Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature
Skip Navigation Links
  • LRL Home
    • >
  • Legislators Past & Present
    • >
  • Member Record
    • Legislators Past & Present Home

    Benson, John

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 2007-2012 (District 43B); House 2013-2014 (District 44B)

    Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

    Counties Served:  Hennepin

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 7/30/1943
    Birth Place: Glasgow, Montana
    Birth County:
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Christian
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Minnetonka
    Occupation (when first elected): Retired Language Arts, Social Studies, and Economics Teacher; Edina High School, 34 Years

    EDUCATION

    Austin High School, Minnesota; Secondary;
    Minnesota State University, Mankato; B.S.; Language Arts and Social Science, 1968
    University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; M.A.; Political Science, 1972

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Barbara (married in June 1976)
    Children: Two children: Christopher (son), Sara (daughter)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He grew up in Austin, Minnesota.

    He ran unsuccessfully for the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004.

    Religion provided by the 2006 WCCO TV Voters' Guide.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 2926

    SESSIONS SERVED

    88th Legislative Session (2013-2014)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/2013
    Body: House
    District: 44B
    Elected: 11/6/2012
    Residence: Minnetonka
    Term of Office: 1/7/2013 to 1/4/2015
    Oath Date: 1/8/2013
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Retired Teacher
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Education Policy Minutes
    • Environment and Natural Resources Policy Minutes
    • Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance Minutes
    • Health and Human Services Policy Minutes
    • Rules and Legislative Administration Minutes
    • Taxes Minutes
    term photo
    Click to view

    87th Legislative Session (2011-2012)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/2011
    Body: House
    District: 43B
    Elected: 11/2/2010
    Residence: Minnetonka
    Term of Office: 1/3/2011 to 1/6/2013
    Oath Date: 1/4/2011
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Retired Teacher
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Education Reform Minutes
    • Rules and Legislative Administration Minutes
    • Taxes: Property and Local Tax Division Minutes
    term photo
    Click to view

    86th Legislative Session (2009-2010)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/2009
    Body: House
    District: 43B
    Elected: 11/4/2008
    Residence: Minnetonka
    Term of Office: 1/5/2009 to 1/2/2011
    Oath Date: 1/6/2009
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Retired Teacher
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:     2010 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    • Finance Minutes
    • Finance: Housing Finance and Policy and Public Health Finance Division Minutes
    • Finance: K-12 Education Finance Division Minutes
    • K-12 Education Policy and Oversight Minutes
    term photo
    Click to view

    85th Legislative Session (2007-2008)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/2007
    Body: House
    District: 43B
    Elected: 11/7/2006
    Residence: Minnetonka
    Term of Office: 1/1/2007 to 1/4/2009
    Oath Date: 1/3/2007
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Retired Language Arts, Social Studies, and Economics Teacher; Edina High School, 34 Years
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Commerce and Labor: Labor and Consumer Protection Division Minutes
    • E-12 Education Minutes
    • Finance: Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division: K-12 Finance Division Minutes
    • Finance: Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division Minutes
    • Finance: Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division: Environmental Justice and Healthy Housing Minutes
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About

    Session Interviews

    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

    2007 (43B)
    2008 (43B)
    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

    Video

    Legislators Past & Present Home