Minnesota Legislative Reference Library

Accessibility menu

Menu

Minnesota Legislative Reference Library Legislators Past & Present

Library Navigation

Skip Navigation LinksLegislature > LRL Home > Legislators Past & Present > Member Record New Search

Bakk, Thomas M. "Tom"

Official Senate Web Page Sessions Served  red ball graphic  Other Information

Click to enlarge

Map of Cook
Cook, MN

House 1995-2002 (District 6A); Senate 2003-2012 (District 6); Senate 2013-Present (District 3)

Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Counties Served:  Carlton, Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 06/08/1954 Date of Death: 
Birth Place: Virginia, Minnesota Birth County: St. Louis Birth Country: United States
Other Names: Tom
Gender:  Male Religion:  Lutheran
City of Residence (when first elected):  Cook

Occupation (when first elected):  Labor Representative/Carpenter

EDUCATION

Cook High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1972
Mesabi Community College; A.A.;
University of Minnesota, Duluth; B.A.; Business Administration and Labor-Management Relations, also listed as a B.B.A.

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Municipal GovernmentIron Range Area, Minnesota (Volunteer Firefighter) ??/??/???? to ??/??/????
State Board/Commission/CouncilMinnesota Iron Range Resources Board ??/??/1995 to ??/??/2???

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Laura (second wife, married around 2001; she was a Legislative Assistant to Sen. David Tomassoni)
Children: Four children: (at least 2 sons)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

Special Legislative Concerns: economic development, taxes, natural resources.

He grew up in Cook, Minnesota.

He ran unsuccessfully to become the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate for Governor of Minnesota in the 2010 election. He dropped out of the race in March 2010.

Religion provided by Politics in Minnesota the Directory, 2005-2006.

Legislative Session: 88th (2013-2014)   Session Details term photo
Click to enlarge
Body: Senate Elected: 11/6/2012 Term of Office: 1/8/2013 to 1/2/2017
District: 03 Residence: Cook
Counties Represented: Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Retired Labor Official
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
Rules and Administration (Chair)
Taxes
Leadership Position: Majority Leader
Legislative Session: 87th (2011-2012)   Session Details term photo
Click to enlarge
Body: Senate Elected: 11/2/2010 Term of Office: 1/4/2011 to 1/7/2013
District: 06 Residence: Cook
Counties Represented: Carlton, Cook, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Official
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Special Session Bills Authored:  
Committees:
Rules and Administration
Rules and Administration Subcommittee: Committees
Rules and Administration Subcommittee: Conference Committees
Rules and Administration Subcommittee: Redistricting
Taxes
Leadership Position: Minority Leader
Legislative Session: 86th (2009-2010) (second half of Senate term)   Session Details term photo
Click to enlarge
Body: Senate Elected: 11/7/2006 Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/3/2011
District: 06 Residence: Cook
Counties Represented: Carlton, Cook, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Official
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
Business, Industry and Jobs
Finance Subcommittee: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division
Finance Subcommittee: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division-Natural Resources
Finance Subcommittee: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division-Parks and Trails Legacy
Rules and Administration
Taxes (Chair)
Taxes Subcommittee: Property Tax Division
Legislative Session: 85th (2007-2008)   Session Details term photo
Click to enlarge
Body: Senate Elected: 11/7/2006 Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/3/2011
District: 06 Residence: Cook
Counties Represented: Carlton, Cook, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Official
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
Business, Industry and Jobs
Finance Subcommittee: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division
Finance Subcommittee: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division-Natural Resources
Rules and Administration
Taxes (Chair)
Taxes Subcommittee: Property Taxes Division
Legislative Session: 84th (2005-2006) (second half of Senate term)   Session Details term photo
Click to enlarge
Body: Senate Elected: 11/5/2002 Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007
District: 06 Residence: Cook
Counties Represented: Carlton, Cook, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Representative, Lakes and Plains Regional Council of Carpenters and Joiners Union Local 606
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Special Session Bills Authored:  
Committees:
Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources Subcommittee: Public Lands and Waters
Finance Subcommittee: Environment, Agriculture and Economic Development Budget Division
Jobs, Energy and Community Development
Jobs, Energy and Community Development Subcommittee: Economic Development and Tourism (Chair)
Rules and Administration Subcommittee: Personnel
Taxes
Legislative Session: 83rd (2003-2004)   Session Details term photo
Click to enlarge
Body: Senate Elected: 11/5/2002 Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007
District: 06 Residence: Cook
Counties Represented: Carlton, Cook, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Representative
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Special Session Bills Authored:  
Committees:
Finance Subcommittee: Early Childhood-Grade 12 Education Budget Division-2003/K-12 Education Budget Division-2004
Finance Subcommittee: Environment, Agriculture and Economic Development Budget Division
Jobs, Housing and Community Development-2003/Jobs, Energy and Community Development-2004
Rules and Administration Subcommittee: Personnel
Taxes
Session Notes: He served on the 2003 Early Childhood-Grade 12 Education Budget Division.
Legislative Session: 82nd (2001-2002)   Session Details term photo
Click to enlarge
Body: House Elected: 11/7/2000 Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003
District: 06A Residence: Cook
Counties Represented: Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Representative
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Special Session Bills Authored:  
Committees:
Commerce, Jobs, and Economic Development
Environment and Natural Resources Finance
Environment and Natural Resources Policy
Legislative Session: 81st (1999-2000)   Session Details
Body: House Elected: 11/3/1998 Term of Office: 1/5/1999 to 1/2/2001
District: 06A Residence: Cook
Counties Represented: Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Representative
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
Commerce
Environment and Natural Resources Finance
Environment and Natural Resources Policy
Legislative Session: 80th (1997-1998)   Session Details
Body: House Elected: 11/5/1996 Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/4/1999
District: 06A Residence: Cook
Counties Represented: Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Representative
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources Subcommittee: Land Sales
Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance
Labor-Management Relations
Taxes
Taxes Subcommittee: Sales and Income Tax Division
Legislative Session: 79th (1995-1996)   Session Details
Body: House Elected: 11/8/1994 Term of Office: 1/3/1995 to 1/6/1997
District: 06A Residence: Cook
Counties Represented: Cook, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Labor Representative/Carpenter
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
Environment and Natural Resources
International Trade and Economic Development
Labor-Management Relations
Taxes
Taxes Subcommittee: Sales and Income Tax Division

OTHER INFORMATION

Articles & Books About
McKenzie, Sarah. "Iron Range Advocate: Bakk Hopes to Continue His Efforts for Residents of Northeast Minnesota in the Senate." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, May 10, 2002, p. 12.

Specktor, Mordecai. "Bakk Represents Land of Three 'Ts': Timber, Taconite and Tourism." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, January 20, 1995, p. 10.




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

Contact this legislator

Name Search
Other Searches

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