Minnesota Legislature

Legislators Past & Present Home

Name Search:

Johnson, Janet B.

Sessions Served

Other Information

Senate 1991-92 (District 19); Senate 1993-99 (District 18)

Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Counties Served: Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 3/5/1940 (uncertain)

Birth Place: New York City (Bronx), New York

Birth County:

Birth Country: United States

Date of Death: 8/21/1999

Gender: Female

Religion: Lutheran

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names:

City of Residence (when first elected): North Branch

Occupation (when first elected): Small Business Owner; Natural Spaces, Environmentally Efficient Homes Specialist

EDUCATION

University of Minnesota; Attended College;

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

School Board/Administration: North Branch, Minnesota (School Board, 7 years); 198? to 19??

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Dennis
Children: Three children: Jessica and Jennifer (daughters), Erik (son)

Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

Special Legislative Concerns: education, environment, human services, rural development.

She came to Minnesota in 1960.

She ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party endorsement for the Minnesota House of Representatives in the 1986 primary election.

She died from a malignant brain tumor at Region's Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. A public funeral service was held at the North Branch High School auditorium.

She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in North Branch, Minnesota.

Religion provided by a newspaper article.

Click to view

Total Days Served: 3149

SESSIONS SERVED

81st Legislative Session (1999-2000) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/5/1999

Body: Senate

District: 18

Elected: 11/5/1996

Residence: North Branch

Term of Office: 1/6/1997 to 8/21/1999 (unfinished term)
Oath Date: 1/7/1997

Counties Represented: Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine

Occupation: Small Business Owner; Natural Spaces, Environmentally Efficient Homes Specialist

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources/Agriculture and Rural Development/State Government Finance: Environment and Agriculture Budget Division
Jobs, Energy and Community Development
Jobs, Energy and Community Development: Electric Energy Deregulation
Jobs, Energy and Community Development: Telecommunications and Technology
State Government Finance
Transportation
Transportation/State Government Finance: Transportation Budget Division (Chair)

Reason for unfinished term: Death

Session Notes: She died while in office on August 21, 1999.

80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/7/1997

Body: Senate

District: 18

Elected: 11/5/1996

Residence: North Branch

Term of Office: 1/6/1997 to 8/21/1999 (unfinished term)
Oath Date: 1/7/1997

Counties Represented: Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine

Occupation: Small Business Owner; Natural Spaces, Environmentally Efficient Homes Specialist

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources/Agriculture and Rural Development/State Government Finance: Environment and Agriculture Budget Division
Jobs, Energy and Community Development
Jobs, Energy and Community Development: Telecommunications and Technology
State Government Finance
Transportation
Transportation/State Government Finance: Transportation Budget Division (Chair)

Reason for unfinished term: Death

Session Notes: She died while in office on August 21, 1999.

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

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/1995

Body: Senate

District: 18

Elected: 11/3/1992

Residence: North Branch

Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/5/1997
Oath Date: 1/5/1993

Counties Represented: Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine

Occupation: Small Business Owner; Natural Spaces, Environmentally Efficient Homes Specialist

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: Public Lands and Waters
Family Services
Finance
Finance: Capital Budget
Jobs, Energy and Community Development
Jobs, Energy and Community Development: Economic Development and Housing
Jobs, Energy and Community Development: Energy and Public Utilities (Chair)
Jobs, Energy and Community Development: Jobs, Energy and Community Development Finance Division
Joint Claims

Click to view

78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/5/1993

Body: Senate

District: 18

Elected: 11/3/1992

Residence: North Branch

Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/5/1997
Oath Date: 1/5/1993

Counties Represented: Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine

Occupation: Small Business Owner; Natural Spaces, Environmentally Efficient Homes Specialist

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division
Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
Family Services
Finance
Jobs, Energy and Community Development
Jobs, Energy and Community Development: Economic Development and Housing
Jobs, Energy and Community Development: Energy and Public Utilities (Chair)
Jobs, Energy and Community Development: Jobs, Energy and Community Development Finance Division

77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/8/1991

Body: Senate

District: 19

Elected: 11/6/1990

Residence: North Branch

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

Counties Represented: Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine

Occupation: Small Business Owner; Natural Spaces, Environmentally Efficient Homes Specialist

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Economic Development and Housing
Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
Health and Human Services
Health and Human Services: Social Services
Veterans and General Legislation

Click to view

OTHER INFORMATION

Articles & Books About

Webb, Tom. "Senator's Death a Blow to Outdoors Groups (Obituary)." St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 27, 1999, p. 1B.
Her, Lucy Y. and Robert Whereatt. "State Sen. Janet Johnson Dies of a Brain Tumor at 59 (Obituary)." Star Tribune, August 22, 1999.

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 (18)

These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

Photographs

Senator Janet Johnson listens to testimony during a committee hearing, St. Paul, Minnesota. c. 1993-1996. Photo credit: This image was scanned from the files of the Minnesota Senate Photographer with the generous help of the Minnesota Digital Library.

Legislators Past & Present Home

Name Search:

Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, 321 State Capitol, Saint Paul, MN 55155