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    Penny, Timothy Joseph "Tim"

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    Senate 1977-82 (District 30)

    Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

    Counties Served:  Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Steele, Waseca

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 11/19/1951
    Birth Place: Albert Lea, Minnesota
    Birth County: Freeborn
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Male
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names: Tim
    City of Residence (when first elected): New Richland
    Occupation (when first elected): Job Developer Comprehensive Employment Training Center

    EDUCATION

    Kiester High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1969
    Winona State University; B.A.; Political Science, With Honors, 1974
    University of Minnesota, Department of Public Affairs; Attended Graduate School; Minneapolis Campus

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    State Governor Staff: Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura's Office; [Dates Unknown]
    Military: United States Naval Reserve (Lieutenant Commander, 12 years); 19?? to ?
    State Legislative Staff: Minnesota House of Representatives (Intern); 1971 to 1971
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Governor's Commission on Crime Prevention and Control (Researcher); 1971 to 1971
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota State University Board (Member); 1974 to 1977
    State Legislative Staff: Minnesota (Legislative Aide); 1975 to 1976
    U.S. Representative: 1st Congressional District, Minnesota; 01/03/1983 to 01/04/1995 [Elected]
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board; 06/1999 to 01/13/2000 [Appointed]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Barbara "Barb" (she died in January 2006)
    Children: Four children (two while in office, two more after he left office): Jamison, Joseph, Molly, and Marcus
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was of Scottish-Irish and Norwegian ancestry.

    Special Legislative Concerns: agriculture, education, small business, transportation.

    He grew up on a farm in Mansfield Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota.

    He ran unsuccessfully as the Independence party endorsed candidate for Minnesota Governor in the 2002 election.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 2191

    SESSIONS SERVED

    72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1981
    Body: Senate
    District: 30
    Elected: 11/4/1980
    Residence: New Richland
    Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
    Oath Date: 1/6/1981
    Counties Represented: Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Steele, Waseca
    Occupation: Sales Representative
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources: Agriculture
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
    • Finance
    • Finance: Education
    • Finance: Joint Claims (Chair)
    • Finance: Semi-States/DOT
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: Highway Safety
    • Transportation: Rural and Commercial
    term photo
    Click to view

    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
    Body: Senate
    District: 30
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: New Richland
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Steele, Waseca
    Occupation: Sales Representative
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources: Agriculture
    • Commerce
    • Commerce: Consumer Protection
    • Governmental Operations
    • Governmental Operations: Civil Administration Regulatory Reform-1980
    • Governmental Operations: Regulatory Reform-1979
    • Governmental Operations: Structure-1979
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: Pipelines-1979
    • Transportation: Rural and Commercial Transportation (Chair)
    • Transportation: Transportation Policy

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1977
    Body: Senate
    District: 30
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: New Richland
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Steele, Waseca
    Occupation: Job Developer Comprehensive Employment Training Center
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources: Agriculture
    • Commerce
    • Commerce: Consumer Protection and Economic Development
    • Governmental Operations
    • Governmental Operations: Structure
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: Public Transportation (Chair)
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About

    Articles & Books By

    • Garrett, Major, and Timothy J. Penny. "The Fifteen Biggest Lies in Politics." New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998.
    • Penny, Timothy J., and Steven E Schier. "Payment Due: A Nation in Debt, A Generation in Trouble." Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 1996.
    • Penny, Timothy J., and Major Garrett. "Common Cents: a Retiring Six-Term Congressman Reveals How Congress Really Works-- and What We Must Do to Fix It." Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1995.

    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.
    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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