Kimberly Dudik
{{short description|American legislator and attorney|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Kimberly Dudik
| image =
| caption =
| state_house1 = Montana
| district1 = 94th
| term_start1 = January 5, 2015
| term_end1 = January 4, 2021
| predecessor1 = Ellie Boldman
| successor1 = Tom France
| state_house2 = Montana
| district2 = 99th
| term_start2 = January 7, 2013
| term_end2 = January 5, 2015
| predecessor2 = Betsy Hands
| successor2 = Tom Steenberg
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|11|4}}
| birth_place = Frenchtown, Montana, U.S.
| party = Democratic
| education = Montana State University (BSN)
University of Montana (JD)
Johns Hopkins University (MPH)
}}
Kimberly Dudik (born November 4, 1974) is an American politician and attorney who served as a member of the Montana House of Representatives from 2013 to 2021.{{cite web|url=http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/64th/leg_info.asp?HouseID=1&SessionID=109&LAWSID=15267|title=Kimberly Dudik|publisher=Leg.mt.gov|access-date=2018-07-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180601172012/http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/64th/leg_info.asp?HouseID=1&SessionID=109&LAWSID=15267|archive-date=2018-06-01}}{{cite web|url=https://missoulian.com/news/local/dudik-retains-seat-over-challenger-cox-for-montana-house-district/article_1dfcad0a-dd5d-5de5-b1a1-0b7641763784.html|title=Dudik retains seat over challenger Cox for Montana House District 94 seat|date=2016-11-09|publisher=missoulian.com|access-date=2018-06-14}}{{Cite news |date=2017-08-01 |title=Montana 94th District State House Results: Kimberly Dudik Wins |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/montana-state-house-district-94 |access-date=2022-04-20 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |title=Kimberly Dudik |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Kimberly_Dudik |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}} Dudik was a candidate for attorney general of Montana in the 2020 Democratic primary.
Early life and education
Dudík was born in Frenchtown, Montana.{{Cite web|url=https://missoulian.com/news/government-and-politics/missoula-legislator-secures-sweeping-criminal-justice-reforms/article_4ef2a904-2107-50e0-9aca-3fe8487f385a.html|title=Missoula legislator secures sweeping criminal justice reforms|first=JAYME |last=FRASER|website=missoulian.com|date=16 April 2017 }} She earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Montana State University.{{Cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/137034/kimberly-dudik#.W1oxSS-ZMdU|title=The Voter's Self Defense System|website=Vote Smart|language=en-US}} She also has earned a J.D. degree from the University of Montana School of Law and a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.{{Cite web|title=The Voter's Self Defense System|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/137034/kimberly-dudik#.W1oxSS-ZMdU|website=Vote Smart|language=en-US}}
Career
Dudik works as an attorney in private practice at Dudik Law P.L.L.C. She served as chair for the Office of State Public Defender Task Force.{{Cite web|url=https://leg.mt.gov/css/Committees/Interim/2015-2016/Public-Defender/default-2.html|title=Montana Legislature: Task Force on State Public Defender Operations|website=leg.mt.gov|access-date=2018-07-26}} She co-founded the Public Policy Institute of the Rockies and developed a program to provide pro bono legal assistance to families impacted by the MMIP epidemic.{{Cite web |title=Public Policy Institute of the Rockies establishes fund to eliminate legal costs for indigenous families seeking legal assistance for missing or murdered relatives |url=http://www.charkoosta.com/news/public-policy-institute-of-the-rockies-establishes-fund-to-eliminate-legal-costs-for-indigenous-families/article_b77c5328-da8d-11eb-ad2e-afb222053564.html |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=Char-Koosta News |language=en}}
= Montana House of Representatives =
In 2015, Dudik worked with Republican Montana Attorney General Tim Fox to combat human trafficking in Montana. She carried House Bill 89 which substantially reformed Montana’s human trafficking laws.{{Cite web|agency=Missoulian|first=Keila |last=Szpaller|title=Montana toughens sex-trafficking law, but work remains to help victims|url=https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/montana-toughens-sex-trafficking-law-but-work-remains-to-help/article_63dcf3ae-f468-514b-a02c-c03e5abd5fc0.html|website=The Billings Gazette|date=11 May 2015 }} In 2017, Dudik led substantial bipartisan public defender reforms. That year, Dudik is thought to be the first sitting state legislator to give birth during a Montana legislative session, returning to the House floor four days later with the baby with her.{{Cite web |first=JAYME |last=FRASER |title=Missoula legislator secures sweeping criminal justice reforms |url=https://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/missoula-legislator-secures-sweeping-criminal-justice-reforms/article_93acf6c0-9a2a-5bf5-9203-f77cbb44b1db.html |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=Helena Independent Record |date=16 April 2017 |language=en}} Dudik led the National Foundation for Women Legislators as chairperson in 2018.{{Cite web |date=2019-01-22 |title=2018 Chair Farewell |url=https://www.womenlegislators.org/2018-chair-farewell/ |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=National Foundation for Women Legislators {{!}} WomenLegislators.org |language=en}} Dudik served as the chairperson for the Council of State Governments West in 2019.Committee Assignments CSG West 2019-2020:https://leg.mt.gov/content/Committees/Administration/Legislative-Council/2019-20/Meetings/April2019/CSGcommittee19.pdf
== Committee assignments ==
During Dudik's tenure, she served on the House Appropriations Committee, the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Judicial Branch, Law Enforcement, and Justice, and the House Rules Committee.{{Cite web|title=2013 Committee Assignments|url=https://leg.mt.gov/content/Committees/Session/2013%20house%20committees%20-%20columns.pdf}}{{Cite web|title=2015 Committee Assignments|url=https://leg.mt.gov/content/Sessions/64th/2015-house-committees.pdf}}{{Cite web|title=2017 Committee Assignments|url=https://leg.mt.gov/content/Committees/Session/2017-house-committees.pdf}}{{cite web|title=House of Representatives Committees 2019|url=https://leg.mt.gov/content/Committees/Session/2019-house-committees.pdf|access-date=21 November 2021}} She also served on the Legislative Finance Committee from 2013 to 2020.
During the 2017 and 2019 legislative sessions, she vice chaired the House Rules Committee.
In 2019, Dudik served as a member of the Joint Select Committee on Settlement Accountability.
= 2020 Montana attorney general campaign =
{{Main|2020 Montana Attorney General election}}
On December 17, 2017, Dudik announced her candidacy for Montana attorney general in the 2020 election.{{cite news |last=Cates-Carney |first=Corin |date=December 17, 2017 |title=Rep Kimberly Dudik Announces Bid For Attorney General's Office |url=https://www.mtpr.org/post/rep-kimberly-dudik-announces-bid-attorney-generals-office |work=Montana Public Radio |location=Missoula, Montana |access-date=August 22, 2019 }} She has reported approximately $101,000 in the quarter ending June 30, 2019. She loaned her campaign $85,000. She has repaid $30,000 of the loan.Ambarian, Jonathon. [https://www.kxlh.com/news/montana-politics/2019/07/06/montana-candidates-report-fundraising-numbers-for-2020-elections/ Montana candidates report fundraising numbers for 2020 elections], KXLH Channel 9, Great Falls, Montana, July 6, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019. Dudik placed second in the Democratic primary after Raph Graybill.{{Cite web|last=Staff|first=Sidney Herald|title=Raph Graybill won state Democratic nomination for Attorney General|url=https://www.sidneyherald.com/election/raph-graybill-won-state-democratic-nomination-for-attorney-general/article_a6405566-a8dc-11ea-83c7-5717d36c2932.html|access-date=2021-11-19|website=Sidney Herald|date=7 June 2020 |language=en}}