Ozment, Dennis D.
House 1985-92 (District 37B); House 1993-2002 (District 37A); House 2003-08 (District 37B)
Party when first elected: Independent Republican
Counties Served:
Dakota, Goodhue, Washington
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
5/2/1945
Birth Place:
Farmington, Minnesota
Birth County:
Dakota
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Baptist
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected):
Rosemount
Occupation (when first elected):
Fire Captain
EDUCATION
Rosemount High School; Secondary;
Metropolitan Community College; Junior College/Community College; Fire Science
University of Minnesota; Attended College; Public Administration
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Military:
United States Marine Corps (Vietnam Era);
10/08/1962 to 02/06/1966
Municipal Government:
Minneapolis, Minnesota (City Fire Department, Captain, 27 years);
05/06/1968 to 05/06/1995
Municipal Board/Commission:
Rosemount, Minnesota (City Planning Commission);
1975 to 1976
U.S. Executive Branch:
U.S. Fire Administration, Washington D.C. (Fire Academy);
1976 to 1979
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Gayle
Children:
Two children
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
He described his path to public service in an email to library staff:
"While serving as a Minneapolis Fire inspector 40 years ago, I became very
involved in the new 1970 technologies of 'home smoke detection'. Because
of this unusual expertise, I was transferred via the 'Intergovernmental
Personal Act' to Washington D.C. where I wrote and delivered a 'National
Home Smoke Detector Training Program and Manuals' for our nation's fire
service. Through this activity I witnessed how government action could
save, and continues to save, thousands of lives. The experience inspired
me to get more involved. I started running for elective office." (Email
dated February 21, 2013)
Religion provided by the Natural Resources Defense Council's State Directories 2005.
He unsuccessfully ran for a House seat twice before winning.
Body: House
District: 37B
Elected: 11/7/2006
Residence: Rosemount
Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/5/2009
Counties Represented:
Dakota
Occupation: Retired Fire Fighter/Fire Captain
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
Minutes
-
Finance: Energy Finance and Policy Division
Minutes
-
Finance: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division
Minutes
-
Finance: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division: Drinking Water Source Protection
Minutes
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
Minutes
-
Ways and Means
Minutes
Body: House
District: 37B
Elected: 11/2/2004
Residence: Rosemount
Term of Office: 1/4/2005 to 1/2/2007
Counties Represented:
Dakota
Occupation: Retired Fire Fighter/Fire Captain
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Agriculture and Rural Development
Minutes
- Ex Officio Member
-
Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Finance (Chair)
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources
Minutes
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
Minutes
-
Ways and Means
Minutes
Body: House
District: 37B
Elected: 11/5/2002
Residence: Rosemount
Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/3/2005
Counties Represented:
Dakota
Occupation: Legislator/Retired Fire Captain
Party:
Republican
Special Session Bills Authored: 2003 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources Finance (Chair)
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources Policy
Minutes
-
Regulated Industries
Minutes
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
Minutes
-
Ways and Means
Minutes
Body: House
District: 37A
Elected: 11/7/2000
Residence: Rosemount
Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003
Counties Represented:
Dakota, Goodhue
Occupation: Retired Fire Captain
Party:
Republican
Special Session Bills Authored: 2001 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources Finance
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources Policy (Chair)
Minutes
-
Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs
Minutes
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
Minutes
Body: House
District: 37A
Elected: 11/3/1998
Residence: Rosemount
Term of Office: 1/5/1999 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented:
Dakota, Goodhue
Occupation: Consultant
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Commerce
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources Finance
Minutes
-
Environment and Natural Resources Policy (Chair)
Minutes
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
Minutes
Leadership Position:
Assistant Majority Leader
Body: House
District: 37A
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Rosemount
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/4/1999
Counties Represented:
Dakota, Goodhue
Occupation: Retired Fire Captain
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Regulated Industries and Energy
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
-
Taxes
Minutes
-
Taxes: Property Tax and Tax Increment Financing Division
Minutes
Leadership Position:
Assistant Minority Leader
Body: House
District: 37A
Elected: 11/8/1994
Residence: Rosemount
Term of Office: 1/3/1995 to 1/6/1997
Counties Represented:
Dakota, Goodhue
Occupation: Fire Captain, Minneapolis
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Joint Claims
-
Regulated Industries and Energy
-
Ways and Means
-
Ways and Means: Government Efficiency and Oversight Division
Body: House
District: 37A
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Rosemount
Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/2/1995
Counties Represented:
Dakota, Goodhue
Occupation: Fire Captain, Minneapolis
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Education: Education Standards
-
Education: K-12 Education Finance Division
-
Education: K-12 Education Finance Division: Facilities
-
Education: K-12 Education Finance Division: Secondary Vocational
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Regulated Industries and Energy
Body: House
District: 37B
Elected: 11/6/1990
Residence: Rosemount
Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 1/4/1993
Counties Represented:
Dakota, Washington
Occupation: Fire Captain, Minneapolis
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Education: Education Finance Division
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Regulated Industries
Body: House
District: 37B
Elected: 11/8/1988
Residence: Rosemount
Term of Office: 1/3/1989 to 1/7/1991
Counties Represented:
Dakota, Washington
Occupation: Fire Captain, Minneapolis
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Education: Education Finance Division
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Solid Waste
-
Regulated Industries
Body: House
District: 37B
Elected: 11/4/1986
Residence: Rosemount
Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/2/1989
Counties Represented:
Dakota, Washington
Occupation: Fire Captain, Minneapolis
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Education: Education Finance Division
-
Education: School Facilities
-
Health and Human Services
-
Health and Human Services: Social Services
-
Higher Education
-
Metropolitan Affairs
-
Metropolitan Affairs: Environment
-
Metropolitan Affairs: Transportation
Body: House
District: 37B
Elected: 11/6/1984
Residence: Rosemount
Term of Office: 1/8/1985 to 1/5/1987
Counties Represented:
Dakota, Washington
Occupation: Fire Captain
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Crime and Family Law
-
Crime and Family Law: Family Law
-
Governmental Operations
-
Governmental Operations: Water Resource Management (Chair)
[We found that he was named the Chair of the Governmental Operations Committee's Water Resource Management Subcommittee from a newspaper article (Cannon Falls Beacon 7/25/1985). We do not have a record of who else served on this subcommittee.]
-
Health and Human Services
-
Health and Human Services: Social Services
-
Local and Urban Affairs
-
Local and Urban Affairs: Metropolitan Affairs
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Special Subcommittee on Department of Transportation
Articles & Books About
Busse, Nick. "In the Middle, a Man Apart." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, March 28, 2008, p. 21.
"Rep. Ozment Chairman of Water Subcommittee." Cannon Falls Beacon, July 25, 1985.
District Files
District File - 2000 District 37A
District File - 2002 District 37A
District File - 2003 District 37B
District File - 2004 District 37B
District File - 2005 District 37B
District File - 2006 District 37B
District File - 2007 District 37B
District File - 2008 District 37B
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.