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    Finn, Harold R. "Skip"

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    Senate 1991-96 (District 4)

    Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

    Counties Served:  Beltrami, Cass, Hubbard, Itasca, Wadena

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 10/27/1948
    Birth Place: Cass Lake,
    Birth County:
    Birth Country:
    Date of Death: 5/17/2018
    Gender: Male
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: American Indian
    Other Names: Skip
    City of Residence (when first elected): Cass Lake
    Occupation (when first elected): Attorney

    EDUCATION

    Moorhead State University; Attended College; Three Years
    Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools; Postsecondary;
    Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota; Attended College; One Semester
    University of Minnesota, College of Liberal Arts; B.A.; 1971
    University of Minnesota, Law School; J.D.; 1979

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Teri (married in 1980)
    Children: Two children: Jamie (daughter); Jacob (son)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
    Jamie Becker-Finn  - Daughter

    GENERAL NOTES

    Special Legislative Concerns: health care access and affordability, environment, education, children.

    He was the first to receive a degree in American Indian studies from the University of Minnesota (Bemidji Pioneer, 2018).

    He was of Norwegian (on his father's side) and American Indian (on his mother's side) ancestry (Cass Lake Times, 11/22/1990).

    He was a member of the Leech Lake Band of Chippewa (St. Paul Pioneer Press, 1/8/1991).

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 2002

    SESSIONS SERVED

    79th Legislative Session (1995-1996) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 04
    Elected: 11/3/1992
    Residence: Cass Lake
    Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 7/1/1996 (unfinished term)
    Counties Represented: Beltrami, Cass, Hubbard, Itasca, Wadena
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters (Chair)
    • Health Care
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Family Law
    • Judiciary: Joint Crime Prevention and Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy (Chair)
    Leadership Position: Majority Whip
    Leadership Notes: He resigned from the Minnesota Legislature on July 1, 1996.
    Reason for unfinished term: Resigned
    Session Notes: He resigned after he received 12 felony convictions.
    term photo
    Click to view

    78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 04
    Elected: 11/3/1992
    Residence: Cass Lake
    Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 7/1/1996 (unfinished term)
    Counties Represented: Beltrami, Cass, Hubbard, Itasca, Wadena
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters (Chair)
    • Health Care
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Family Law
    • Judiciary: Joint Crime Prevention and Judiciary Privacy (Chair)
    • Taxes and Tax Laws
    • Taxes and Tax Laws: Income and Sales Tax
    Leadership Position: Majority Whip
    Reason for unfinished term: Resigned
    Session Notes: He resigned after he received 12 felony convictions.

    77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 04
    Elected: 11/6/1990
    Residence: Cass Lake
    Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 1/4/1993
    Counties Represented: Beltrami, Cass, Hubbard
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Energy and Public Utilities
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
    • Health and Human Services
    • Health and Human Services: Health Care Access Division
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Civil Law Division
    • Judiciary: Criminal Justice System Oversight
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About
    "Finn, Harold R. 'Skip.'" Star Tribune, May 20, 2018, p. B11.

    "Harold 'Skip' Finn, First Native American to Serve in Minnesota Senate." Pioneer Press, May 20, 2018, p. B10.

    "Former State Sen. Harold 'Skip' Finn Dies." Bemidji Pioneer, May 18, 2018.


    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

    The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.

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