Justin Burr

Justin P. Burr
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from the 67th district
Assumed office
2009
Preceded by Ken R. Furr
Personal details
Born June 28, 1985
Wadesboro, North Carolina
Political party Republican
Residence Norwood, North Carolina
Occupation Bail Bondsman
Religion Baptist
Website www.justinburr.com

Justin P. Burr is serving his third two-year term as a representative from the 67th District in the North Carolina General Assembly. The 67th District includes all of Stanly County and a majority of Montgomery County. Burr, a Republican, resides in Norwood, North Carolina.[1] Burr has been criticized recently for interfering with local government in Stanly County by passing a bill to make the Stanly County School Board elections partisan, adding an amendment to the 2015-2016 budget forbidding Stanly Community College from opening a culinary school in downtown Albemarle, and interfering with the town of Norwood's plans to construct a new fire department.[2][3][4] Although Burr lost his home county of Stanly, he defeated Republican Lane O. Burris in the 2016 Republican primary by a thin margin of 242 votes, and will go on to face Democrat Carson Roger Snyder on November 8. On March 24, Burris endorsed Snyder.

Personal

Burr is a third generation bail bondsman with his family's business, Burr Bail Bonds. He is also a licensed real estate broker. In 2002, Burr interned for United States Senator Jesse Helms. In 2004, he interned for United States Senator Elizabeth Dole.[5]

In 2002, Burr was the Stanly County Coordinator for the Elizabeth Dole for United States Senate campaign. In 2007-2008, he was the Stanly County Chair for the Hayes for Congress campaign.[6]

Burr is a member of the National Rifle Association, the District Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and the Stanly County Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the National, State and Regional Associations of REALTORS and the North Carolina Bail Agents Association. Burr is an Eagle Scout and attends West Albemarle Baptist Church.[7]

Legislative

Burr was elected to his first term in 2008, and was re-elected in 2010 and 2012. In the 2008 Republican primary runoff, Burr, then 22 years old, beat opponent Ken Furr, with 58 percent of the vote. At the age of 23 years, Burr became the youngest member of the North Carolina General Assembly.[8] During his first term, Burr served as the House Republican Freshman Leader.

Burr won his second election with 75% of the vote.[9] Burr was appointed to serve as a chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health & Human Services. He also was appointed to serve as the Vice-Chair of the Election Committee, Health & Human Services Committee, the Health & Human Services Subcommittee on Mental Health, Judiciary Committee and the Redistricting Committee.[10]

Currently in his third term, Burr serves as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and as vice-chairman Rules, Calendar & Operations of the House, Finance, Elections, and Health & Human Services committees. He also is a member of the Government, Insurance, and Judiciary Committees.[11]

Burr also serves as chairman of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health & Human Services and of the Committee on Judicial Efficiency and Effective Administration of Justice. He also chairs the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health & Human Services' Subcommittee on Medicaid Reform/Division of Medical Assistance Reorganization.[12] He is also a member of the Legislative Research Commission, Legislative Services Commission, Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations, Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice & Public Safety, Medical Examiner Subcommittee, and Committee on Funeral & Cemetery Regulation.[13]

Due to his efforts in the legislature to improve mental health, intellectual/developmental disabilities and substance abuse (MH/IDD/SA) services, on July 16, 2014, Burr received the NC Council of Community Programs 2014 State Representative Leadership Award.[14]

Honors

As a teenager, Burr was named the 2003 "Outstanding Teen Age Republican in the Nation" award, by the National Teen Age Republicans.[15] Five years later, as an adviser to the North Carolina Teen Age Republicans, Burr won the "Lillie Murdock Award" at the National Teen Age Republicans conference.[16] He still serves as the adviser to the North Carolina Teen Age Republicans.[17]

In 2013, Burr was selected as a 2013 GOPAC Emerging Leader. He was one of twenty Republicans in the nation to attend the Emerging Leaders Summit.[18]

Burr has been honored as a "Defender of Liberty" by the American Conservative Union for three years straight, in 2011, 2012 and 2013.[19]

In 2014, Burr was endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business [20] and the State Employees Association of North Carolina.[21]

References

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