Scott Pelath

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Scott Pelath

|office = Minority Leader of the Indiana House of Representatives

|term_start = November 8, 2012

|term_end = November 19, 2017

|predecessor = Linda Lawson

|successor = Terry Goodin

|state_house1= Indiana

|district1 = 9th

|term_start1 = November 4, 1998

|term_end1 = November 7, 2018

|predecessor1= Thomas J. Alevizos{{cite web | url=https://www.capitolandwashington.com/offices/office/109/ | title=Offices | date=3 March 2015 }}

|successor1 = Pat Boy

|birth_name = Scott Douglas Pelath

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|7|9}}

|birth_place = Michigan City, Indiana, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Democratic

|alma_mater = Indiana University, Bloomington (BS)

|allegiance = {{flag|United States}}

|branch = {{army|United States|size=23px}}

|unit = United States Army Reserve

}}

Scott Douglas Pelath (born July 9, 1970){{cite web | url=http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/2612.htm | title =Meeting Minutes INDIANA ELECTION COMMISSION | author =Office of the Indiana Secretary of State | publisher =in.gov | date =March 10, 1998}} was the Minority Leader of the Indiana House of Representatives. From 1998 to 2018 he represented Indiana's 9th District, which currently covers portions of LaPorte County and Porter County in Northwest Indiana.

Upon his retirement from the Indiana legislature, Pelath became Executive Director of the Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission.

Early life and education

Pelath was born and raised in Michigan City, Indiana, to Richard Pelath and Rebecca (née Hoerr) Pelath. After attending Long Beach Elementary and Krueger Junior High, he graduated from Michigan City Elston High School in 1988.{{cite web | url=http://www.engagingnews.us/select/Scott+D+Pelath.html | title =Scott D Pelath | publisher =engagingnews.us | date =April 26, 2013}} He then went on to receive his Bachelor of Science degree in public affairs from Indiana University in 1992.{{cite web | url=http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=56550 | title =Pelath to Lead House Democrats | publisher =insideindianabusiness.com | date =November 8, 2012}}

Career

Prior to coming to the Indiana House, Scott served as an aide to U.S. Rep. Tim Roemer from 1992 to 1997.{{cite web | url=http://chestertontribune.com/Indiana%20News/state_representative_scott_pelat.htm | title =State Representative Scott Pelath of Michigan City to serve as Democrat House leader | publisher =chestertontribune.com | date =November 9, 2012}} He also chaired LaPorte County's Democratic Party through the 2000 election, and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention that year and in 2016.

Pelath served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve.{{cite web | url=http://indianapublicmedia.org/election/2012-races/indiana-state-house-of-representatives-district-9/scott-pelath/ | title =INDIANA ELECTION 2012 Scott D. Pelath | publisher =indianapublicmedia.org | date =April 26, 2012}} He is a graduate of the Indiana University ROTC program and the Armor Officer Basic Course at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

From 1999 to 2019, Pelath worked as a human resources director at the Swanson Center in Michigan City.{{cite web | url=http://articles.southbendtribune.com/2010-10-24/news/29155702_1_practice-law-indiana-house-laporte-county| title =Indiana House of Representatives, District 9 Name. | publisher =southbendtribune.com | date =October 20, 2010}} Following his retirement from the Indiana General Assembly, he became Executive Director of the Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission. The commission, which serves eight Northwest Indiana counties, seeks to reverse mounting water resource dilemmas related to the draining of the Grand Kankakee Marsh over a century ago.

=State House=

Pelath was elected as a Democrat to the State House in 1998 and on November 8, 2012, Representative Pelath was elected Indiana House Democratic Leader.{{cite web | url=http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20121108/NEWS02/311080072/Indiana-House-Democrats-select-Scott-Pelath-post-Bauer-era | title =Indiana House Democrats select Scott Pelath for post-Bauer era | author =The Louisville Courier-Journal | publisher =courier-journal.com | date =November 8, 2012}} He replaced Linda Lawson.{{cite web | url=http://thestatehousefile.com/house-democrats-pick-scott-pelath-of-michigan-city-to-take-caucus-in-new-direction/8118/ | title=House Democrats pick Scott Pelath of Michigan City to take caucus in new direction }}

Pelath formerly held legislative positions of Assistant Minority Leader,{{cite web | url=http://www.thecorydongroup.com/files/2012_Indiana_House_of_Representatives_Leadership.pdf | title =2012 Indiana House of Representatives Leadership – Minority | publisher =thecorydongroup.com | date =April 26, 2013}} Vice-Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee,{{cite web | url=https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=36371 | title =Budget Negotiations Inch Closer to Deadline | publisher =insideindianabusiness.com | date =June 26, 2009}} and Chairman of the House Rules Committee.{{cite web | url=http://www.theindychannel.com/news/indiana-gay-marriage-proposal-takes-new-turn | title =Indiana Gay Marriage Proposal Takes New Turn | publisher =theindychannel.com | date =March 21, 2007}} On November 19, 2017, Pelath announced that he would resign as Minority Leader and would not run for reelection in 2018.{{cite web | url=http://fox59.com/2017/11/19/pelath-stepping-down-as-indiana-house-minority-leader/ | title=Pelath stepping down as Indiana House minority leader | date=19 November 2017 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2017/11/19/scott-pelath-stepping-down-democrats-leader-indiana-house/879089001/ | title=Scott Pelath stepping down as Democrats' leader in Indiana House }}{{cite web | url=http://www.theindychannel.com/news/politics/indiana-house-minority-leader-scott-pelath-will-not-seek-reelection-in-2018 | title=Ind. House Minority Leader stepping down | date=19 November 2017 }} He was replaced by Terry Goodin as Minority Leader.{{cite web | url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2017/11/27/terry-goodin-selected-new-leader-indiana-house-democrats/897322001/ | title=New House minority leader Terry Goodin is a socially conservative Democrat from rural Indiana }}

Among scores of legislative enactments, Pelath was the Indiana House sponsor of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact, which is now law in eight Great Lakes States and two Canadian provinces. He also coauthored an expansion of the South Shore commuter rail line prior to his legislative retirement.{{Cite web|last=Zorn|first=Tim|title=Veteran lawmaker Pelath takes helm of river commission|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/ct-ptb-pelath-profile-st-0118-story.html|access-date=2020-12-20|website=chicagotribune.com}}

External links

[http://indianahousedemocrats.org/scott-pelath Indiana State Legislature – Representative Scott Pelath] Official government website
Follow the Money – Scott Douglas Pelath
[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=81577 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=66016 2004] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=9450 2002] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=31320 2000] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=60977 1998] campaign contributions
Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission [https://kankakeeandyellowrivers.org/]
Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources [https://www.in.gov/dnr/water/5216.htm Compact]

References

Category:1970 births

Category:Living people

Category:Democratic Party members of the Indiana House of Representatives

Category:21st-century members of the Indiana General Assembly