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    Blatz, Kathleen Ann

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1979-82 (District 38A); House 1983-92 (District 41B); House 1993-94 (District 40B)

    Party when first elected:  Independent Republican

    Counties Served:  Hennepin

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 7/22/1954
    Birth Place: Bloomington, Minnesota
    Birth County: Hennepin
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Female
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Bloomington
    Occupation (when first elected): Psychiatric Social Worker

    EDUCATION

    Academy of Holy Angels High School; Secondary;
    University of Notre Dame; B.A.; Sociology, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Betta Kappa, 1976
    University of Minnesota, School of Social Work; M.S.W.; Social Work, 1978
    University of Minnesota, Law School; J.D.; Cum Laude, 1984
    University of Minnesota, Humphrey Institute; Fellowship; Policy Fellow, 1990-1991

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Legislative Commission to Review Administrative Rules (Vice-Chair); 1985 to 1986
    County Attorney: Hennepin County, Minnesota (Assistant County Attorney); 1992 to 1993
    Judge: Hennepin County District Court/4th Judicial District, Minnesota (Appointed by Governor Arne Carlson); 01/1994 to 10/1996 [Appointed]
    Judge: Minnesota Supreme Court (Associate Justice, Appointed by Governor Arne Carlson); 11/1996 to 01/1998 [Appointed]
    Judge: Minnesota Supreme Court (Chief Justice); 01/28/1998 to 01/10/2006 [Appointed]
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (Interim Chair); 02/23/2017 to 07/12/2017 [Appointed]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Single (when first elected); Thomas "Tom" Berkelman (married in 1984; divorced after she left the legislature); Wheelock Whitney (married in April 2005)
    Children: Three children: Hunter, Carter, and Max (sons; one was born in 1986, while she was in office)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
    Jerome V. Blatz  - Father
    Thomas R. Berkelman  - Husband

    GENERAL NOTES

    She was Minnesota's first female Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.

    At 24 years of age she was the youngest female legislator at the time of swearing in.

    She was appointed a Special Master during the Minnesota state government shutdown in 2011. She heard arguments for funding requests and was the person responsible for interpreting the ruling by Ramsey County District Court Judge Kathleen Gearin related to shutdown funding.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 5503

    SESSIONS SERVED

    78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1993
    Body: House
    District: 40B
    Elected: 11/3/1992
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/24/1994 (unfinished term)
    Oath Date: 1/5/1993
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    Reason for unfinished term: Appointed to other office
    Session Notes: She was appointed as a Hennepin County District Court Judge on December 3, 1993.

    77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1991
    Body: House
    District: 41B
    Elected: 11/6/1990
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/7/1991 to 1/3/1993
    Oath Date: 1/8/1991
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Game and Fish
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Criminal Justice Division
    • Judiciary: Family Law
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    • Taxes
    • Taxes: Property Tax
    term photo
    Click to view

    76th Legislative Session (1989-1990)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1989
    Body: House
    District: 41B
    Elected: 11/8/1988
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/2/1989 to 1/6/1991
    Oath Date: 1/3/1989
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Insurance
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Criminal Justice Division
    • Judiciary: Criminal Justice Division: Children's Justice
    • Judiciary: Privacy
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    • Rules and Legislative Administration: Rules
    • Taxes
    • Taxes: Property Tax
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

    75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1987
    Body: House
    District: 41B
    Elected: 11/4/1986
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/5/1987 to 1/1/1989
    Oath Date: 1/6/1987
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney; Popham, Haik, Schnobrich, and Kaufman Law Firm
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Insurance
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Child Abuse/Child Protection
    • Judiciary: Crime and Family Law Division
    • Judiciary: Data Practices
    • Metropolitan Affairs
    • Metropolitan Affairs: Finance
    • Metropolitan Affairs: Transportation
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    • Taxes
    • Taxes: Property Tax Division
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

    74th Legislative Session (1985-1986)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1985
    Body: House
    District: 41B
    Elected: 11/6/1984
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/7/1985 to 1/4/1987
    Oath Date: 1/8/1985
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney; Popham, Haik, Schnobrich, and Kaufman Law Firm
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Crime and Family Law (Chair)
    • Crime and Family Law: Family Law
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Taxes
    • Taxes: Local Government Finance Division
    term photo
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    73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1983
    Body: House
    District: 41B
    Elected: 11/2/1982
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/3/1983 to 1/6/1985
    Oath Date: 1/4/1983
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Law Clerk/Law Student
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Gaming Division
    • Health and Welfare
    • Health and Welfare: Health Care
    • Taxes
    • Taxes: Economic Development Division

    72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1981
    Body: House
    District: 38A
    Elected: 11/4/1980
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
    Oath Date: 1/6/1981
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Employee Assistance Program Coordinator
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Criminal Justice
    • Criminal Justice: Juvenile Justice and Crime Victims
    • Health and Welfare
    • Health and Welfare: Health Care
    • Local and Urban Affairs: Local Government Financing
    • Taxes
    • Taxes: Local Government Aids and Bonding
    • Taxes: Tax Laws Division
    term photo
    Click to view

    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
    Body: House
    District: 38A
    Elected: 11/7/1978
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/3/1979
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Psychiatric Social Worker
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Criminal Justice
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Banking
    • Health and Welfare
    • Health and Welfare: Social Services
    • Taxes
    • Taxes: Division II - Property and Natural Resources Division

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About

    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.
    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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