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Neuville, Thomas M. "Tom"

Sessions Served

Other Information

Senate 1991-2008 (District 25)

Party when first elected: Independent Republican

Counties Served: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Sibley, Waseca

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 1/31/1950

Birth Place: Marinette, Wisconsin

Birth County:

Birth Country: United States

Date of Death: 1/26/2022

Gender: Male

Religion: Catholic

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names: Tom

City of Residence (when first elected): Northfield

Occupation (when first elected): Attorney/Former Research Engineer, 3M, 1972-76

EDUCATION

Marinette High School, Wisconsin; Secondary;
Michigan Technological University; B.S.; Chemical Engineering, 1972
William Mitchell College of Law; J.D.; 1976

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

State Public Defender/Office: Rice County, Minnesota (Part-Time Contract Assistant Public Defender); 1977 to 1985

Municipal Attorney: Lonsdale, Minnesota (City Attorney); 1978 to 1980

State Public Defender/Office: Minnesota State Public Denders Office (Part-Time Contract Assistant Public Defender); 1985 to 1996

Municipal Attorney: Dundas, Minnesota (City Attorney); 1990 to 2007

Judge: 3rd Judicial District, Rice County, Minnesota (Trial Court Judge); 01/2008 to 01/04/2018 [Appointed]

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Marilynn
Children: Five children: Mark, John, Anne, Luke, and Meg
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

Special Legislative Concerns: crime and corrections, public safety, courts and judicial selection, taxes, family issues, environment, tax reform, gambling regulation, education, agriculture, prisons, child support reform, cultural and life issues, health care reform.

He sought the Independent Republican endorsement for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota with Joanne Benson as Governor in 1998.

Religion provided by the Natural Resources Defense Council's State Directories 2005 and Politics in Minnesota the Directory, 2005-2006.

His funeral was held on January 29, 2022, at the Church of St. Dominic in Northfield. He was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Northfield.

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Total Days Served: 6205

SESSIONS SERVED

85th Legislative Session (2007-2008)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 25

Elected: 11/7/2006

Residence: Northfield

Term of Office: 1/1/2007 to 1/1/2008 (unfinished term)

Counties Represented: Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Sibley

Occupation: Attorney and Partner; Grundhoefer, Neuville, and Ludescher Law Firm, Northfield

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Business, Industry and Jobs
Finance
Finance: Public Safety Budget Division
Judiciary
Rules and Administration: Ethical Conduct
Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules

Reason for unfinished term: Appointed to other office

Session Notes: He was appointed by Governor Pawlenty to be a Judge in the 3rd Judicial District Trial Court. The exact date is uncertain.

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84th Legislative Session (2005-2006) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 25

Elected: 11/5/2002

Residence: Northfield

Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007

Counties Represented: Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Sibley

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2005 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author 2005 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Crime Prevention and Public Safety
Finance
Finance: Public Safety Budget Division
Judiciary
Judiciary: Family Law (Chair)
Rules and Administration
Rules and Administration: Ethical Conduct
Rules and Administration: Litigation Expenses
Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules

Leadership Position: Deputy Minority Leader

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83rd Legislative Session (2003-2004)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 25

Elected: 11/5/2002

Residence: Northfield

Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007

Counties Represented: Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Sibley

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Environment and Natural Resources [He was a member in 2003 only.]
Environment and Natural Resources: Game and Fish
Finance [He was a member in 2004 only.]
Finance: State Government Budget Division
Judiciary
Judiciary: Family Law (Chair)
Rules and Administration
Rules and Administration: Ethical Conduct
Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules

Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

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82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 25

Elected: 11/7/2000

Residence: Northfield

Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2001 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author 2001 1st Sp.S. - Author
2002 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author 2002 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Crime Prevention
Finance
Finance: Health, Human Services and Corrections Budget Division
Judiciary
Judiciary: Family Law
Rules and Administration: Audit
Rules and Administration: Redistricting

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

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 25

Elected: 11/5/1996

Residence: Northfield

Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/2/2001

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Children, Families and Learning
Children, Families and Learning/Education Finance: K-12 Education Budget Division
Crime Prevention
Human Resources Finance
Judiciary
Judiciary: Family Law
Judiciary/Crime Prevention/Human Resources Finance: Crime Prevention and Judiciary Budget Division
Rules and Administration: Senate Audit

Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 25

Elected: 11/5/1996

Residence: Northfield

Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/2/2001

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Children, Families and Learning
Children, Families and Learning/Education Finance: K-12 Education Budget Division
Crime Prevention
Human Resources Finance
Judiciary
Judiciary: Family Law
Judiciary/Crime Prevention/Human Resources Finance: Crime Prevention and Judiciary Budget Division

Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

Leadership Position: Minority Whip

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

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 25

Elected: 11/3/1992

Residence: Northfield

Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/6/1997

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Independent Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Crime Prevention
Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention Finance Division
Education
Education: Higher Education Division
Finance
Finance: Finance State Government Division
Gaming Regulation
Rules and Administration

Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

Leadership Position: Minority Whip

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78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 25

Elected: 11/3/1992

Residence: Northfield

Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/6/1997

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Independent Republican

Committees:

Crime Prevention
Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention Finance Division
Education
Education: Higher Education Division
Gaming Regulation
Taxes and Tax Laws
Taxes and Tax Laws: Income and Sales Tax

77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 25

Elected: 11/6/1990

Residence: Northfield

Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 1/4/1993

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Waseca

Occupation: Attorney/Former Research Engineer, 3M, 1972-76

Party: Independent Republican

Committees:

Economic Development and Housing
Education
Education: Governance and Structures
Education: Higher Education
Judiciary
Judiciary: Criminal Law Division
Local Government

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OTHER INFORMATION

District Files

2000 (25)

2001 (25)

2002 (25)

2003 (25)

2004 (25)

2005 (25)

2006 (25)

2007 (25)

These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

Photographs

Senator Dennis Frederickson, Senator Joanne Benson, and Senator Tom Neuville discuss a bill on the Senate floor, St. Paul, Minnesota. 1991. Photo credit: This image was scanned from the files of the Minnesota Senate Photographer with the generous help of the Minnesota Digital Library.

Senator Tom Neuville speaks on the Senate floor, St. Paul, Minnesota. 1991. Photo credit: This image was scanned from the files of the Minnesota Senate Photographer with the generous help of the Minnesota Digital Library.

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

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