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Atkins, Joseph "Joe"

Sessions Served

Other Information

House 2003-2012 (District 39B); House 2013-2016 (District 52B)

Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Counties Served: Dakota

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 10/6/1965

Birth Place: ,

Birth County:

Birth Country:

Date of Death:

Gender: Male

Religion: Catholic

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names: Joe

City of Residence (when first elected): Inver Grove Heights

Occupation (when first elected): Attorney

EDUCATION

Simley High School; Secondary;
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; B.A.; Political Science
William Mitchell College of Law; J.D.;

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

School Board/Administration: Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota (School Board); 1987 to 1990

Municipal Mayor: Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota (City Mayor); 1993 to 2002

County Board/Commissioner: Dakota County, Minnesota (County Commissioner); 2017 to ? [Elected]

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Julia
Children: Three children: John and Tom (sons), and Katie (daughter)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

He "set records as the youngest school board member (at age 21) and the youngest mayor (at age 27) in the history of Inver Grove, his hometown." (Finance & Commerce, August 29, 2007)

His dad, Gene Atkins, served as Mayor of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota from 1971-1978. His father was also a Dakota County Commissioner, and Minnesota Judge.

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

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Total Days Served: 5110

SESSIONS SERVED

89th Legislative Session (2015-2016)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/6/2015

Body: House

District: 52B

Elected: 11/4/2014

Residence: Inver Grove Heights

Term of Office: 1/5/2015 to 1/1/2017
Oath Date: 1/6/2015

Counties Represented: Dakota

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2015 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Capital Investment Minutes
Commerce & Regulatory Reform Minutes
Ethics Minutes
Transportation Policy & Finance Minutes

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88th Legislative Session (2013-2014)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/8/2013

Body: House

District: 52B

Elected: 11/6/2012

Residence: Inver Grove Heights

Term of Office: 1/7/2013 to 1/4/2015
Oath Date: 1/8/2013

Counties Represented: Dakota

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2013 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Capital Investment Minutes
Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy (Chair) Minutes
Energy Policy Minutes
Ethics Minutes
Ways and Means Minutes

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87th Legislative Session (2011-2012)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/4/2011

Body: House

District: 39B

Elected: 11/2/2010

Residence: Inver Grove Heights

Term of Office: 1/3/2011 to 1/6/2013
Oath Date: 1/4/2011

Counties Represented: Dakota

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Commerce and Regulatory Reform Minutes
Ethics Minutes
Higher Education Policy and Finance Minutes

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86th Legislative Session (2009-2010)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/6/2009

Body: House

District: 39B

Elected: 11/4/2008

Residence: Inver Grove Heights

Term of Office: 1/5/2009 to 1/2/2011
Oath Date: 1/6/2009

Counties Represented: Dakota

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Commerce and Labor (Chair) Minutes
Commerce and Labor: Labor and Consumer Protection Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Commerce and Labor: Telecommunications Regulation and Infrastructure Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Finance: Energy Finance and Policy Division Minutes
Finance: Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division Minutes

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85th Legislative Session (2007-2008)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/2007

Body: House

District: 39B

Elected: 11/7/2006

Residence: Inver Grove Heights

Term of Office: 1/1/2007 to 1/4/2009
Oath Date: 1/3/2007

Counties Represented: Dakota

Occupation: Attorney; Thuet, Pugh, Rogosheske, and Atkins Law Firm

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Commerce and Labor (Chair) Minutes
Commerce and Labor: Labor and Consumer Protection Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Commerce and Labor: Telecommunications Regulation and Infrastructure Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Finance: Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division: Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division Minutes
Taxes Minutes

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84th Legislative Session (2005-2006)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/4/2005

Body: House

District: 39B

Elected: 11/2/2004

Residence: Inver Grove Heights

Term of Office: 1/3/2005 to 12/31/2006
Oath Date: 1/4/2005

Counties Represented: Dakota

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

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

Committees:

Commerce and Financial Institutions Minutes
Ethics Minutes
Regulated Industries Minutes
Regulated Industries: Gaming Division Minutes
Taxes Minutes

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83rd Legislative Session (2003-2004)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/7/2003

Body: House

District: 39B

Elected: 11/5/2002

Residence: Inver Grove Heights

Term of Office: 1/6/2003 to 1/2/2005
Oath Date: 1/7/2003

Counties Represented: Dakota

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2003 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Civil Law Minutes
Commerce, Jobs, and Economic Development Minutes
Taxes Minutes

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OTHER INFORMATION

Articles & Books About

Cook, Mike. "Fresh Ideas: After a Decade as Mayor, Atkins Brings His Interest in the Budget and Innovative Problem Solving to the Legislature." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, March 28, 2003, p. 21.

Session Interviews

House Interview 2014 (Video)
House Interview 2010 (Video)
House Interview 2006 (Video)
House Interview 2005 (Video)
House Interview 2003 (Video)

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

2003 (39B)

2004 (39B)

2005 (39B)

2006 (39B)

2007 (39B)

2008 (39B)

2009 (39B)

These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

Video

Departing Member Interview, 2016.

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