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Hope, Kara (D)

Office: S1086 HOB Term: Second Phone: (517) 373-0587 Email: KaraHope@house.mi.gov Home Address: PO Box 21002, Lansing, MI 48909 Website: https://housedems.com/hope Seat Number: 99 Standing Committees: Workforce, Trades & Talent, Judiciary, Agriculture (C) = Chair, (VC) = Vice Chair

POLITICAL CAREER

Rep. Hope was first elected to the House on Nov. 6, 2018 when she defeated Republican Leon CLARK by securing 53.7% of the vote. 

Hope won out in a five-candidate Democratic primary battle when she secured 71.9% of the vote.

In 2020, Hope ran unopposed in the August primary.  She defeated her GOP general election primary Nate ROSS 54.3% to 45.6% to earn her second term.  

She ran for the Ingham County Board of Commissioners in 2012, where she has served until her election to the House.

WORK EXPERIENCE

After college, she worked for the newspaper in her hometown of Ionia. 

After law school, Hope worked as a pre-hearing attorney in the Michigan Court of Appeals and then as a defense attorney before going on to teach as an adjunct professor at Cooley Law School. 

She started her solo practice in 2015, specializing in family law.

Hope also is the founding president of the all-volunteer nonprofit Holt Community Arts Council, which provides arts opportunities and events like the free, annual summer concert series Music in the Garden.

To read MIRS biography of Rep. Hope, click here.

EDUCATION

She has a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University.

PERSONAL

Hope, the daughter of two corrections officers, is married. She and her husband raised their niece, who is now a college student, and are raising their nephew, who is in high school.

LEAD STAFF PERSON:

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 HB 4104  - CRIMES, Prostitution, Modifies references to prostitute and prostitution in the revised judicature act of 1961. TIE BAR WITH: HB 4112'21
(Status: 02/03/2021 - HOUSE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY )

 HB 4173  - CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, Other, Increases maximum reward authority of counties to offer reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
(Status: 02/09/2021 - HOUSE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY )

 HB 4227  - FAMILY LAW, Marriage and Divorce, Eliminate reference to marriage entered into by a person under the age of 18.
(Status: 02/11/2021 - HOUSE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON FAMILIES, CHILDREN & SENIORS)

 HB 4360  - Elections, Offenses, Prohibits circulator misrepresenting the contents of a ballot question or recall petition, and establishes penalties.
(Status: 02/25/2021 - HOUSE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS AND ETHICS )

 HB 4367  - CAMPAIGN FINANCE, Committees, Revises definitions of committee and information required on committee campaign statement.
(Status: 02/25/2021 - HOUSE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS AND ETHICS )

 HR 0026  - A resolution to amend the Standing Rules of the House of Representatives., A resolution to amend the Standing Rules of the House of Representatives.
(Status: 02/03/2021 - HOUSE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS )

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