Legislators / Don L. Ipson
“Typical” is the median of all 29 Senate members in the 2026 General Session.
In short
In the 2026 General Session, Sen. Don L. Ipson wrote 5 bills (5 passed), asked the budget committees to fund 3 requests (3 funded, $555,000 in all), and spoke on the record 140 times. They missed 18 of 1080 floor votes (2%) and voted against most of their own party 48 times (5%). Based only on their votes, they are the 20th most conservative of 29 Senate members.
Where they land
20th most conservative of 29 Senate members · 20th most conservative of 22 Republicans
Hover or tap a dot to see who it is.
- Democrat
- Republican
- Forward Party
- Sen. Don L. Ipson
How we placed them
Placed only by their own votes: we took the 264 contested Senate floor votes of the 2026 session (where at least 10% voted on the losing side) and found the main line that divides how members vote, the same idea political scientists use to score Congress. No bill is labeled liberal or conservative by us; the conservative end is simply the side where most Republicans fall. More on how this works
See every Senate member in order
- John D. Johnson (R-3)
- Lincoln Fillmore (R-17)
- Daniel McCay (R-18)
- Brady Brammer (R-21)
- Wayne A. Harper (R-16)
- Keven J. Stratton (R-24)
- Scott D. Sandall (R-1)
- Chris H. Wilson (R-2)
- Heidi Balderree (R-22)
- J. Stuart Adams (R-7)
- Calvin R. Musselman (R-4)
- Ronald M. Winterton (R-20)
- Keith Grover (R-23)
- Michael K. McKell (R-25)
- Jerry W Stevenson (R-6)
- Derrin R. Owens (R-27)
- Ann Millner (R-5)
- Kirk A. Cullimore (R-19)
- Todd Weiler (R-8)
- Don L. Ipson (R-29)
- David P. Hinkins (R-26)
- Evan J. Vickers (R-28)
- Emily Buss (F-11)
- Luz Escamilla (D-10)
- Jen Plumb (D-9)
- Karen Kwan (D-12)
- Stephanie Pitcher (D-14)
- Kathleen A. Riebe (D-15)
- Nate Blouin (D-13)
Most conservative first.
Do they follow their party's stated positions?
Sen. Don L. Ipson measured against the Utah Republican Party platform (we found no campaign promises of their own).
8 of their 8 final floor votes on these bills went the platform's way · typical Senate member: 100%
Typical Senate Republican: 100%.
5 sided with it · 1 working on it · 2 no record on it (of 8 positions)
Right to lifeWe strongly support adoption and oppose abortion, except to preserve the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest.No record on it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: nothing foundNone of these bills reached a Senate floor vote. Bills checked: H.B. 232.
Right to workWe support the Utah Right to Work Law.No record on it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: nothing foundNone of these bills reached a Senate floor vote. Bills checked: S.B. 178.
Immigration enforcementWe believe that current laws against employing illegal immigrants should be vigorously enforcedWorking on it
What they said: on the record Bills: matches Votes: nothing foundSponsored H.B. 294 (Requires more employers (100+ employees instead of 150+) to use E-Verify). None of these bills reached a Senate floor vote. Bills checked: H.B. 294, H.B. 386, H.B. 287.
Parental rightsWe affirm that parents have the fundamental right and primary responsibility to direct the upbringing of their childrenSided with it
What they said: on the record Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 1 of 1 times. Bills checked: H.B. 259.
Lower taxesHowever, we recognize that the power to tax is also the power to control…Sided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 1 of 1 times. Bills checked: S.B. 60, H.B. 235.
Right to bear armsWe support the individual constitutionally-protected right of the people to keep and bear arms…Sided with it
What they said: on the record Bills: matches Votes: matchesSponsored H.B. 84 (Lets adults 21+ carry a concealed firearm on college campuses without a permit). Voted with this plank 2 of 2 times. Bills checked: H.B. 84, H.B. 214, H.B. 101.
Religious freedomWe claim freedom of religion for every citizen and expect the protection of government…Sided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 3 of 3 times. Bills checked: S.B. 174, H.B. 204, S.B. 268.
Work requirements for welfareWe support requiring welfare recipients to work towards self-sufficiency.Sided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 1 of 1 times. Bills checked: H.B. 471.
Tap any row to see what we checked. · How we score
Bills they wrote
- S.B. 6 Transportation and Infrastructure Base Budget · Became law
- S.B. 27 Assault or Threat of Violence Amendments · Became law
- S.B. 32 Child Abuse Homicide Corrections · Became law
- S.B. 191 Tow Yard Amendments · Became law
- S.B. 196 Wrongful Lien Act Amendments · Became law
What they've said lately
All 140 →S.B. 196 Wrongful Lien Act Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Says committee amendments were made to accommodate HOA wishes and minor adjustments in the bill, and moves to concur.
▶ Watch at 39:42Read what they said
You Mr. President. I will move to Concur. What a, I actually made the a amend the second sub in committee to accommodate some wishes of the HOAs minor adjustments in this bill.
H.B. 536 Criminal Conduct on Public Lands Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Presents H.B. 536, which addresses criminal conduct on public lands including graffiti, and describes an account that would receive funds from people charged with such conduct to help pay for reclaiming the area.
▶ Watch at 1:15:02Read what they said
Ipson. Thank you Mr. President. This bill concerns criminal conduct on public lands. It has to do with graffiti. It's set up a, a plan to an account that finds for charged for the people who are charged with criminal conduct in on the ban will go into this account and help pay for ment to reclaim the area. With that, I'm open to questions.
H.B. 536 Criminal Conduct on Public Lands Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Moves that H.B. 536 pass under suspension of the rules.
▶ Watch at 1:15:55Read what they said
I make a motion that house Bill 5 36 under suspension of the rules pass.
Town halls, questionnaires, and attendance
Candidate questionnaires
None on file yet.
Town halls
None confirmed yet. Most town halls are announced on Facebook, which we can't search, so this list is incomplete. Held or went to one? Send the link to ontherecordutah@gmail.com and we'll add it.
Floor votes missed
18 of 1080 (2%)
Typical member: 8% of floor votes
We list only town halls and questionnaires we can confirm from a public source, so a short list doesn't mean Sen. Don L. Ipson hasn't met with voters. A missed vote can have a good reason, such as illness or a family emergency.
Hear from them directly
Contact Sen. Don L. Ipson
- Email: dipson@le.utah.gov
- Phone: 435-817-5281
- Office: 2595 E Flint St, St George, UT, 84790
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Watch or join a meeting
Every committee hearing and floor session is open to the public and streamed live on le.utah.gov. Each committee's agenda has the link to watch or join online, and how to sign up for public comment.
Don L. Ipson serves on:
- Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee
- Transportation and Infrastructure Appropriations Subcommittee
- Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee
- Political Subdivisions Interim Committee
- Senate Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Confirmation Committee
- Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee
- Legislative Water Development Commission
- Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Confirmation Committee
- Senate Business and Labor Committee
- Senate Rules Committee
- Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee
About
- In office since
- January 1, 2009
- Counties
- Washington
- Profession
- Businessman
- Affiliations
- Southern Utah Trucking Association (past president); Utah Trucking Association (past president); Dixie ATC (director and past chair); Utah College of Applied Technology (past chair); UDOT Motor Carrier Advisory Board (chairman); UHP Honorary Colonels (past chair)
- Education
- Panguitch High School; Degree in Accounting and Business Administration, LDS Business College
- Honors and awards
- None listed in their official profile.
- dipson@le.utah.gov
Money and conflicts of interest
- Campaign finance reports (who donated to their campaign, from the Lt. Governor's disclosure site)
- Conflict-of-interest disclosures (jobs, businesses, and boards they must report each year): latest, earlier 1, earlier 2, earlier 3, earlier 4
Coming next: their top donors and disclosed interests shown next to the related votes.
Official biography
True
Profile details come from the Utah Legislature's official legislator data.