Ivy Spohnholz

Ivy Spohnholz
Member of the Alaska House of Representatives
from the 16th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
March 10, 2016 (2016-March-10)
Preceded byMax Gruenberg
Personal details
Born (1973-01-17) January 17, 1973 (age 51)
Nabesna, Alaska, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseTroy Bowler
RelationsAnn Spohnholz (mother)
Children3
ResidenceAnchorage, Alaska
Alma materUniversity of Washington (BA)
University of Washington (EMPA)
OccupationLegislator
ProfessionNonprofit Executive
WebsiteCampaign website

Ivy Spohnholz (born January 17, 1973) is a Democratic member of the Alaska House of Representatives, serving the 16th district. She has served since March 10, 2016, after being appointed by Governor Bill Walker to fill the vacancy caused by the death of longtime Representative Max Gruenberg on February 14, 2016.[1][2] She was elected to a full term on November 8, 2016, with 51.52% of the vote, a 10-point margin over Republican Don Hadley.[3][4] She was reelected to State House for a second time in 2018 with 55.1% of the vote, an 11-point margin over Republican Stanley Wright.[5]

Spohnholz chairs the Alaska House Special Committee on Ways & Means, co-chairs the House Labor and Commerce Committee, and serves on Health & Social Services, Legislative Budget & Audit and Joint Armed Services Committees.[6] To address Alaska's notoriously high health care costs, in 2018 Spohnholz passed landmark health care price transparency legislation requiring health care providers post their prices for consumers in public spaces and on their websites. In 2020, Spohnholz passed HB 29 expanding access to insurance coverage for telehealth care. Responding to the COVID-19 crisis, as the chair of the Labor and Commerce Committee Spohnholz passed HB 308 making it easier for Alaskans to access their unemployment insurance benefits in just six days.[7] She was reelected in 2020 with 53% of the vote, by a margin of 12.4% over Republican Paul Bauer (40. 6%) and Libertarian Scott Kohlhaas, with 6.3%. Spohnholz chose not to file for reelection in 2022.[8]

Spohnholz lives in East Anchorage with her husband, Troy, and their dog Spyke.

  1. ^ Kitchenman, Andrew (March 8, 2016). "Ivy Spohnholz named to fill vacant Gruenberg seat". Alaska Public Media. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
  2. ^ Herz, Nathaniel (February 14, 2016). "Longtime Alaska lawmaker Max Gruenberg passes away". Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  3. ^ Our Campaigns - Ivy Spohnholz, Our Campaigns. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  4. ^ Alaska 16th State House District Results - Ivy Spohnholz Wins, New York Times, February 10, 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  5. ^ "Ivy Spohnholz".
  6. ^ "Representative Ivy Spohnholz". Alaska Legislature. Alaska Legislature. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Alaska Legislature eases unemployment insurance benefit rules, weighs other emergency measures". 25 March 2020.
  8. ^ Ivy Spohnholz, Ballotpedia. Retrieved July 17, 2022.