Balanced Budget Amendment Planning Convention
Planning Committee Member Bios
Representative Kelly Townsend — Chairman
Representative Kelly Townsend currently serves as the Majority Whip in the Arizona House of Representatives. She is the former Chair of the Federalism & States’ Rights Committee, and an Article V advocate. Rep. Townsend has attended all of the Assembly of State Legislatures (ASL) which worked to come up with the first Legislator-produced set of rules for an Article V convention of States, and was also a delegate to the historic Simulated Convention of States in 2016, held in Williamsburg, VA. Representative Townsend has run the Convention of States resolution each year since 2014, and was ultimately successful in passing it in both houses in the 2017 session. She is currently chairing the BBA Planning Convention Committee in preparation for the first national convention of states in 156 years.
Senator Nancy Barto — Vice-Chairman
Senator Nancy Barto represents Legislative District 15 in North Phoenix and is Chairwoman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, Vice Chair of the Judiciary Committee, and served as a member of various Federalism committees in Arizona Legislative sessions 2006-2008 and 2015-2016.
The federal government’s uncontrolled spending and its dire consequences to America’s future as well as the relentless reach of the federal regulatory state into the lives of citizens and the states must be stemmed. Nancy understands that Congress alone will never reform itself. It will take the various states to achieve the necessary restraints. Never a passive observer on this and many other issues, Nancy has sponsored or co-sponsored Article V legislation in Arizona at every opportunity – and encouraged her colleagues to do the same. These efforts include the Regulation Freedom Amendment, Balanced Budget Amendment and Convention of States Resolutions and the Compact for a Balanced Budget.
In preparation for the upcoming Balanced Budget Amendment Planning Convention in Arizona, Nancy serves as Vice Chair of the BBA Planning Committee and hopes to be a seated delegate.
A career homemaker before her Legislative service, Nancy and her husband, Joe, grew up and raised their family in the Phoenix metro area. They have three grown daughters and three grandchildren.
Senator Steve Smith
Senator Steve Smith currently serves as the Chairman of the Senate Commerce and Public Safety Committee and has been elected to 4 terms to the Senate and House of Representatives in Arizona.
Steve was first elected in 2010 after defeating a Democrat political dynasty whose family had held the Senate seat for nearly 30 years. Subsequently, Steve became the first Republican elected in his district in nearly 100 years and was one of the youngest Senators ever elected in Arizona history.
Named ‘Legislator of the Year’ for his work for law enforcement, the military, the disabled community, and more, Steve has quickly become a leading figure in Arizona politics.
Additionally, Steve is recognized as the top conservative legislator in Arizona from his #1 ranking by The American Conservative Union, #1 ranking by the Goldwater Institute, #1 ranking from Americans For Prosperity, #1 ranking from the Arizona Conservative Coalition, and many more.
Defending the principles of ‘God, Family, and Country’, Steve has a 100% voting record in defending the unborn and religious freedoms, is A+ rated by the NRA, and has never voted to raise taxes.
Senator Steve Montenegro
Senator Steve Montenegro was first elected to the Arizona Legislature in November of 2008. He served in the House of Representatives until January 2017, holding several positions including Speaker Pro-Tempore, Committee Chairman, and House Majority Leader for the 52nd Legislature (2015-2016). He is currently in his first term of the Arizona Senate. He is the Vice-Chair of the Education Committee and serves on the Appropriations and Health and Human Services Committees.
An award-winning champion of families, taxpayers, and our Constitutional liberties, Steve continues to focus on issues including education, government transparency, protecting our Second Amendment rights, agriculture, water, border security, fiscal responsibility, and taking care of our veterans and military presence here in Arizona. He was the Primary Sponsor of the American Civics Act requiring Arizona’s High School students to pass the same civics test required of newly naturalized citizens, and was awarded Legislator of the Year by the Arizona Republican Party in 2015.
Mr. Montenegro arrived in the U.S. from El Salvador when he was five when his family legally immigrated to the United States.
He is a District Representative in the office of Congressman Trent Franks and serves as an Assistant Pastor at Surprise Apostolic Church in Surprise, AZ. He was previously a teacher at Arizona Charter Academy and Superior School in Surprise, Arizona.
He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and also holds an Associate of Arts in Theology. Senator Montenegro interrupted his studies toward a law degree for this opportunity at public service.
He spent five years as President of the Arizona Messengers of Peace and spent 10 years on the National Board for the National Messengers of Peace. He has served on the advisory boards for GOPAC, Arizona Charter Academy, and the RSLC Future Majority Project. He is currently a trustee of Arizona Christian University.
He and his wife Melissa were married in 2009 and have a little girl, Adelynn. On those rare occasions where he has some free time, he enjoys reading, playing the piano, golf, and running.
Representative Anthony Kern
Representative Anthony Kern was elected to the Arizona State House of Representative in November 2014. As a conservative precinct and State committeeman within the Republican party he has worked on several local, state, and national Republican campaigns. When coming of voting age, he cast his vote for President Ronald Reagan. Years later, he made the trip to attend President Reagan’s funeral in Washington D.C. in 2004.
Anthony Kern works diligently to promote individual liberty and freedom, and firmly believes in the United States Constitution. He believes in limiting the size of government at all levels, government transparency, protecting Second Amendment rights, and tax reduction. He is passionate about job creation, and is pro-family. It is important to him to meet with his constituents and help them to the best of his ability.
As a student of Western International University and Northern Arizona University, he received a degree in Business Administration. Furthering his education, he recently received his peace officer certification from the Glendale Law Enforcement Training Academy. He believes in entrepreneurs and has owned a private investigation business. He is active in crime prevention as a member of Crime Free Multi-Housing, and the National Institute of Crime Prevention. He is certified in crime free housing and crime prevention through environmental design and has been involved in the Block Watch program. In 1995 he started the City of Phoenix Employees for Christ organization. He has helped organize the Arizona Hoarding Task Force; an organization to assist persons with chronic hoarding. He also is a member of the National Rifle Association.
Representative Anthony Kern is honored to serve on the BBA Planning Committee, and is looking forward to working with all the delegates from every state involved in the Article V Planning Convention.
Representative Bob Thorpe
Representative Bob Thorpe has been working on and promoting the State’s authority to use Article V to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution since 2010. Thorpe is also a co-founder of the Balanced Budget Amendment Taskforce, Chairman of the Arizona State House Committee on Federalism and has run an Article V BBA bill almost every year since being elected to the Arizona State Legislature. For close to a decade, Thorpe has worked with his friend and mentor, retired Constitutional Professor Rob Natelson of the Independence Institute, who is the leading authority on Article V, Federal conventions and their long American history.