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Swenson, Douglas G. "Doug"

House 1987-92 (District 55A); House 1993-98 (District 51B)

Party when first elected:  Independent Republican

Counties Served:  Anoka, Washington

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 8/16/1945
Birth Place: Saint Peter, Minnesota
Birth County: Nicollet
Birth Country: United States
Date of Death: 2/1/2009
Gender: Male
Religion: Lutheran
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names: Doug
City of Residence (when first elected): Forest Lake
Occupation (when first elected): Attorney

EDUCATION

Bethany Lutheran High School, Mankato; Secondary; Graduate, 1963
Gustavus Adolphus College; B.S.; Business Administration and Political Science
William Mitchell College of Law; J.D.; 1971

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

County Attorney: Washington County, Minnesota (Senior Assistant County Attorney); 1975 to 19??
Judge: 10th Judicial District Court, Pine City, Minnesota (Appointed by Governor Arne Carlson); 12/19/1997 to ? [Appointed]

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Sandra "Sandie"
Children: Two children: Gregory "Greg" (killed in a car accident in 1989 by an underage drunk driver), and Kirk (sons)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
Howard Swenson  - Brother
Oscar A. Swenson  - Grandfather
Swen Swenson  - Great Grandfather
Carl L. Swenson  - Great Uncle
Lars Swenson  - Great Great Uncle

GENERAL NOTES

He had Norwegian ancestry.

He was raised on a dairy farm. His father died when he was nine months old.

He died from complications due to chronic myelogenous leukemia at United Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. His funeral was held at Hosanna Luthern Church in Forest Lake, Minnesota.

He was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in Forest Lake, Minnesota.

Religion provided by his obituary and a newspaper article.

Total Days Served: 4029

SESSIONS SERVED

80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 51B
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Forest Lake
Term of Office: 1/6/1997 to 1/15/1998 (unfinished term)
Counties Represented: Anoka, Washington
Occupation: Attorney
Party: Republican
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Economic Development and International Trade
  • Economic Development and International Trade: Economic Development
  • Judiciary: DWI
  • Judiciary: Judiciary Finance Division
  • Ways and Means
Reason for unfinished term: Appointed to other office
Session Notes: He was appointed by Governor Arne Carlson to a District Judge position in December 1997. His resignation from the Minnesota Legislature was effective on January 15, 1998.

79th Legislative Session (1995-1996)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 51B
Elected: 11/8/1994
Residence: Forest Lake
Term of Office: 1/2/1995 to 1/5/1997
Counties Represented: Anoka, Washington
Occupation: Attorney
Party: Independent Republican
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs
  • Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs: Business Regulation Division
  • Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs: Real Estate and Commerce
  • Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs: Tourism
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Civil Law
  • Judiciary Finance

78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 51B
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Forest Lake
Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/1/1995
Counties Represented: Anoka, Washington
Occupation: Attorney
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • Environment and Natural Resources Finance
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Criminal Justice and Family Law
  • Judiciary: Data Privacy
  • Judiciary: Judiciary Finance Division
  • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs
  • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs: Transit

77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 55A
Elected: 11/6/1990
Residence: Forest Lake
Term of Office: 1/7/1991 to 1/3/1993
Counties Represented: Washington
Occupation: Attorney
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • Appropriations
  • Appropriations: Environment and Natural Resources Division
  • Health and Human Services
  • Health and Human Services: Health Care Access and Delivery
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Criminal Justice Division
  • Judiciary: Data Privacy

76th Legislative Session (1989-1990)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 55A
Elected: 11/8/1988
Residence: Forest Lake
Term of Office: 1/2/1989 to 1/6/1991
Counties Represented: Washington
Occupation: Attorney
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • Education
  • Health and Human Services
  • Health and Human Services: Family Health
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Criminal Justice Division

75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 55A
Elected: 11/4/1986
Residence: Forest Lake
Term of Office: 1/5/1987 to 1/1/1989
Counties Represented: Washington
Occupation: Attorney
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • Education
  • Health and Human Services
  • Health and Human Services: Physical/Mental Health
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Crime and Family Law Division
  • Judiciary: Sentencing Guidelines
  • Metropolitan Affairs
  • Metropolitan Affairs: Environment
  • Metropolitan Affairs: Government Structure

Articles & Books About

These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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.