Kim Coleman (born July 11, 1967) is an American politician who served as a member of the Utah House of Representatives from 2015 to 2021, representing the 42nd district. She was a candidate in the 2020 Republican primary for Utah's 4th congressional district, seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic congressman Ben McAdams, but lost to Burgess Owens.
Early life and education
Coleman was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was raised in Louisiana and Texas. At the age of 19, she joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and soon after served an 18-month mission in Massachusetts. In 1992, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Utah, where she studied psychology, sociology, and criminology.
Career
Coleman's interest in civic engagement began after she spotted a drug house near her residence, leading her to start a neighborhood watch program. She became a planning commissioner in West Valley City. Her husband, Joel, also served two terms as a West Valley City councilman. She has been active in conservative local politics, having co-founded the West Side Matters Republican Club, served as both a county and state Central Committee member for the Utah Republican Party, and run the political consulting firm Coleman Planet.
The Colemans also founded Monticello Academy, a charter school in West Valley City, where she serves as executive director. She created a financing model now commonly used to allow charter schools to acquire buildings independent of development companies.
Utah State Legislature
Coleman ran for Utah's 42nd state legislative seat in 2014, defeating incumbent Jim Bird in the Republican convention and winning the November 4, 2014, general election against Democratic nominee Nicholas DeLand with 69.5% of the vote.
Coleman has served on the Judiciary, Political Subdivisions, Law Enforcement (Vice Chair), Public Education (Vice Chair), Administrative Rules, Higher Education Appropriations, and Health and Human Services Appropriations Committees. She also serves on the Attorney General's Opioid Task Force, the Utah Sentencing Commission, the Children's Justice Center Advisory Board, and the Revenue and Taxation Interim Committee.
In 2020, Coleman voted against a tax reform bill that the Utah Legislature passed during a special session in December and that Governor Gary Herbert and state lawmakers later repealed after it proved unpopular. She described this as an instance where she sought to "vote along my principles and the values of my community and my constituents."
Higher education
Coleman is an advocate of reform on college campuses. As a legislator, she advocated for a variety of issues protecting free speech, including the Campus Anti-Harassment Act and Campus Free Expression Act. Her work protecting campus free speech earned her the Legislator of the Month award from the American Legislative Exchange Council, which wrote, "100% of college students deal with free speech issues on campus. Many of these institutions feel the pressure from one side or the other to act for or against certain ideas or speakers. Enshrining and educating on first amendment principles will guarantee a college is protected against those who would promote chaos instead of debate."
Overturning the Obama administration's "zero tolerance" policies regarding sexual assault on campus, Coleman advanced the Student Right to Active Counsel, which requires institutions of higher education to allow accused parties to have legal representation at disciplinary proceedings. She also successfully advocated for a "Know Before You Go" bill, which requires colleges to inform prospective students about the debt they will accrue relative to their post-graduation financial prospects.
Gun rights, police reform, and public safety
Coleman was the House sponsor of a bill designed to ban police quotas in citations and arrests, which led to the disclosure from many police officers that they were required to issue a certain number of tickets.
Coleman was a leading co-sponsor when the Utah Legislature considered legislation allowing adults ages 18 to 20 to get concealed carry permits. When representative Carol Spackman Moss insisted the bill was "a step too far," Coleman responded that "A step too far is a completed rape. The single most effective way to stop a completed rape is the use of a gun or a knife." She then shared that she was a survivor of an attempted sexual assault when she was a 19-year-old. She continued, "studies have shown … a woman's best option [when an attempted rape becomes unavoidable] is to resist with a gun in her hands." The bill passed and was signed into law.