Senator Tony Exum, Sr. was elected to the Colorado Senate in 2022 to continue representing Colorado Springs after serving four terms in the House. He currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Local Government & Housing Committee and is a member of the Transportation & Energy Committee.
Tony has lived in Southeast Colorado Springs for more than 60 years. After serving more than 35 years as a firefighter with the Colorado Springs Fire Department and rising to the rank of Battalion Chief, Tony retired in 2010. He then won election in 2012 to serve in the Colorado House of Representatives, as the Representative from District 17 – covering Southeast Colorado Springs. Tony won election again in 2016, 2018, and 2020. While in the House, Tony sat on the House Education Committee and served as Chair of the House Transportation & Local Government Committee.
From running into burning buildings, to passing legislation ensuring that every child gets to start the school day with a full stomach, public service has been the driving motivation behind Tony’s entire adult life.
In past sessions, Tony sponsored bills to extend the breakfast-after-the-bell program in some public schools, so students can still be served breakfast even if they arrive at school after the first bell (when the breakfast program would otherwise have ended); require landlords give tenants a copy of the signed rental agreement and receipts when rent is paid; pay for the testing of the levels of lead in drinking water of public schools; and help active duty military members and veterans receive mental health treatments, substance abuse treatments, and other helpful services before court proceedings.
During his final years in the House, Tony passed bills to prevent further contamination of our public waters from toxic PFAS chemicals, help youths in foster care get driving lessons paid for so they can get their driver’s licenses, raise the pay of National Guard members who get called up by the Governor into emergency service, and help people who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis get rental or mortgage payment assistance.
Tony believes that opportunity must be available to all Coloradans, not just the privileged few. Senator Exum will continue working on these issues and other priorities: helping students, low-income families, people of color, the elderly, first responders, military veterans, and everyone in Senate District 11.