Pat Outman
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
Assumed office
January 1, 2021
Preceded byJim Lower
Constituency70th district (2021–2022)
91st district (2023–present)
Personal details
Born
Patrick Outman

c. 1992 (age 31–32)
Six Lakes, Michigan
Political partyRepublican
RelationsRick Outman (father)
Residence(s)Six Lakes, Michigan
EducationFerris State University
WebsitePat Outman

Patrick Outman (born c. 1992) is an American politician from Michigan. A member of the Republican, he is a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 91st district. First elected in 2020, he the state House on January 1, 2021.

Early life, education, and career

Pat Outman was born around 1992 in Six Lakes, Michigan to father Rick Outman.[1][2] In 2010, Pat graduated from Lakeview High School. Pat later earned a degree in business administration and legal studies from Ferris State University, where he graduated with honors.[3][4] Outman worked for his family's excavating business and cattle farm.[5]

Political career

Before being elected to the Michigan House of Representatives, Outman was a staffer in the state legislature.[6] He was elected to the state House as a Republican from 70th district in November 2020. He took office in January 2021.[7] He replaced outgoing state Representative Jim Lower,[6] and fills the seat formerly occupied by his father.[6][8] At the time, the district covered all of Montcalm County and parts of Gratiot County.[6]

In February 2021, Outman introduced a bill seeks to allow winners of multi-state lotteries to collect their winnings while staying anonymous.[9][10]

In 2021, Outman was one of four representatives (all Republicans) to vote against HB 4856, which would allow government agencies to exempt from disclosure under the state Freedom of Information the names of victims of sexual misconduct who sue as anonymous plaintiffs. The legislation was one piece of a bipartisan package brought after the Larry Nasser scandal.[11]

In 2021, Outman was one of eight Republican legislators to co-sponsor the "Fact Checker Registration Act" a bill that would require fact-checking organizations to register with the government and file proof of a $1 million fidelity bond. The bill was introduced by Republican Representative Matt Maddock, a prominent 2020 presidential election denier. The Michigan Press Association said that the bill infringed on the First Amendment freedom of the press, and Lasinski said it aimed to "intimidate and harass" journalists.[12] In 2022, Outman was one of 17 Michigan Republican legislators who signed a letter urging the state attorney general to investigate debunked claims of "election fraud" in the 2020 election based on 2000 Mules, a debunked film pushed by Donald Trump and other election deniers.[13]

In 2021, Outman was one of three House representatives who voted against a bipartisan ethics package that established a specific conflict of interest policy for the Michigan Legislature. The bill (HB 4011) prohibits state legislators from voting on bills that could personally benefit them, their families, or businesses. The bill passed the House on a 105–3 vote; the other "no" votes came from Republicans Beau LaFave and Steve Carra.[14]

In 2022, Outman sponsored a nonbinding resolution, HB 210, that accused Michigan public schools of harboring "radical politics" and engaging in "political indoctrination." He offered no evidence for these claims. The resolution also criticized Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer for vetoing a bill to create a school voucher-type program for private school tuition. The resolution was approved by the state House Education Committee on a party-line vote.[15]

In the 2022 election, redistricting put Outman in the 91st district.[3] The new district covers northeastern Kent County; parts of northern Kent County (including Cedar Springs); and portions of Montcalm and Ionia counties, including Greenville and Belding.[16] He defeated Democratic nominee Tammy L. DeVries with 68.2% of the vote.[3]

Control of both chambers of the Michigan Legislature flipped in the 2022 election, with Democrats winning the majority in the new legislative session that began in 2023.[17] Outman and his father (a state senator) opposed the labor-rights package of bills signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in March 2023; the legislation, which passed the House and Senate on party-line votes, repealed the "right-to-work law" enacted in 2012 under Governor Rick Snyder and reinstated the prevailing wage law.[17]

Personal life

Outman is a member of the National Rifle Association.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Who's new in the Michigan House of Representatives". MLive. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Following in his father's footsteps". The Daily News. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 "Pat Outman". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Pat Outman (R)". 9&10 News. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  5. ↑ Patrick Outman gets AgriPac endorsement in 70th House District, Michigan Farm News (Michigan Farm Bureau).
  6. 1 2 3 4 Lauren Gibbons, Who's new in the Michigan House of Representatives, MLive (January 5, 2021).
  7. ↑ State Representative PAT OUTMAN (R–70th Representative District), Michigan Manual (2021-2022 ed.), p. 269.
  8. ↑ Elisabeth Waldon, Following in his father's footsteps: Pat Outman announces candidacy for 70th District, Daily News (October 21, 2019).
  9. ↑ "Michigan lawmaker wants to let big lottery winners claim prizes anonymously". Michigan Radio. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  10. ↑ "How claiming a $1.05B jackpot as a Michigan lottery club allowed winners to stay anonymous". Mlive. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  11. ↑ Samuel J. Robinson, Michigan House passes bills to protect, encourage reporting of sexual abuse, MLive (November 5, 2021).
  12. ↑ Lauren Gibbons, Michigan House bill would create state registry for 'fact checkers', MLive (May 12, 2021).
  13. ↑ Ben Orner, Michigan lawmakers want AG to investigate debunked "2000 Mules Claims", MLive (June 16, 2022).
  14. ↑ Lauren Gibbons, Michigan House-passed bill would spell out conflict of interest policy for lawmakers, MLive (May 6, 2021).
  15. ↑ Rick Pluta, House panel battles over school resolution, alleging "radical politics" and "indoctrination", Michigan Radio (March 8, 2022).
  16. ↑ Michael Kransz, Incumbent, challenger compete for state House seat representing northern Kent County, MLive (October 14, 2022).
  17. 1 2 Cory Smith, Outmans decry repeal of right-to-work, reinstatement of prevailing wage, The Daily News (Greenville, Mich.) (March 27, 2023).
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