State Senator Steve Buehrer represents the 1st Senate District, which includes Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Williams and parts of Auglaize County. Before coming to the Senate in 2007, he served four terms as the State Representative for the 82nd Ohio House District. A sixth generation resident of Northwest Ohio, Steve has often said that the area is the true heart of Ohio - a place recognized for its strong communities, work ethic and commitment to family. Throughout his tenure in the Legislature, he has fought to protect these values and support efforts to make the region stronger.

Senator Buehrer serves as chairman of the Insurance, Commerce and Labor Committee, which debates key issues that impact Ohio’s economy, including business regulations, consumer protection and workers' compensation law. He also has an influential voice in shaping state transportation policy as vice chair of the Highways and Transportation Committee. In addition, Buehrer sits on the Energy and Public Utilities Committee, the Health, Human Services and Aging Committee and the Judiciary-Civil Justice Committee.

Steve has long championed policy that respects individual freedom, promotes strong family values and encourages development and job growth in Ohio’s communities. He successfully passed a bill last year to establish Ohio’s Castle Doctrine. He has also sponsored legislation to ban human cloning, while supporting other pro-life efforts. In addition, he recently worked to create the Grants for Grads program to help combat “brain drain” in Ohio and has sponsored proposals to streamline business regulations, improve transportation infrastructure and create jobs through increased fuel production in the state.

Steve has received several awards for his work in Columbus. He has been recognized as a Watchdog of the Treasury three times by the United Conservatives of Ohio for his fiscally-conservative voting record. He was also named Legislator of the Year by the League of Ohio Sportsmen in 2008 and recently got the Ohio Christian Alliance’s Life Award for his strong advocacy of pro-life policy. In addition, he was honored as a Guardian of Small Business by the National Federation of Independent Business in 2007.

Away from the Statehouse, Senator Buehrer is active in a number of organizations, including the Council of State Governments (CSG), National Conference of State Legislators and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). He was elected vice chair of CSG-Midwest for 2009 and serves as a Bowhay Leadership Fellow. He has served as state co-chair of ALEC and received the organization’s prestigious Legislator of the Year Award in 2003 for his dedication to federalism and individual liberty. Locally, he is a member of the Fulton County Bar Association, the Fulton County Historical Society, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, the Ohio Farm Bureau, the Ohio Township Association, Ohio Right to Life and several local chambers of commerce.

Steve graduated from Delta High School and attended Bowling Green State University, where he received a degree in social studies education. He came to the Ohio House in 1999 armed with a wealth of government experience, after working as an intern for the late Congressman Paul Gillmor; a legislative aide for former Ohio House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson; Director of Legislative Affairs for the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services; Deputy Director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services; and Chief of Human Resources for the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. While attending night classes, he earned a law degree from Capital University in 1997.

Steve is a practicing attorney at the law firm of Barber, Kaper, Stamm and Robinson and also runs a small business with his wife, Cathy. They reside in Delta with their sons, Benjamin, Simon and Daniel.

The Ohio Statehouse

Columbus, Ohio 43215

Phone: (614) 466-8150

SD01@senate.state.oh.us