John Payne is no stranger to public service, having served as a Derry Township Supervisor, Dauphin County Planning Commission member, Hershey Volunteer Firefighter, and a member of the National Fire Protection Association Committee 1081.

Payne is now serving his seventh term in the State House of Representatives as state representative for the 106th Legislative District, which includes the eastern portion of Dauphin County.

During the 2015-16 legislative session, Payne was appointed as chairman of the House Gaming Oversight Committee, which oversees slot machine gaming, bingo, small games of chance, amusement laws and table games in Pennsylvania. In addition to its legislative responsibilities, the committee has oversight of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and aspects that deal with gaming within the Department of Revenue, the Office of Attorney General and the Pennsylvania State Police. Payne is also a member of the House Liquor Control Committee and the Committee on Committees.

In addition to his committee assignments, Payne serves as a co-chairman of the Second Amendment, Motorsports, Lupus and Masonic caucuses. He is also a member of the Natural Gas, Bio Technology Life Science, Community College, Fire Fighters and Emergency Services, Pro-Life, Veterans, Wine, Sportsman, Alternative Energy, and Oil and Gas caucuses.

Payne served as a Derry Township supervisor for 10 years, during which time he was chairman for two years, in 1992 and 1996. He was a member of the Derry Township Sewer Authority for 10 years and served as chairman in 1998.  He also served on the Derry Township Library Board for five years.

Prior to running for elected office, Payne worked full-time for Hershey Chocolate USA for almost 30 years and part-time for Hershey Entertainment and Resorts for 18 years.  He was a member of Harrisburg Area Transportation Study Committee for four years, and is currently a warden for the state Forestry Department, with more than 35 years of service.

Active in the Hershey community, Payne is a founding member and past president of the Hershey Civil War Roundtable and a Mason with Prince Edwin-Springcreek Lodge No. 486. He also has a long, distinguished 25-year history with the Hershey Fire Department, having served as captain, assistant chief and chief of the department for 11 years. Payne also was a member of the U.S. Army Pennsylvania National Guard.

A native of the Hershey area, he attended Hershey High School; Harrisburg Area Community College; and Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute at the University of Maryland– to become a certified fire protection specialist.

Payne and his wife, Deb, live in Hummelstown and have four grown children and six grandchildren.

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