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Clark, Karen J.

House 1981-82 (District 59A); House 1983-92 (District 60A); House 1993-2012 (District 61A); House 2013-2018 (District 62A)

Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Counties Served:  Hennepin

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 7/23/1945
Birth Place: , Oklahoma
Birth County:
Birth Country: United States
Date of Death:
Gender: Female
Religion: Catholic
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected): Minneapolis
Occupation (when first elected): Nurse-Practitioner, Hennepin County Health Department

EDUCATION

Edgerton Public High School; Secondary; 1963
College of St. Teresa, Winona; B.S.; Nursing, Training as a Nurse Practitioner in OB/GYN
Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government; M.P.A.; Public Administration

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Council on the Economic Status of Women; 19?? to 19??
State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans; 19?? to 19??

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse/Partner: Single (when first elected); Jacquelyn Zita (around 1989)
Children:
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

She was the first openly gay person to run and be elected to the Minnesota Legislature, without previously having held a seat in it. She was the first openly lesbian member to serve in the Minnesota Legislature. She is also the longest serving openly lesbian member to serve in a state legislature in the United States. Allan Spear was the first openly gay member of the Minnesota Legislature.

She grew up on a sharecropping farm in Rock County, Minnesota.

Her mother was Mayor of a small town.

Religion provided by the Natural Resources Defense Council's State Directories 2005.

Total Days Served: 13881

SESSIONS SERVED

90th Legislative Session (2017-2018)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 62A
Elected: 11/8/2016
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/3/2017 to 1/7/2019
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: College Instructor
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Special Session Bills Authored:  2017 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2017 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
  • Agriculture Finance Minutes
  • Environment & Natural Resources Policy and Finance Minutes
  • Job Growth & Energy Affordability Policy and Finance Minutes

89th Legislative Session (2015-2016)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 62A
Elected: 11/4/2014
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/6/2015 to 1/2/2017
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: College Instructor
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Special Session Bills Authored:  2015 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2015 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
  • Agriculture Finance Minutes
  • Environment & Natural Resources Policy & Finance Minutes
  • Job Growth & Energy Affordability Policy & Finance Minutes

88th Legislative Session (2013-2014)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 62A
Elected: 11/6/2012
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/8/2013 to 1/5/2015
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: College Instructor
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Capital Investment Minutes
  • Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance Minutes
  • Housing Finance and Policy (Chair) Minutes
  • Jobs and Economic Development Finance and Policy Minutes
  • Ways and Means Minutes

87th Legislative Session (2011-2012)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 61A
Elected: 11/2/2010
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/4/2011 to 1/7/2013
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: College Instructor
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:

86th Legislative Session (2009-2010)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 61A
Elected: 11/4/2008
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/6/2009 to 1/3/2011
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: College Instructor; Holistic Medicine, College of St. Catherine; and Women in Politics, University of Minnesota
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Finance Minutes
  • Finance: Capital Investment Finance Division Minutes
  • Finance: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division Minutes
  • Finance: Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division Minutes
  • Finance: Housing Finance and Policy and Public Health Finance Division (Chair) Minutes

85th Legislative Session (2007-2008)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 61A
Elected: 11/7/2006
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/5/2009
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: College Instructor; Adjunct Faculty, College of St. Catherine and the University of Minnesota
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Special Session Bills Authored:  2007 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2007 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
  • Finance Minutes
  • Finance: Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division: Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division Minutes
  • Finance: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division Minutes
  • Finance: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division: Drinking Water Source Protection Minutes
  • Finance: Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division (Chair) Minutes
  • Ways and Means Minutes

84th Legislative Session (2005-2006)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 61A
Elected: 11/2/2004
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/4/2005 to 1/2/2007
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: College Instructor/Legislator
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Special Session Bills Authored:     2005 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
  • Commerce and Financial Institutions Minutes
  • Jobs and Economic Opportunity Policy and Finance Minutes
  • Ways and Means Minutes

83rd Legislative Session (2003-2004)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 61A
Elected: 11/5/2002
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/3/2005
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Government
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Special Session Bills Authored:     2003 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
  • Commerce, Jobs, and Economic Development Minutes
  • Commerce, Jobs, and Economic Development: Economic Development and Tourism Division Minutes
  • Environment and Natural Resources Policy Minutes
  • Jobs and Economic Development Finance Minutes

82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 61A
Elected: 11/7/2000
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator/College Instructor
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Commerce, Jobs, and Economic Development Minutes
  • Jobs and Economic Development Finance Minutes
  • Ways and Means Minutes

81st Legislative Session (1999-2000)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 61A
Elected: 11/3/1998
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/5/1999 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Commerce Minutes
  • Jobs and Economic Development Finance Minutes
  • Jobs and Economic Development Policy Minutes

80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 61A
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/4/1999
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Capital Investment
  • Economic Development and International Trade
  • Economic Development and International Trade: Economic Development
  • Economic Development and International Trade: Economic Development Finance Division
  • Economic Development and International Trade: Housing and Housing Finance Division (Chair)
  • Financial Institutions and Insurance Minutes

79th Legislative Session (1995-1996)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 61A
Elected: 11/8/1994
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/3/1995 to 1/6/1997
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Capital Investment
  • Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance
  • Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance: Transportation Finance Division
  • Housing (Chair)
  • Housing: Reclaiming and Recycling Vacant Housing

78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 61A
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/2/1995
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Commerce and Economic Development
  • Commerce and Economic Development: Economic Equality
  • Commerce and Economic Development: International Trade, Technology and Economic Development Division
  • Ethics
  • Health and Human Services
  • Health and Human Services: Health and Housing Finance Division
  • Housing (Chair)
  • Housing: Manufactured Housing

77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 60A
Elected: 11/6/1990
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 1/4/1993
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Appropriations
  • Appropriations: Human Resources Division
  • Economic Development
  • Economic Development: International Trade and Technology Division
  • Economic Development: Quality Workforce and Competitiveness
  • Financial Institutions and Insurance
  • Housing (Chair)
  • Housing: Community Revitalization

76th Legislative Session (1989-1990)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 60A
Elected: 11/8/1988
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/3/1989 to 1/7/1991
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Appropriations
  • Appropriations: Health and Human Services Division
  • Economic Development
  • Economic Development: Community Stabilization and Development Division (Chair)
  • Financial Institutions and Housing
  • Financial Institutions and Housing: Housing Division

75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 60A
Elected: 11/4/1986
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/2/1989
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator/Ob-Gyn Nurse Practitioner
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Economic Development and Housing
  • Economic Development and Housing: Job Development and Training (Chair)
  • Governmental Operations
  • Governmental Operations: Pensions
  • Health and Human Services
  • Health and Human Services: Social Services
  • Regulated Industries

74th Legislative Session (1985-1986)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 60A
Elected: 11/6/1984
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/8/1985 to 1/5/1987
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Nurse
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Governmental Operations
  • Health and Human Services
  • Health and Human Services: Health Care
  • Local and Urban Affairs
  • Local and Urban Affairs: Metropolitan Affairs

73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 60A
Elected: 11/2/1982
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/7/1985
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Nurse
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Governmental Operations
  • Governmental Operations: Jobs Creation and Unemployment Issues (Chair)
  • Health and Welfare
  • Health and Welfare: Departmental Affairs
  • Local and Urban Affairs
  • Local and Urban Affairs: Physical and Economic Development

72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 59A
Elected: 11/4/1980
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/6/1981 to 1/3/1983
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Nurse-Practitioner, Hennepin County Health Department
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Governmental Operations
  • Governmental Operations: Pensions and Investments
  • Health and Welfare
  • Health and Welfare: Departmental Affairs
  • Local and Urban Affairs
  • Local and Urban Affairs: Economic Development
  • Regulated Industries
  • Regulated Industries: Rates Under Bond-Interim Rates