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    Orfield, Jr., Myron Willard

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1991-92 (District 59B); House 1993-2000 (District 60B); Senate 2001-2002 (District 60)

    Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

    Counties Served:  Hennepin

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 7/27/1961
    Birth Place: Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Birth County: Hennepin
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Catholic
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Minneapolis
    Occupation (when first elected): Special Assistant Attorney General/Adjunct Law Professor, University of Minnesota Law School

    EDUCATION

    University of Minnesota; B.A.; History and Political Science, Summa Cum Laude, 1983
    Princeton University; Attended Graduate School; Ph.D. Candidate in American History, 1983-1984
    University of Chicago; J.D.; 1987

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Municipal Government: Minneapolis, Minnesota (Intern for Mayor Don Fraser); 1981 to 1983
    Judicial Administration: United States Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit (Law Clerk to Judge Gerald W. Heaney); 1987 to 1988
    State Attorney General Staff: Minnesota Office of the Attorney General, Solicitor General's Division (Special Assistant Attorney General); 1988 to 1991

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Single (when first elected); Jeanne Farrar (married while in office)
    Children: Two children
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    Special Legislative Concerns: urban sprawl, regional governance, transit, taxes, environment.

    He was named the 2005-2006 Fesler-Lampert Chair in Urban and Regional Affairs. (CURA Reporter Summer 2005)

    He is the Earl R. Larson Professor of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Law at the University of Minnesota Law School.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 4382

    SESSIONS SERVED

    82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/2001
    Body: Senate
    District: 60
    Elected: 11/7/2000
    Residence: Minneapolis
    Term of Office: 1/1/2001 to 1/5/2003
    Oath Date: 1/3/2001
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney/Adjunct Law Professor, University of Minnesota Law School/Executive Director, Metropolitan Area Research Corporation, Nonprofit Research Center
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:     2001 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    • Jobs, Housing and Community Development
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Data Privacy and Information Policy
    • Rules and Administration: Redistricting
    • State and Local Government Operations
    • Taxes
    • Taxes: Income and Sales Tax Budget Division
    term photo
    Click to view

    81st Legislative Session (1999-2000)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1999
    Body: House
    District: 60B
    Elected: 11/3/1998
    Residence: Minneapolis
    Term of Office: 1/4/1999 to 12/31/2000
    Oath Date: 1/5/1999
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney/Adjunct Law Professor, University of Minnesota Law School/Executive Director, Metropolitan Area Research Corporation, Nonprofit Research Center
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:

    80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1997
    Body: House
    District: 60B
    Elected: 11/5/1996
    Residence: Minneapolis
    Term of Office: 1/6/1997 to 1/3/1999
    Oath Date: 1/7/1997
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney/Adjunct Law Professor, University of Minnesota Law School/Executive Director, Metropolitan Area Research Corporation, Nonprofit Research Center
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Environment and Natural Resources Minutes
    • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs
    • Taxes Minutes
    • Taxes: Property Tax and Tax Increment Financing Division Minutes

    79th Legislative Session (1995-1996)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1995
    Body: House
    District: 60B
    Elected: 11/8/1994
    Residence: Minneapolis
    Term of Office: 1/2/1995 to 1/5/1997
    Oath Date: 1/3/1995
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney/Adjunct Law Professor, University of Minnesota Law School/Executive Director, Metropolitan Area Research Corporation, Nonprofit Research Center
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Education: K-12 Education Finance Division
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Elections
    • General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Elections: Veterans Affairs
    • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs
    • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs: Metropolitan Government
    term photo
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    78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1993
    Body: House
    District: 60B
    Elected: 11/3/1992
    Residence: Minneapolis
    Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/1/1995
    Oath Date: 1/5/1993
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney/Adjunct Law Professor, University of Minnesota Law School
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Ethics
    • General Legislation, Veterans Affairs, and Elections
    • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs
    • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs: Metropolitan Council (Chair)
    • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs: Metropolitan Government
    • Taxes
    • Taxes: State Taxes

    77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1991
    Body: House
    District: 59B
    Elected: 11/6/1990
    Residence: Minneapolis
    Term of Office: 1/7/1991 to 1/3/1993
    Oath Date: 1/8/1991
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Special Assistant Attorney General/Adjunct Law Professor, University of Minnesota Law School
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Banking Division
    • Governmental Operations
    • Governmental Operations: Government Structures Division
    • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs
    term photo
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    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About

    Articles & Books By

    • Orfield, Myron, and Thomas Luce. "Region: Planning the Future of the Twin Cities." Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2010.
    • Orfield, Myron. "American Metropolitics: the New Suburban Reality." Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 2002.
    • Puentes, Robert and Myron Orfield. "Valuing America's First Suburbs: a Policy Agenda for Older Suburbs in the Midwest." Washington, DC: Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy, the Brookings Institution, 2002.
    • Orfield, Myron. "Chicago Metropolitics: a Regional Agenda for Members of the U.S. Congress." Metropolitan Area Program, American Land Institute, 1998.
    • Orfield, Myron. "Metropolitics: a Regional Agenda for Community and Stability." Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 1997.
    • Orfield, Myron. "Please Bring Us the News: a Study of Television News and Crime Coverage." Minn.: M. Orfield?, 1996?
    • Orfield, Myron. "Metropolitan Community Stability Act Legislative Packet (compiled by North Metro Mayors Association, authored by Myron Orfield)." Minn.?: The Association?, 1993.

    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 (60B)
    2001 (60)
    2002 (60)
    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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