Representative Marlin Stutzman serves his community as a farmer, small businessman, family man, and state representative. He has proven to be a leader while showing compassion and a listening ear for his neighbors in LaGrange, Noble and DeKalb Counties.

Representative Stutzman graduated from the Lake Area Christian Schools and studied business at Tri-State University and Glen Oaks Community College.

Raised on a farm in Howe, Indiana, Marlin and his wife Christy have chosen to raise their sons, Payton and Preston in Howe as well. Deeply rooted in this farming community, Marlin is the fourth generation of his family to work the 3,500 acre family farm in the Michiana area.

Representative Stutzman is actively involved in the Howe Community Association, National Rifle Association (NRA), Association for Retarded Children (ARC), National Federation for Independent Businesses (NFIB), Indiana Farm Bureau, LaGrange County Farm Bureau Board Member, Young Republicans of LaGrange County, the LaGrange County Republican Party, and has been involved in overseas missions with Campus Crusade. He has been to Russia, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras on several mission trips with various organizations. He and his family also attend the Community Baptist Church where he and his wife Christy are active church members.

During his time at the Statehouse, Representative Stutzman serves on the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, Public Policy Committee, and the Family, Children, and Human Affairs Committee. He continues to bring integrity into the legislative process each day.

During this past session, Representative Stutzman co-authored HEA 1067, a pension issues bill, which requires the public employees’ retirement fund (PERF) and the teachers retirement fund (TRF) to divest from Sudan.  The Sudanese government is persecuting their own Christian citizens and this legislation will prevent Hoosiers’ investments from providing financial assistance to this corrupt government.   He also co-authored HEA 1348, which requires the State Department of Health to establish and operate public Umbilical Cord Blood Banks to collect and store umbilical cord blood following the birth of a newborn.  He also authored a resolution to designate State Road 1 as the Purple Heart Memorial Highway.

Stutzman worked to improve military and veterans benefits for Hoosier service members by authoring several amendments to veteran’s issues bills.  Due to his efforts, the Military Family Relief Fund (MFRF) will now provide coverage for child care assistance.  He also authored an amendment to extend the MFRF to be available to all active military officers and to create a check-off on the Indiana income tax return that would enable Hoosiers to give part of their refund to the MFRF.  Unfortunately, theses amendments did not pass but hopefully they will be revitalized in the future.

Rep. Stutzman continues to work hard to author important and necessary legislation during his time in the legislature.