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Karin Housley works for you

Representing our communities

Karin Housley has a clear record of working across the aisle, building coalitions, and finding solutions that work. Here are only a few examples:

  • Karin spearheaded the collaborative effort to establish Aiple Park along the St. Croix River in Stillwater.
  • She successfully secured funding for the Bike Bridge/Manning Avenue interchange in Washington County and the Gateway Trail from William O’Brien State Park to the Scandia Village Center.
  • She passed legislation that designates Highway 95, from Lakeland to Oak Park Heights, as Corrections Officer Joseph Gomm Memorial Highway in memory of fallen MCF-Stillwater Officer Joseph Gomm, who was killed in the line of duty.
  • Karin passed legislation that ensures equity in transportation costs for school districts like Forest Lake Area Schools.
  • She changed the law around electric vehicles so Stillwater’s beloved Tuk Tuk can operate on city streets.
  • Since Minnesota breweries cannot sell “growlers” once they reach a certain production threshold, Karin continues to lead the push to change the law so homegrown businesses like Lift Bridge in Stillwater can continue to sell growlers.

Protecting our seniors

During her time in the Minnesota Senate, Karin has become known as a “crusader” for elderly and vulnerable Minnesotans. As chairwoman of the first-ever Minnesota Senate Aging & Long-Term Care Committee, she led the way in renewing the focus on our Minnesota’s rapidly aging population.

After horrifying allegations of abuse and neglect in Minnesota’s senior living facilities came to light, Karin thought of her own mother, and knew she had to get to work. She assembled a coalition of long-term care advocates, industry representatives, and family members of elder abuse victims to pass historic elder care reform. Karin was the chief author of the Elder Care and Vulnerable Adult Protection Act, landmark legislation that gave enhanced protections and rights to Minnesotans in senior living facilities and licensed assisted living facilities for the first time—making Minnesota the final state to do so. Karin also passed the Safe Seniors Financial Protection Acts, two separate bills that afforded additional legal protections to older and vulnerable adults to prevent financial exploitation.

Forest Lake Times: Housley-backed elder care bill signed into law
Star Tribune: Minnesota senator demands greater disclosure on senior abuse, investigations

Supporting the future

Our kids are our future, and we are fortunate to live in an area with some of the best schools in the state. Karin has a record of supporting those schools and investing in our kids’ education. She has repeatedly voted to increase funding for area schools, supporting targeted investments that ensure the safety of students and their teachers, resources for mental health, new literacy programs for pre-k through graduation, and career and technical education programs. Karin knows that educators are invaluable parts of our community and has voted to strengthen public employee pensions, including those of our great educators, to make sure those educators will be rewarded for their service.

Respecting your budget

As a mom and a small business owner, Karin understands the impact high taxes can have on our families and our economy. She voted for the first income tax cut in nearly two decades, as well as significant property tax cuts for small businesses and farmers. She also voted to support additional tax credits for working families, college students, new homeowners, and many others, as well as twice in support of a cute to the income tax on Social Security benefits—as we work toward completely eliminating that burdensome tax.

  • Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities Legislator of Distinction for Economic Development (2019)
  • NFIB Guardian of Small Business (2018, 2019)
  • American Conservative Union Achievement Award (2014, 2017, 2018, 2019)
  • American Conservative Union Defender of Liberty (2013)
  • HousingFirst Housing Leadership Award (2017, 2018)
  • Howling for Wolves Champion for the Wolf (2018)
  • AARP Capitol Caregiver Award (2017)
  • Care Providers of Minnesota Public Official Recognition Award (2017)
  • Commission of Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans Advocacy Award (2017)
  • Isuroon Legislative Award (2017)
  • LeadingAge Minnesota Public Official of the Year (2017)
  • National Conference of State Legislatures Women Making A Difference Award (2017)
  • Minnesota Grocers Association Hero of the Food Industry (2015)
  • Women’s Victory Fund Distinguished Leader Award (2014)