Minnesota Legislature

Legislators Past & Present Home

Name Search:

Ozment, Dennis D.

Sessions Served

Other Information

House 1985-92 (District 37B); House 1993-2002 (District 37A); House 2003-08 (District 37B)

Party when first elected: Independent Republican

Counties Served: Dakota, Goodhue, Washington

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 5/2/1945

Birth Place: Farmington, Minnesota

Birth County: Dakota

Birth Country: United States

Date of Death:

Gender: Male

Religion: Baptist

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names:

City of Residence (when first elected): Rosemount

Occupation (when first elected): Fire Captain

EDUCATION

Rosemount High School; Secondary;
Metropolitan Community College; Junior College/Community College; Fire Science
University of Minnesota; Attended College; Public Administration

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Military: United States Marine Corps (Vietnam Era); 10/08/1962 to 02/06/1966

Municipal Government: Minneapolis, Minnesota (City Fire Department, Captain, 27 years); 05/06/1968 to 05/06/1995

Municipal Board/Commission: Rosemount, Minnesota (City Planning Commission); 1975 to 1976

U.S. Executive Branch: U.S. Fire Administration, Washington D.C. (Fire Academy); 1976 to 1979

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Gayle
Children: Two children
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

He described his path to public service in an email to library staff:
"While serving as a Minneapolis Fire inspector 40 years ago, I became very
involved in the new 1970 technologies of 'home smoke detection'. Because
of this unusual expertise, I was transferred via the 'Intergovernmental
Personal Act' to Washington D.C. where I wrote and delivered a 'National
Home Smoke Detector Training Program and Manuals' for our nation's fire
service. Through this activity I witnessed how government action could
save, and continues to save, thousands of lives. The experience inspired
me to get more involved. I started running for elective office." (Email
dated February 21, 2013)

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

He unsuccessfully ran for a House seat twice before winning.

Click to view

Total Days Served: 8764

SESSIONS SERVED

85th Legislative Session (2007-2008)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 37B

Elected: 11/7/2006

Residence: Rosemount

Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/5/2009

Counties Represented: Dakota

Occupation: Retired Fire Fighter/Fire Captain

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Environment and Natural Resources Minutes
Finance: Energy Finance and Policy Division Minutes
Finance: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division Minutes
Finance: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division: Drinking Water Source Protection Minutes
Rules and Legislative Administration Minutes
Ways and Means Minutes

Click to view

84th Legislative Session (2005-2006)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 37B

Elected: 11/2/2004

Residence: Rosemount

Term of Office: 1/4/2005 to 1/2/2007

Counties Represented: Dakota

Occupation: Retired Fire Fighter/Fire Captain

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

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

Committees:

Agriculture and Rural Development Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Finance (Chair) Minutes
Environment and Natural Resources Minutes
Rules and Legislative Administration Minutes
Ways and Means Minutes

Click to view

83rd Legislative Session (2003-2004)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 37B

Elected: 11/5/2002

Residence: Rosemount

Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/3/2005

Counties Represented: Dakota

Occupation: Legislator/Retired Fire Captain

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

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

Committees:

Environment and Natural Resources Finance (Chair) Minutes
Environment and Natural Resources Policy Minutes
Regulated Industries Minutes
Rules and Legislative Administration Minutes
Ways and Means Minutes

Click to view

82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 37A

Elected: 11/7/2000

Residence: Rosemount

Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003

Counties Represented: Dakota, Goodhue

Occupation: Retired Fire Captain

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2001 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Environment and Natural Resources Finance Minutes
Environment and Natural Resources Policy (Chair) Minutes
Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Minutes
Rules and Legislative Administration Minutes

Click to view

81st Legislative Session (1999-2000)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 37A

Elected: 11/3/1998

Residence: Rosemount

Term of Office: 1/5/1999 to 1/2/2001

Counties Represented: Dakota, Goodhue

Occupation: Consultant

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Commerce Minutes
Environment and Natural Resources Finance Minutes
Environment and Natural Resources Policy (Chair) Minutes
Rules and Legislative Administration Minutes

Leadership Position: Assistant Majority Leader

80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 37A

Elected: 11/5/1996

Residence: Rosemount

Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/4/1999

Counties Represented: Dakota, Goodhue

Occupation: Retired Fire Captain

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Regulated Industries and Energy
Rules and Legislative Administration
Taxes Minutes
Taxes: Property Tax and Tax Increment Financing Division Minutes

Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

79th Legislative Session (1995-1996)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 37A

Elected: 11/8/1994

Residence: Rosemount

Term of Office: 1/3/1995 to 1/6/1997

Counties Represented: Dakota, Goodhue

Occupation: Fire Captain, Minneapolis

Party: Independent Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance
Environment and Natural Resources
Joint Claims
Regulated Industries and Energy
Ways and Means
Ways and Means: Government Efficiency and Oversight Division

Click to view

78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 37A

Elected: 11/3/1992

Residence: Rosemount

Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/2/1995

Counties Represented: Dakota, Goodhue

Occupation: Fire Captain, Minneapolis

Party: Independent Republican

Committees:

Education
Education: Education Standards
Education: K-12 Education Finance Division
Education: K-12 Education Finance Division: Facilities
Education: K-12 Education Finance Division: Secondary Vocational
Environment and Natural Resources
Regulated Industries and Energy

77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 37B

Elected: 11/6/1990

Residence: Rosemount

Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 1/4/1993

Counties Represented: Dakota, Washington

Occupation: Fire Captain, Minneapolis

Party: Independent Republican

Committees:

Education
Education: Education Finance Division
Environment and Natural Resources
Regulated Industries

Click to view

76th Legislative Session (1989-1990)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 37B

Elected: 11/8/1988

Residence: Rosemount

Term of Office: 1/3/1989 to 1/7/1991

Counties Represented: Dakota, Washington

Occupation: Fire Captain, Minneapolis

Party: Independent Republican

Committees:

Education
Education: Education Finance Division
Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources: Solid Waste
Regulated Industries

75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 37B

Elected: 11/4/1986

Residence: Rosemount

Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/2/1989

Counties Represented: Dakota, Washington

Occupation: Fire Captain, Minneapolis

Party: Independent Republican

Committees:

Education
Education: Education Finance Division
Education: School Facilities
Health and Human Services
Health and Human Services: Social Services
Higher Education
Metropolitan Affairs
Metropolitan Affairs: Environment
Metropolitan Affairs: Transportation

74th Legislative Session (1985-1986)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 37B

Elected: 11/6/1984

Residence: Rosemount

Term of Office: 1/8/1985 to 1/5/1987

Counties Represented: Dakota, Washington

Occupation: Fire Captain

Party: Independent Republican

Committees:

Crime and Family Law
Crime and Family Law: Family Law
Governmental Operations
Governmental Operations: Water Resource Management (Chair) [We found that he was named the Chair of the Governmental Operations Committee's Water Resource Management Subcommittee from a newspaper article (Cannon Falls Beacon 7/25/1985). We do not have a record of who else served on this subcommittee.]
Health and Human Services
Health and Human Services: Social Services
Local and Urban Affairs
Local and Urban Affairs: Metropolitan Affairs
Transportation
Transportation: Special Subcommittee on Department of Transportation

Click to view

OTHER INFORMATION

Articles & Books About
Busse, Nick. "In the Middle, a Man Apart." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, March 28, 2008, p. 21.

"Rep. Ozment Chairman of Water Subcommittee." Cannon Falls Beacon, July 25, 1985.

District Files

District File - 2002 District 37A
District File - 2003 District 37B
District File - 2004 District 37B
District File - 2005 District 37B
District File - 2006 District 37B
District File - 2007 District 37B
District File - 2008 District 37B

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

Legislators Past & Present Home

Name Search:

Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, 645 State Office Building, Saint Paul, MN 55155