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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Caucuses/Former Committees

Former Member, Business, Economic Development and Labor Appropriations Subcommittee, Utah House of Representatives

Former Member, Ethics Committee, Utah State House of Representatives

Former Member, Executive Appropriations Committee, Utah State House of Representatives

Former Member, Investigative Committee, Utah House of Representatives

Former Member, Legislative Expense Oversight Committee, Utah State House of Representatives

Former Member, Oversight Subcommittee, Utah State House of Representatives

Former Member, Transportation Interim Committee, Utah State House of Representatives

Education

  • BS, Business Management, University of Utah, 1976

Professional Experience

  • BS, Business Management, University of Utah, 1976
  • Owner/Insurance Broker, Dunnigan Insurance, 1976-present

Political Experience

  • BS, Business Management, University of Utah, 1976
  • Owner/Insurance Broker, Dunnigan Insurance, 1976-present
  • Representative, Utah State House of Representatives, District 39, 2003-present
  • Candidate, Utah State House of Representatives, District 39, 2018, 2020
  • Majority Leader, Utah State House of Representatives, 2015-2016
  • County Delegate, Republican Party, 2002-2004
  • City Council, Taylorsville City, 1996-2002
  • Councilperson, Taylorsville-Bennion Community Council, 1991-1996
  • State Delegate, Republican Party, 1990-1992

Former Committees/Caucuses

Former Member, Business, Economic Development and Labor Appropriations Subcommittee, Utah House of Representatives

Former Member, Ethics Committee, Utah State House of Representatives

Former Member, Executive Appropriations Committee, Utah State House of Representatives

Former Member, Investigative Committee, Utah House of Representatives

Former Member, Legislative Expense Oversight Committee, Utah State House of Representatives

Former Member, Oversight Subcommittee, Utah State House of Representatives

Former Member, Transportation Interim Committee, Utah State House of Representatives

Current Legislative Committees

Chair, Business and Labor

Chair, Business and Labor Interim

Member, Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim

Chair, Health Reform Taskforce

Chair, Legislative Process

Member, Political Subdivisions

Member, Subcommittee on Executive Offices and Criminal Justice Appropriations

Member, Transportation Interim

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • BS, Business Management, University of Utah, 1976
  • Owner/Insurance Broker, Dunnigan Insurance, 1976-present
  • Representative, Utah State House of Representatives, District 39, 2003-present
  • Candidate, Utah State House of Representatives, District 39, 2018, 2020
  • Majority Leader, Utah State House of Representatives, 2015-2016
  • County Delegate, Republican Party, 2002-2004
  • City Council, Taylorsville City, 1996-2002
  • Councilperson, Taylorsville-Bennion Community Council, 1991-1996
  • State Delegate, Republican Party, 1990-1992
  • Chair, Taylorsville Dayzz Festival, present
  • Vice President, Valley Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors
  • Board Member, Intermountain Health Care Healthplans, 2004
  • Vice President, Valley Association of Life Underwriters, 1995-1996
  • Secretary, Valley Association of Life Underwriters, 1994-1995
  • Treasurer, Valley Association of Life Underwriters, 1993-1994

Other Info

— Awards:

  • I was named the 2010 Utah Small Business Champion of the Year Award from the National Federation of Independent Businesses. The Utah Business Coalition just presented me with the 2010 Top 30 Business Friendly Legislator Award, and I was recently awarded the 2010 Meritorious Service to the Community as a Legislator Award from Taylorsville City and Legislator of the Year by UHIA (2003-2005). Previously I have served on the Taylorsville City Council (1996-2002) and the Taylorsville/Bennion Community Council (1991-1996).

Policy Positions

Utah State Legislative Election 2010 Political Courage Test

Abortion and Reproductive

1. Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?
- Pro-life

2. Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy?
- No

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

7. Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods?
- Yes

8. Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs?
- Yes

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Budget, Spending, and Tax

State Spending

Indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Education (higher)
- Maintain Status

2. Education (K-12)
- Slightly Increase

3. Environment
- Maintain Status

4. Health care
- Maintain Status

5. Law enforcement
- Slightly Increase

6. Transportation and highway infrastructure
- Slightly Increase

7. Welfare
- Maintain Status

8. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

State Taxes

Indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

2. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status

3. Corporate taxes
- Maintain Status

4. Gasoline taxes
- Maintain Status

5. Property taxes
- Slightly Decrease

6. Sales taxes
- Slightly Decrease

7. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

8. Income taxes (middle-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

9. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

10. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

Budget Stabilization

Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Utah's budget.

1. Tapping into Utah's "rainy day" fund
- Yes

2. Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders
- No

3. Increasing tuition rates at public universities
- No

4. Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees
- No

5. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- Yes

6. Privatizing certain government services
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Campaign Finance and Government Reform

Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?

1. Individual
- No

2. Political Action Committee
- Yes

3. Corporate
- Yes

4. Political Party
- No

5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- No

6. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime and Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes

2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

3. Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized?
- No

4. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- Yes

5. Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
- No

6. Do you support a ban on cell phone use for drivers under eighteen years of age?
- Yes

7. Do you support a ban on smoking in vehicles in which children are riding?
- Yes

8. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

1. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

2. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- No

3. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- No

4. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

5. Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
- No

6. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- I support increased spending on infrastructure for the many projects that are needed, which in turn creates jobs.

Education

1. Do you support national education standards?
- No

2. Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams?
- Yes

3. Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers?
- No

4. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- Yes

5. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes

6. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Utah high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment and Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
- No

2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- No

3. Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops?
- No

4. Do you support state funding for improvements to Utah's energy infrastructure?
- No

5. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- No

6. Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- No

7. Should Utah withdraw from the Western Climate Initiative?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- No

2. Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- No

3. Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a license for gun possession?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- No

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- Yes

4. Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance?
- No

5. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- Yes

6. Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Utah?
- No

7. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

1. Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
- Yes

2. Should Utah allow same-sex couples to form civil unions?
- No

3. Do you support state funding for stem cell research?
- No

4. Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research?
- No

5. Do you support the state's use of affirmative action?
- No

6. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Utah's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

7. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Utah's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- EducationTransportationImmigration

State Bills
Events

2021

Feb. 11
Rep. Jim Dunnigan Town Hall Meeting

Thur MST

Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City, UT

Aug. 15
Free movie on the lawn- Toy Story 4

Sat 7:30 PM – 11:00 PM MDT

Taylorsville City Hall Taylorsville, UT

Feb. 20
Town Hall Meeting

Thur 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM MST

Taylorsville City Hall Taylorsville, UT