State Representative

Elected to the House in 1981, Tom has since come to be known among his colleagues as the “conscious of the House”, a name that was first given to him for standing against corruption during the House Boptrot investigation dealing with Kentucky politicians’ abuse of power.  While in office, he has always stood against the abuse of power.  Tom has sought to enact legislation that promotes government transparency, jobs, environmental protection, education, aid to women and children, and favorable conditions for working people.

Throughout his years of service in the Kentucky legislature, Tom has never forgotten who sent him to Frankfort.  He does not take PAC (Political Action Committee) money because his focus is on the public interest not on the special interests.  This ensures he will not to be swayed by special interest groups and thus can represent you.  

In the Kentucky House of Representatives, during the Interim when the legislature is not in session, Tom serves on the following committees: Agriculture; Education, Energy Special Subcommittee; Horse Farming; Judiciary; Labor and Industry; Penal Code and Controlled Substance Act Subcommittee; Postsecondary Education; State Government; and Veterans, Military Affairs & Public Protection.

In the Regular Session of the General Assembly, he serves on these committees: Agriculture & Small Business (H); Education (H) [Vice Chair]; Judiciary (H); Labor & Industry (H); Military Affairs & Public Safety (H); and State Government (H).

Every legislative session Tom has committed to send a legislative questionnaire at his own expense to survey his constituents on the important issues facing the General Assembly.  He has voted against every pay raise for legislators, worked for stricter legislative ethics legislation and voted against an increase in the legislative pension.  Tom has saved Kentucky thousands of dollars by paying for his own postage for constituent communications rather than using the allotted $1,306.10 in taxpayer money for postage.  Even when the state authorizes legislators to be paid for meals and lodging for in-state and out-of-state legislative meetings, he always pays for his own lodging, meals and out-of-state transportation.      

Tom has fought to clean up the environment in Louisville and throughtout the state by opposing mountaintop removal which damages the health of Kentuckians through the pollution of our streams.  He has supported many legislative initiatives to assist the disabled, veterans and their families.  Boosting Kentucky’s economy and bringing jobs to Louisville and Jefferson County has been a top priority.  Tom and other members of the Jefferson County Legislative Delegation recently met with Jim Campbell of General Electric as he announced the exciting return of “green” jobs from China to Louisville.

Integrity and honesty were the values Tom was taught by his parents and grandparents.  Being raised in a single parent home from the age of 4 years old, he has always known the worth of hard work.  Delivering the Courier-Journal and the Louisville Times newspapers for five years, working on farms and doing construction work in the summer, Tom helped put himself through Centre College.  Throughout his life, he has identified with hard-working Kentuckians.  He and his wife, Claudia, have six children and a granddaughter.  Tom pastors an inner-city Baptist church which has an outreach to the homeless and to men struggling with substance abuse.

To visit Tom Riner's official website: Click Here

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