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    Olson, Mark Douglas

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1993-2002 (District 19A); House 2003-08 (District 16B)

    Party when first elected:  Independent Republican

    Counties Served:  Sherburne, Wright

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 7/1/1955
    Birth Place: Minnesota
    Birth County: Sherburne
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Protestant
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Big Lake
    Occupation (when first elected): Carpenter/Log Home Builder

    EDUCATION

    Becker High School; Secondary; Graduate
    Wright Technical Center; Vocational-Technical School; Construction/Carpentry

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Single (when first elected, last listed in 2003); Heidi Jo (married while in office)
    Children: Five stepchildren: Cory, Crystal, Todd, Sean, and Dylan
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was born and raised on a farm.

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

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 5845

    SESSIONS SERVED

    85th Legislative Session (2007-2008)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 16B
    Elected: 11/7/2006
    Residence: Big Lake
    Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/5/2009
    Counties Represented: Sherburne
    Occupation: Carpenter/Log Home Builder
    Party: Republican Party Notes: He was reelected as a Republican. However, on December 7, 2006 the Republican caucus suspended him. He then began calling himself an "independent" Republican in January 2007. The Republican members voted to officially expel him from their caucus in early December 2007. After losing the Republican Party endorsement for his Minnesota House of Representatives seat, he ran unsuccessfully for the Republican Party endorsement for the Minnesota Senate in the 2008 primary election. He then ran unsuccessfully for the Senate seat as a write-in candidate in the 2008 elections.
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs: Veterans Affairs Division Minutes
    • Finance: Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division: K-12 Finance Division Minutes
    • Governmental Operations, Reform, Technology and Elections Minutes
    • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Minutes
    term photo
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    84th Legislative Session (2005-2006)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 16B
    Elected: 11/2/2004
    Residence: Big Lake
    Term of Office: 1/4/2005 to 1/2/2007
    Counties Represented: Sherburne
    Occupation: Carpenter/Log Home Builder
    Party: Republican Party Notes: On December 7, 2006 the Republican members decided to suspend him from their caucus.
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:  2005 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2005 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    • Education Policy and Reform Minutes
    • Governmental Operations and Veterans Affairs Minutes
    • Local Government (Chair) Minutes
    • Transportation Minutes
    term photo
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    83rd Legislative Session (2003-2004)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 16B
    Elected: 11/5/2002
    Residence: Big Lake
    Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/3/2005
    Counties Represented: Sherburne
    Occupation: Carpenter/Log Home Builder
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:  2003 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2003 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    Leadership Position: Speaker Pro Tempore
    term photo
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    82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 19A
    Elected: 11/7/2000
    Residence: Big Lake
    Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003
    Counties Represented: Sherburne, Wright
    Occupation: Carpenter/Log Home Builder/Qualified Neutral Mediator
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:  2001 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2001 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    term photo
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    81st Legislative Session (1999-2000)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 19A
    Elected: 11/3/1998
    Residence: Big Lake
    Term of Office: 1/5/1999 to 1/2/2001
    Counties Represented: Sherburne, Wright
    Occupation: Carpenter/Log Home Builder/Qualified Neutral Mediator
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Civil Law
    • Education Policy Minutes
    • Family and Early Childhood Education Finance Minutes
    • Health and Human Services Policy Minutes

    80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 19A
    Elected: 11/5/1996
    Residence: Big Lake
    Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/4/1999
    Counties Represented: Sherburne, Wright
    Occupation: Carpenter/Log Home Builder
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Economic Development and International Trade: Housing and Housing Finance Division
    • Education Minutes
    • Education: Facilities Minutes
    • Judiciary
    • Labor-Management Relations
    • Regulated Industries and Energy

    79th Legislative Session (1995-1996)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 19A
    Elected: 11/8/1994
    Residence: Big Lake
    Term of Office: 1/3/1995 to 1/6/1997
    Counties Represented: Sherburne, Wright
    Occupation: Carpenter/Log Home Builder
    Party: Independent Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Governmental Operations
    • Governmental Operations: Gambling Division
    • Housing
    • Housing: Reclaiming and Recycling Vacant Housing
    • Regulated Industries and Energy
    term photo
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    78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 19A
    Elected: 11/3/1992
    Residence: Big Lake
    Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/2/1995
    Counties Represented: Sherburne, Wright
    Occupation: Carpenter/Log Home Builder
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Commerce and Economic Development
    • Commerce and Economic Development: Consumer Protection
    • Commerce and Economic Development: Occupational Licensing
    • Commerce and Economic Development: Tourism and Small Business Division
    • Governmental Operations and Gambling
    • Governmental Operations and Gambling: Gambling
    • Governmental Operations and Gambling: State Government Finance Division
    • Housing

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Session Interviews
    Session Interview (Video) 2008 House Interview


    Articles & Books About
    Busse, Nick. "Rep. Olson Apologizes." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, February 22, 2008, p.23.

    Lonergan, Tom. "Running the Show: Sviggum Re-Elected as House Speaker, Olson Joins Abrams and Boudreau as Speaker Pro Tempore." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, January 10, 2003, p. 9.

    Price, Dave. "Olson to Build on Solid Foundation in the House." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, February 26, 1993, p. 15.



    The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.

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