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Kalis, Henry J.

Sessions Served

Other Information

House 1975-82 (District 30A); House 1983-92 (District 29B); House 1993-2002 (District 26B)

Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Counties Served: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Waseca

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 3/2/1937

Birth Place: Easton, Minnesota

Birth County: Faribault

Birth Country:

Date of Death: 9/12/2018

Gender: Male

Religion: Catholic

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names:

City of Residence (when first elected): Walters

Occupation (when first elected): Farmer

EDUCATION

Kiester High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1955

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

County Board/Commissioner: Faribault County, Minnesota (County Welfare Board); [Dates Unknown]

County Board/Commissioner: Faribault County, Minnesota (County Planning and Zoning Commission); [Dates Unknown]

County Board/Commissioner: Tri-County Human Services Board; [Dates Unknown]

Military: United States Army, and Minnesota National Guard, Company A, 147th Division (4 years); 19?? to 19??

Municipal Government: Foster Township, Minnesota (Fire Department Rescue Squad); 19?? to 19??

Municipal Government: Foster Township, Minnesota (Town Treasurer); 19?? to 19??

Municipal Board/Commission: Foster Township, Minnesota (Township Board); 19?? to 19??

County Board/Commissioner: Faribault County, Minnesota (County Commissioner); 1970 to 01/01/1975

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Violet (married on November 28, 1959)
Children: Four children: Joe, John, Jacqueline, and Jeffrey
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

His "proudest legislative accomplishment is passage of the Groundwater Protection Act of 1989." (Star Tribune, November 2, 2002)

Religion provided by the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1999-2000.

His funeral was held on September 17, 2018 at St. Casimir's Catholic Church in Wells, Minnesota.

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Total Days Served: 10227

SESSIONS SERVED

82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/2001

Body: House

District: 26B

Elected: 11/7/2000

Residence: Wells

Term of Office: 1/1/2001 to 1/5/2003
Oath Date: 1/3/2001

Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2001 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Capital Investment Minutes
Regulated Industries Minutes
Transportation Finance Minutes
Transportation Policy Minutes
Ways and Means Minutes

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81st Legislative Session (1999-2000)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/5/1999

Body: House

District: 26B

Elected: 11/3/1998

Residence: Walters

Term of Office: 1/4/1999 to 12/31/2000
Oath Date: 1/5/1999

Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Capital Investment Minutes
Transportation Policy Minutes
Ways and Means Minutes

80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/7/1997

Body: House

District: 26B

Elected: 11/5/1996

Residence: Walters

Term of Office: 1/6/1997 to 1/3/1999
Oath Date: 1/7/1997

Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Capital Investment (Chair)
Economic Development and International Trade: Economic Development Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
Economic Development and International Trade: Housing and Housing Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
Education: Family and Early Childhood Education Finance Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Education: Higher Education Finance Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Education: K-12 Education Finance Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance
Governmental Operations: State Government Finance Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Health and Human Services: Health and Human Services Finance Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Judiciary: Judiciary Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
Taxes Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Taxes: Property Tax and Tax Increment Financing Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Taxes: Sales and Income Tax Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Transportation and Transit: Transportation and Transit Finance Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Ways and Means

79th Legislative Session (1995-1996)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/1995

Body: House

District: 26B

Elected: 11/8/1994

Residence: Walters

Term of Office: 1/2/1995 to 1/5/1997
Oath Date: 1/3/1995

Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Capital Investment (Chair)
Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance
Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance: Transportation Finance Division
Education: K-12 Education Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
Transportation and Transit
Transportation and Transit: Transportation Safety
Transportation and Transit: Transportation Systems
Ways and Means

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78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/5/1993

Body: House

District: 26B

Elected: 11/3/1992

Residence: Walters

Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/1/1995
Oath Date: 1/5/1993

Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture: Soil and Water Resources (Chair)
Capital Investment (Chair)
Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance
Education: Higher Education Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
Education: K-12 Education Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
Environment and Natural Resources Finance - Ex Officio Member
Governmental Operations and Gambling: State Government Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
Health and Human Services: Health and Housing Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
Health and Human Services: Human Services Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
Judiciary: Judiciary Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
Ways and Means

77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/8/1991

Body: House

District: 29B

Elected: 11/6/1990

Residence: Walters

Term of Office: 1/7/1991 to 1/3/1993
Oath Date: 1/8/1991

Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Waseca

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture
Agriculture: Soil and Water Resources
Appropriations
Appropriations: Economic Development, Infrastructure, and Regulation Division
Health and Human Services
Health and Human Services: Health Care Access and Delivery
Transportation (Chair)
Transportation: Air, Rail, and Toll Roads
Transportation: Safety
Transportation: Surface Transportation

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76th Legislative Session (1989-1990)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/1989

Body: House

District: 29B

Elected: 11/8/1988

Residence: Walters

Term of Office: 1/2/1989 to 1/6/1991
Oath Date: 1/3/1989

Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Waseca

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture
Agriculture: Agriculture Finance and Farm Programs
Appropriations
Appropriations: Agriculture, Transportation and Semi-State Division
Transportation (Chair)
Transportation: Air Transportation
Transportation: Safety
Transportation: Surface Transportation

75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/6/1987

Body: House

District: 29B

Elected: 11/4/1986

Residence: Walters

Term of Office: 1/5/1987 to 1/1/1989
Oath Date: 1/6/1987

Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Waseca

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture
Agriculture: Agriculture Finance Division
Agriculture: Farm Programs and Policies
Agriculture: International Trade, Farm Commodities, Agri-Business and Marketing
Agriculture: Soil and Water Conservation
Appropriations
Appropriations: Agriculture, Transportation and Semi-States Division
Appropriations: Joint Claims (Chair)
Judiciary
Judiciary: Civil Law
Transportation (Chair)

74th Legislative Session (1985-1986)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/8/1985

Body: House

District: 29B

Elected: 11/6/1984

Residence: Walters

Term of Office: 1/7/1985 to 1/4/1987
Oath Date: 1/8/1985

Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Waseca

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture
Agriculture: Agricultural Land Use
Appropriations
Appropriations: Agriculture, Transportation and Semi-States Division
Appropriations: Joint Claims
Financial Institutions and Insurance

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73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/4/1983

Body: House

District: 29B

Elected: 11/2/1982

Residence: Walters

Term of Office: 1/3/1983 to 1/6/1985
Oath Date: 1/4/1983

Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Waseca

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture
Agriculture: Agricultural Exports and Marketing
Appropriations
Appropriations: Agriculture, Transportation, Semi-State Division (Chair)
Appropriations: Joint Claims (Chair)
Transportation
Transportation: Commercial and Passenger Transportation

72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/6/1981

Body: House

District: 30A

Elected: 11/4/1980

Residence: Walters

Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
Oath Date: 1/6/1981

Counties Represented: Faribault, Freeborn, Martin

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture
Agriculture: Farm Programs and Policies
Appropriations
Appropriations: Semi-State Division
Local and Urban Affairs
Local and Urban Affairs: Governmental Administration (Chair)
Local and Urban Affairs: Local Government Financing
Transportation
Transportation: General Transportation
Transportation: Safety
Transportation: Trunk Highways (Chair)

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71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/1979

Body: House

District: 30A

Elected: 11/7/1978

Residence: Walters

Term of Office: 1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
Oath Date: 1/3/1979

Counties Represented: Faribault, Freeborn, Martin

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture
Agriculture: Agriculture Products and Marketing
Appropriations [He served in 1980 only.]
Appropriations: Semi-State Division
Appropriations: State Departments Division
Education
Education: Higher Education Division
Transportation
Transportation: Bridges and Highways

70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/4/1977

Body: House

District: 30A

Elected: 11/2/1976

Residence: Walters

Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 12/31/1978
Oath Date: 1/4/1977

Counties Represented: Faribault, Freeborn, Martin

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture
Education
Transportation

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69th Legislative Session (1975-1976)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/7/1975

Body: House

District: 30A

Elected: 11/5/1974

Residence: Walters

Term of Office: 1/6/1975 to 1/2/1977
Oath Date: 1/7/1975

Counties Represented: Faribault, Freeborn, Martin

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture
Environment and Natural Resources
Transportation

OTHER INFORMATION

Articles & Books About

"Henry Kalis, 1937-2018." Albert Lea Tribune, September 15, 2018.
Mewes, Trey. "Kalis Remembered as 'A Model for a State Representative." The Free Press, September 14, 2018.
Stahl, Theresa. "Fun While It Lasted: After Nearly Three Decades as a Member of the House, Kalis Says It's Time to Step Down." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, May 3, 2002, p. 17.

News Sources

The Library maintains newspaper clippings on individual legislators during their terms. Clippings are available from 1973 to the present in a variety of formats: 1973-1999, microfiche available at the Library; 2000-2009, scanned in yearly compilations and digitally available on the legislative network; 2009-present, archived in a searchable database maintained by the Library and available on the legislative network.

District News Files

2000 (26B)

2001 (26B)

2002 (26B)

These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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