Scott Martin (Pennsylvania politician)

Scott Martin
Martin in 2023
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
from the 13th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2017
Preceded byLloyd Smucker
Member of the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners
In office
January 7, 2008 – January 4, 2016
Serving with Dennis P. Stuckey, Craig Lehman
Preceded byDick Shellenberger
Pete Shaub
Molly Henderson
Succeeded byJoshua Parsons
Personal details
BornPortsmouth Naval Hospital, Virginia
Political partyRepublican
SpouseAmber Martin
ResidenceLancaster County
Alma materMillersville University of Pennsylvania (B.A.)
WebsitePersonal website

Scott Martin is an American politician from Pennsylvania who has been a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 13th district since January 3, 2017. He was previously a two-term Lancaster county commissioner and chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican County Commissioners Caucus. Martin is married to Amber Martin and they have four children.[1] After a six-month exploratory committee, on December 11, 2021, Martin announced his intention to seek the office of governor of Pennsylvania. He suspended his gubernatorial bid on February 11, 2022, because of complications from a broken leg and other injuries suffered in an accident, resulting in surgery.

Early life and education

Martin was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Lancaster Catholic High School and Millersville University with a degree in sociology/criminal justice.

He played professional American football in the Arena Football League.[2]

Political positions

Pediatric cancer

Martin authored legislation which was later signed into law as Act 73 of 2017, which allows Pennsylvanians to voluntarily donate $5 to the Pediatric Cancer Research Fund when electronically renewing a driver's license, photo identification card or vehicle registration.[3]

Martin has pushed for legislation that would allow Pennsylvania businesses to apply for tax credits if they make a donation to certain Pennsylvania medical centers for the purposes of pediatric cancer research/treatment. The total amount of tax credits could not exceed $10 million in any one fiscal year and the program would last ten years.[4]

Marijuana

Martin stated in 2019 that he is against the legalization of cannabis in Pennsylvania.[5] In 2021, Martin voted for House Bill 1024, which allowed cannabis corporations to remediate moldy product and use additional pesticides, among other provisions.[6] Martin voted against the home grow amendment for registered medical patients, Amendment No. A-2029, introduced by Senator Shariff Street in association with House Bill 1024.[7]

Charter schools

As Education committee chair, Martin introduced legislation opposed by school boards and teachers’ unions that seeks to make it easier to open charter schools and to accelerate state taxpayer subsidies for private and parochial schools by hundreds of millions of dollars in the coming years.[8] The bill also says that Charter schools would no longer be able to advertise themselves as "cost-free" or "free", as they often do in marketing themselves now. Additionally, it is said it would add transparency and accountability measures for charters to follow, as well as allowing all secondary schools to offer dual-enrollment programs with colleges.[9]

Committee assignments

  • Education, chair[10]
  • Appropriations[10]
  • Environmental Resources & Energy[10]
  • Judiciary[10]

Electoral history

Pennsylvania Senate, District 13, 2016[11]
Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Scott Martin 17,142 49.23
Republican Neal Rice 12,654 36.34
Republican Ethan Demme 4,977 14.29
Write-in 49 0.14
Total votes 34,822 100.00
Pennsylvania Senate, District 13, 2016[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Scott Martin 66,595 57.78
Democratic Greg Paulson 48,476 42.06
Write-in 180 0.16
Total votes 115,251 100.00
Republican hold
Pennsylvania Senate, District 13, 2020[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Scott Martin (incumbent) 73,204 55.55
Democratic Janet Diaz 58,419 44.33
Write-in 145 0.11
Total votes 131,768 100.00
Republican hold

References

  1. ^ Field, Nick (November 10, 2015). "SD-13: Martin Announces Candidacy". PoliticsPA. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
    - "Pennsylvania 13th District State Senate Results: Scott Martin Wins". The New York Times. August 1, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  2. ^ "Scott Martin". Pennsylvania State Senate. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  3. ^ "Local lawmakers introduce pediatric cancer bills". Daily Local News. February 4, 2019. [dead link]
    - Janesch, Sam (June 29, 2018). "On Politics: Bills advance". LancasterOnline.
    - "Governor Signs Martin Bill into Law Encouraging Private Donations to Fight Pediatric Cancer". Pennsylvania Senate Republicans. June 29, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  4. ^ "Martin Hosts Capitol Event Highlighting Bipartisan Efforts to Fight Pediatric Cancer". Scott Martin. February 4, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  5. ^ Martin, Scott. "Risks of legalization far outweigh benefits". LancasterOnline.
  6. ^ "Roll Call: PA HB1024 - 2021-2022 - Regular Session".
  7. ^ "Sen. Ward's motion to table Amendment No. A-2029".
  8. ^ Levy, Marc. "State Sen. Scott Martin of Lancaster joins GOP field for Pennsylvania governor". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Associated Press. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  9. ^ McGoldrick, Gillian (June 7, 2021). "Martin proposes a charter school reform bill". LancasterOnline. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  10. ^ a b c d "Senator Scott Martin". The Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  11. ^ "General Primary - Totals". County of Lancaster. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  12. ^ "General Election - Totals". County of Lancaster. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  13. ^ "General Election 2020- Totals". County of Lancaster. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
Pennsylvania State Senate
Preceded by Member of the Pennsylvania Senate, 13th district
2017–present
Incumbent