Townsend earned her BS degree in Human Communications and her master's degree in Infant-Family Practice from Arizona State University. She also received a BS degree in Psychology/Small Business from Southern Oregon University.
Chairmanships & Leadership Positions
Vice Chair of the Child and Family Services committee 2013-2014 Co-Chair of the House Veteran's Caucus- 2014 - 2015 Chair of the Federalism committee 2015-2016 House Majority Whip 2017-2018 President of the historical Balanced Budget Amendment Planning Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. September 12-15, 2017 Chair of the Elections committee 2019-2020
Bills Passed Into Law
2013
HB2476 - Regulation of "Scream Rooms" at public schools: Her first bill signed into law was to require schools to obtain permission from parents before they could place a child in a closet-sized isolation room for disciplinary purposes.
2014
HB2103 - Allowing active military ages 19–20 to conceal carry: HB2103 allows an individual of at least 19 years of age to obtain a concealed weapon permit if the person is currently in military service or has been honorably discharged.
HB2514 - Exempted special combat related compensation from being considered for alimony: HB2514 prohibits the courts from considering combat related special compensation in determining the separation of property and spousal maintenance in a divorce proceeding.
HB2368 - Allowing law enforcement to have access to DCS files for investigation. HB2638 requires the Arizona Department Economic Security or a person who receives Child Protective Services information to provide that information to the fitting agency in order to help investigate and prosecute any violation involving domestic violence or violent sexual assault.
HB2639 - Increased penalty for employers who knowingly employ someone using a fake ID, as well as increased the penalty for those who cause economic damages for ID theft of $1000, down from $3000.
2015
HB2047 - A child may not be removed from the custody of the parent without the approval of the DCS Supervisor, except in cases of exigency.
HB2571 - Allowing fellow legislators to discuss the confidential details of a DCS case, if the other legislator signs the confidentiality agreement.
2016
HB2059 - Gives the Governor access to DCS files for review and investigation.
HB2061 - Mandates the Arizona Department of Health Services to adopt rules requiring all non-profit medical marijuana dispensaries to display signs warning women about the dangers of smoking or ingesting marijuana during pregnancy or to infants while breastfeeding.
HB2339 - Stipulates the governing board of an educational institution is prohibited from creating or enforcing any regulations regarding the lawful possession of a deadly weapon on a public right-of-way.
HB2340 - Protection of the Salt River Wild Horse Herd.
HB2341 - Expands the food and drink rule exemption to include potlucks not conducted at a workplace.
HB2427 - Requires that there be a Statewide uniform criteria to remove a child from the home.
2017
HB2423 - Requires DCS to place in a conspicuous place on their website a link to parental rights.
HCR2010 - Application to Congress for a call for an Article V convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
SB1003 - Requires a warrant to remove a child from parental custody except when exigency exists, prohibits the use of covert stress analysis machines without the consent of the person being interviewed, allows parents to record DCS interviews, etc.
2018
HB2422 - Allows a personal delivery device to operate on Arizona sidewalks and sets safety regulations. Sunset clause included, and legislation will expire Aug 31, 2020 unless renewed by the Legislature.
Elections
In 2010, Townsend initially sought a Legislative seat in District 22 six-way August 24, 2010 Republican Primary, placing fourth with 5,446 votes; other front runners included Eddie Farnsworth and Steve Urie who went on to win the district's seats in the November 2, 2010 General election.
In 2012, she was Redistricted to District 16, and along with other politicians, Townsend was one of four candidates for the August 28, 2012 Republican Primary, placing first with 9,298 votes, she also won the second seat in the five-way November 6, 2012 General election with 40,720 votes against Democratic nominee Matthew Cerra, Arizona Green Party candidate Bill Maher, and Democratic write-in candidate Cara Prior.
In 2014, she won the primary election with 38.55% of the vote, nearly 11 points ahead of her seatmate, Douglas Coleman, who came in with 27.74% of the primary vote. In the general election, she won 39.18%, placing her in first place, and earning her a second term in the House of Representatives.
In 2016, she came in first place in the primary with 34.62% of the vote, and in the general election, she came in first place with 33.45% of the vote.
Controversy
In 2018, she stirred some controversy during a highly publicized teacher protest for more education funding by responding to a constituent that the money in the budget that was set for other items to include a suicide hotline, training for police officers, money for Alzheimer's research, etc. would no longer be available. She also offered to help any teacher, parent, or student harmed by the illegal strike to find legal representation in a class action lawsuit and suggested that it was up to the lawyers to determine who the defendants would be. Representative Townsend was an ardent opponent to the political and ideological nature of the movement, yet maintained that she did support the teachers throughout the movement, despite the heckling online and at the Capitol, where her car was allegedly keyed while the RedForEd group mingled among the Legislative parking lot en masse. In 2019, she declared that mandatory vaccination was "Communist". This was done quoting Benjamin Franklin in a personal Facebook post or announcement, "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." The American Conservative Union gave her a lifetime score of 89% in 2017.
