=1033&UICulture=1033&ReportStack=1&OpType=ReportArea&Controller=dnn_ctr376_ViewRS2005_ReportViewer1&PageNumber=1&ZoomMode=Percent&ZoomPct=100&ReloadDocMap=true&SearchStartPage=0&LinkTarget=_top |title=Colorado Statewide Cumulative Report - 2008 General Election |accessdate=2008-12-04 |work=Colorado Secretary of State }}{{dead link|date=January 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
===2009 legislative session===
For the 2009 legislative session, Labuda was named to seats on the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and the Legislative Legal Services Committee, and was named vice-chair of the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee.<ref name="cmte09">{{cite press release|title=House Democrats Unveil 2009 Committee Chairs & Assignments |date=18 November 2008 |publisher=Colorado House Democrats |url=http://cohousedems.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/11/house-democrats-unveil-2009-committee-chairs-assignments.html |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103101139/http://cohousedems.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/11/house-democrats-unveil-2009-committee-chairs-assignments.html |archive-date= 3 January 2010 }}</ref>
===2010 legislative session===
During the 2010 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Labuda served on the House Finance Committee and as the vice-chair of the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee.<ref name="comlist">{{cite web |url=http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1251646802387&ssbinary=true |title=2010 House Committees of Reference |accessdate=2012-01-30 |work=Colorado Legislative Council |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130408134125/http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1251646802387&ssbinary=true |archive-date=2013-04-08 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
===2010 election===
Labuda ran for her third term in the November 2010 general election against Republican Danny E. Stroud.<ref name="resultslist">{{cite web |url=http://data.denverpost.com/election/results/state-house/2010/ |title=Colorado State House 2010 Election Results |accessdate=2012-01-30 |work=Denver Post |archive-date=2011-08-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814080229/http://data.denverpost.com/election/results/state-house/2010/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> She won the election with 56.3% of the vote.<ref name="resultslist"/>
===2011 legislative session===
For the 2011 session, Labuda served on the House Finance Committee.<ref name="fincomlist">{{cite web |url=http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil%2FCLCLayout&cid=1251610006359&pagename=CLCWrapper |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121212045059/http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil/CLCLayout&cid=1251610006359&pagename=CLCWrapper |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 12, 2012 |title=House Finance Committee Members |accessdate=2012-01-30 |work=Colorado Legislative Council}}</ref> She was also a member of the Task Force on Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System <ref name="tfcomlist">{{cite web |url=http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil%2FCLCLayout&cid=1251610006359&pagename=CLCWrapper |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121212045059/http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil/CLCLayout&cid=1251610006359&pagename=CLCWrapper |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 12, 2012 |title=Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System Task Force Members |accessdate=2012-01-30 |work=Colorado Legislative Council}}</ref> and the Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission.<ref name="reformcomlist">{{cite web |url=http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil%2FCLCLayout&cid=1244467519682&pagename=CLCWrapper |title=Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission Interim |accessdate=2012-01-30 |work=Colorado Legislative Council |archive-date=2012-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523222757/http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil%2FCLCLayout&cid=1244467519682&pagename=CLCWrapper |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===2012 legislative session===
For the 2012 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Labuda serves on the House Finance Committee <ref name="fin12comlist">{{cite web |url=http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil%2FCLCLayout&cid=1251568861457&pagename=CLCWrapper |title=House Finance Committee Members |accessdate=2012-01-30 |work=Colorado Legislative Council |archive-date=2011-11-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114110150/http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil%2FCLCLayout&cid=1251568861457&pagename=CLCWrapper |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the House Local Government Committee.<ref name="lgcomlist">{{cite web |url=http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil%2FCLCLayout&cid=1251568861809&pagename=CLCWrapper |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211011505/http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil%2FCLCLayout&cid=1251568861809&pagename=CLCWrapper |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 11, 2010 |title=House Local Government Committee Members |accessdate=2012-01-30 |work=Colorado Legislative Council}}</ref> She also sits on the Committee on Legal Services,<ref name="lscomlist">{{cite web|url=http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/olls/committee_on_legal_services.htm |title=Committee on Legal Services Members |accessdate=2012-01-30 |work=Colorado Legislative Council |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130191701/http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/olls/committee_on_legal_services.htm |archive-date=2012-01-30 }}</ref> the Task Force on Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System,<ref name="tfcomlist2">{{cite web |url=http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil%2FCLCLayout&cid=1251610006359&pagename=CLCWrapper |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121212045059/http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil/CLCLayout&cid=1251610006359&pagename=CLCWrapper |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 12, 2012 |title=Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System Task Force Members |accessdate=2012-02-10 |work=Colorado Legislative Council}}</ref> and the Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission.<ref name="reformcomlist2">{{cite web |url=http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil%2FCLCLayout&cid=1244467519682&pagename=CLCWrapper |title=Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission Interim |accessdate=2012-02-10 |work=Colorado Legislative Council |archive-date=2012-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523222757/http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil%2FCLCLayout&cid=1244467519682&pagename=CLCWrapper |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===2012 election=== In the 2012 General Election, Representative Labuda faced Republican challenger John Kidd. Labuda was reelected by a margin of 62% to 34% with the remaining 4% going to libertarian candidate Mike Law.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/43032/111283/en/summary.html# |title=CO - Election Results - Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2012-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314203900/http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/43032/111283/en/summary.html |archive-date=2017-03-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://data.denverpost.com/election/results/state-house/2012/ |title=State House 2012 Election Results - Denver Post |access-date=2012-11-09 |archive-date=2014-07-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708040426/http://data.denverpost.com/election/results/state-senate/2012/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===2015 election=== In 2015 Jeanne Labuda ran for Denver City County District 2. "I'm running for Denver City Council because I want to maintain a legacy of commitment to the citizens of District 2 and bring my financial and budgetary acumen to the Denver City Council."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.labudafordenver.co |title=Labuda Campaign for Denver City Council District 2 Website |accessdate=2015-04-21 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914175107/http://www.labudafordenver.co/ |archive-date=2015-09-14 }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070924170533/http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/house/members/hou01.htm Legislative web page] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120331195629/http://jeannelabudaco.com/ Campaign web site] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20150914175107/http://www.labudafordenver.co/ Labuda Campaign for Denver City Council District 2 Website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Labuda, Jeanne}} Category:1947 births Category:American civil servants Category:American women civil servants Category:Methodists from Colorado Category:Colorado lawyers Category:American women lawyers Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party members of the Colorado House of Representatives Category:Protestants from Colorado Category:Politicians from Denver Category:Texas A&M University–Kingsville alumni Category:University of Colorado Boulder alumni Category:University of Colorado Law School alumni Category:University of Texas at Austin faculty Category:Women state legislators in Colorado Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century members of the Colorado General Assembly