46 Facts About Mike Turzai

Michael Coyne Turzai was born on August 2,1959 and is an American politician and former Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives who served as Speaker of the House.

Mike Turzai is from Allegheny County and represented the 28th legislative district between 2001 and 2020.

Mike Turzai's district included the municipalities of Pine Township, Marshall Township, Bradford Woods, Franklin Park, and McCandless.

Mike Turzai served as the House Majority Leader from 2011 until 2015, and was elected Speaker in January 2015.

Mike Turzai was a candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania in 2018 until he suspended his campaign in February 2018.

Mike Turzai resigned from his House seat in 2020; after leaving office, he became general counsel for Peoples Gas, a subsidiary of Essential Utilities.

Mike Turzai grew up in Moon Township and attended Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School in Coraopolis.

Mike Turzai was an assistant district attorney for Allegheny County from 1988 to 1992, when he joined Houston Harbaugh, a law firm in Pittsburgh.

Mike Turzai practiced law with Houston Harbaugh through 2004, and remains Of counsel with them.

Mike Turzai was a former representative to the Republican State Committee in 2000.

Mike Turzai is a former member of the Pine-Marshall-Bradford Woods Police Board.

In 1998 Mike Turzai ran to represent the 4th District in the US House against Democratic incumbent Ron Klink.

Mike Turzai was strongly criticized by local media for hiring a helicopter to circle over his opponent's home, and for hiring a camera crew to ambush his opponent.

In November 2010 Mike Turzai was elected majority leader after the elections which gave the House a 21-seat majority by Republicans.

Mike Turzai was House Majority Leader in June 2011 when it passed the amended "Fair Share Act", a tort reform bill that largely repealed Pennsylvania's common law doctrine of joint and several liability.

On November 15,2016, Mike Turzai was chosen by House Republicans to be speaker-designee of the House of Representatives.

Mike Turzai actively serves on the Committee on Committees and the Committee on Rules.

On November 14,2017 Mike Turzai officially announced he would run for governor in 2018, challenging Democratic incumbent Tom Wolf.

On February 10,2018, Mike Turzai announced to the state Republican Party Committee that he would no longer be running for governor, following the party endorsement of Scott Wagner.

On January 23,2020, Mike Turzai announced from his district office that he would be retiring from office at the end of his current term, to seek opportunities in the private sector.

Mike Turzai later announced that he would retire on June 15,2020, prior to the end of his term.

One day after leaving office, Mike Turzai was named general counsel for Peoples Natural Gas.

Mike Turzai is vehemently against the legalization of medical cannabis in Pennsylvania.

Mike Turzai was reported to break down in tears when discussing the subject in a meeting with the GOP caucus.

Mike Turzai is fiercely opposed to legalizing adult-use cannabis in the state.

In September 2016 Mike Turzai advocated increasing tax credits to Pennsylvania businesses that contributed to scholarship funds that help low income people send their children to private schools.

Also in October 2017, Mike Turzai voted yes on HB 178 to amend the Pennsylvania Public School Code in various ways.

In December 2016, Mike Turzai announced that he would author a bill to increase tax credits for education.

In October 2014, Mike Turzai voted in favor of HB 1243.

On December 20,2016, Mike Turzai introduced the Keystone Energy Enhancement Act, which he had sponsored in previous legislative sessions.

Mike Turzai has been opposed to a severance tax and impact fee on natural gas.

Mike Turzai spoke at a news conference sponsored by opponents of the shale tax.

Mike Turzai said that he is "steadfastly opposed" to the push for a vote on the bill as well as a vote on the severance tax itself.

In March 2013, Mike Turzai introduced the legislation for Corbett's plan, HB 790, which would privatize the state-owned liquor stores with the state using the revenues for education.

On February 14,2017, Mike Turzai likened the enactment of state liquor reforms with taking Pennsylvania "into the 21st century and out of the era of Prohibition," referring to Act 39 which allowed for privatization of wine in private retail licenses, among other provisions.

Mike Turzai announced that he would introduce legislation that would divest the state's wholesale system for both wine and liquor.

Mike Turzai supports eliminating the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board's role in acting as the middle-man in wine and spirit distribution.

Mike Turzai introduced HB 975 which would divest the wholesale wine business from the Commonwealth and expand wine retail licenses.

Mike Turzai introduced HB 1075 which would divest the wine and spirits business from the Commonwealth.

House Republicans, led by Mike Turzai, wanted to avoid raising taxes and instead expand legal gambling and use a one-time transfer of $630 million that would come from surpluses and special state accounts.

Mike Turzai supported a 2013 bill, passed in the House, that would have approved an expansion of gambling in the state.

The budget passed by the legislature at the end of October 2017 included a major expansion of legalized gambling, which Mike Turzai supported and would bring in $200 million for the current fiscal year.

Mike Turzai supports investing taxpayer dollars into upgrading the state's infrastructure.

On September 26,2017, Mike Turzai voted in favor of HB 171, legislation that would allow any registered voter to be appointed a poll watcher in any district in the state.

In May 2017, Mike Turzai announced he would introduce a bill to place the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority under the oversight of the state's Public Utility Commission.

In 2012, Mike Turzai was expected to announce a run for the US Congress in Pennsylvania's then-new 12th congressional district.