Minnesota Agencies

The Office on the Economic Status of Women (OESW) advises the legislature and provides information and statistics on women in Minnesota. The office gathers information on population characteristics, educational attainment and enrollments, marital and parental status, household characteristics, labor force status and employment characteristics, and basic information on women's legal and economic rights.

The OESW Advisory Commitee, comprised of four legislators, advises OESW on key issues and priorities, and provides suggestions and responses to OESW on current and emerging issues that pertain to the economic status of women in Minnesota.

The Office on the Economic Status of Women (OESW) was created by the Minnesota Legislature in 2005; however, the agency has a prior history. The group was originally known as the Council on the Economic Status of Women, created by the Minnesota Legislature in 1976. In 1983, it was reorganized as a joint legislative advisory commission and the name was changed to the Commission on the Economic Status of Women. In 2005, it was renamed again to the Office on the Economic Status of Women and was aligned under the Legislative Coordinating Commission.

The office closed in 2011 during a difficult state budget time. It was brought back in 2014 as part of the Women's Economic Security Act.

The 2017 special session omnibus state government appropriations bill, SF1, eliminated funding for the staff at the Office on the Economic Status of Women thus closing the office as of July 1, 2017. The Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC) may use central administrative staff to support the work of the Economic Status of Women Advisory Committee.

The office was re-established by the Legislature in 2023.

Director: Amy Brenengen (2007-2011); Barbara Battiste (2014-2017); Heather Heyer (2023 - )