Ivy Spohnholz
Ivy Spohnholz | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Alaska House of Representatives from the 16th district | |
| In office March 10, 2016 – January 17, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Max Gruenberg |
| Succeeded by | Jennifer Armstrong |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 17, 1973 Nabesna, Alaska, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Troy Bowler |
| Relations | Ann Spohnholz (mother) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Washington (BA) University of Washington (EMPA) |
| Occupation | Legislator |
| Profession | Nonprofit Executive |
| Website | Campaign website |
Ivy Spohnholz (born January 17, 1973) is a former Democratic member of the Alaska House of Representatives, serving the 16th district. She served beginning on March 10, 2016, after being appointed by Governor Bill Walker to fill the vacancy left by the death of longtime Representative Max Gruenberg on February 14, 2016. 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. 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.
Spohnholz chairs the Alaska House Special Committee on Ways & Means, co-chairs the House Labor and Commerce Committee, and serves on the Health & Social Services, Legislative Budget & Audit and Joint Armed Services Committees. To address Alaska's notoriously high health care costs, in 2018 Spohnholz passed landmark health care price transparency legislation requiring health care providers to 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. 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.
Spohnholz lives in East Anchorage with her husband, Troy, and their dog Spyke.