REFERENCE TITLE: The Honorable Jeff Groscost

State of Arizona Senate Forty-eighth Legislature First Regular Session 2007

SCR 1029

Introduced by Senators Johnson, Aguirre, Bee, Burns, Cheuvront, Flake, Gray C, Gray L, Hale, Harper, Landrum Taylor, Rios, Verschoor, Waring: Allen, Arzberger, Blendu, Burton Cahill, Garcia, Gould, Huppenthal, Leff, McCune Davis, O'Halleran, Pesquiera, Soltero, Tibshraeny (with permission of committee on Rules)

 

A concurrent RESOLUTION

 

on the death of jeffrey smith groscost.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

Jeffrey Smith Groscost, former Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, died suddenly on November 3, 2006 at the age of forty-five.

Jeff Groscost was born on April 29, 1961 in Tooele, Utah to Ken and Catherine Groscost.  A fifth generation Arizonan, he attended Mesa High School, Mesa Community College, Brigham Young University and Arizona State University, and he served a mission for his church in Curitiba, Brazil.  He married Dana Ipsen and together they had six children, Chad, Logan, Reagan, Gunnar, Griffin and Jesse.  Jeff Groscost always placed his faith and his family at the forefront of each day.

Jeff Groscost was a small business owner who was introduced to politics by successfully opposing a tax increase in the City of Mesa.  He followed in the political footsteps of his great-great-grandfather, Jesse Nathaniel Smith, who served in the 19th session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature. First elected to the House in 1992, Jeff Groscost proved to be highly adept at the legislative process and ably represented his constituents in Mesa, Gilbert, Queen Creek and Higley.  He became the House Majority Whip in 1995, and in 1997 he was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.  He was the youngest person in the nation to hold that post at the time.  As Speaker, Jeff Groscost distinguished himself as a skilled strategist whose optimism and leadership were instrumental in the passage of key legislation.  His legacy as a conservative visionary was reinforced through a number of historic measures he shepherded through the legislative process, including pro-life parental consent legislation, the largest tax cuts in state history, the scholarship tax credits for public and private schools, Loper's law for extreme DUI and public charter schools.  Other hallmarks of Jeff's tenure as Speaker included construction of University of Phoenix Stadium, promotion of alternative fuel usage and electric deregulation.  Jeff loved the Navajo people and made numerous official visits to the Navajo Nation as Speaker.  He supported funding for Diné College and the creation of a special Arizona‑Navajo Nation license plate.  Jeff Groscost showed great determination, enthusiasm and humor in all that he did, and he earned the respect and admiration of his peers on both sides of the political aisle.

After leaving the House of Representatives in 2001, Jeff Groscost continued to be active in various worthwhile civic, community, and business endeavors.  He was active as a leader with the Boy Scouts of America, and faithfully wore his "Duty to God" award on his lapel.  Jeff assisted countless young men achieve their Eagle rank, and he frequently hosted Capitol tours for Scouts and included their honor guards in special House of Representatives ceremonies.  He served on the board of the Mesa United Way and as the Republican chairman in Mesa-based District 18.  A lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he was serving in the Bishopric of the Southern Estates Ward in the Mesa Kimball Stake at the time of his death.  Jeff Groscost was a confidant of United States Senator John McCain, who eulogized him by describing him as a great young American who lived up to the principles of the man who inspired him to get into politics ‑ former President Ronald Reagan.

Jeff Groscost was deeply loyal to and protective of his legislative staff, and he was committed to improving the physical conditions of the House of Representatives.  During his tenure, significant modernizations of the House facilities were undertaken.  He opened the Arizona legislative process to the world, with the first live legislative proceedings to ever be broadcast over the internet.  As Speaker, he oversaw some of the most memorable opening days in Arizona history, and keynote addresses were given by such national figures as Charlton Heston, Paul Harvey, Glen Campbell, Randy Johnson and Jake Plummer.  Jeff Groscost brought with him to the Legislature his lifelong affinity for reptiles, as his supporters nicknamed him and his cohorts "the Gila Monster Caucus."

Jeff Groscost was dedicated to his wife of twenty-two years, Dana, and their children.  He volunteered regularly to coach his children's teams, and to attend their performances.  Jeff Groscost is also survived by his parents, Ken and Catherine, his brother Gregory, his sisters, Elizabeth, Kristen and Amy, his Navajo sister Rosie Bingham and his many nieces and nephews.  He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends as well as the citizens of Mesa and the State of Arizona.

Therefore

Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring:

That the Members of the Legislature express sincere regret at the passing of Jeff Groscost and extend their deepest sympathies to his surviving family members.