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Finn, Harold R. "Skip"

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).

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.

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
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.