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Entenza, Matthew Keating "Matt"

Sessions Served

Other Information

House 1995-2006 (District 64A)

Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Counties Served: Ramsey

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 10/4/1961

Birth Place: Santa Monica, California

Birth County:

Birth Country: United States

Date of Death:

Gender: Male

Religion: Lutheran

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names: Matt

City of Residence (when first elected): Saint Paul

Occupation (when first elected): Attorney

EDUCATION

Worthington High School; Secondary;
Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Attended College;
Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota; B.A.; Environmental Studies
Oxford University, England; Attended Graduate School; Law
University of Minnesota, Law School; J.D.; 1990

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

County Attorney: Hennepin County, Minnesota (Assistant Prosecutor); 19?? to 19??

State Legislative Staff: Minnesota Senate (Intern for Senator Roger Moe); 198? to 198?

State Attorney General Staff: Minnesota Office of the Attorney General, Charities Division (Assistant Attorney General); 1990 to 1994

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Lois Quam
Children: Three children: Benjamin "Ben", William "Will", and Steven "Steve" (Will and Steve are twins), (sons)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

He grew up in Santa Monica, California. He moved to Worthington, Minnesota when he was 15 years old.

He ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Minnesota in the 2010 election. He ran unendorsed in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party primary election. He lost the primary election to Mark Dayton.

He was the Democratic-Farmer-Labor endorsed candidate for Minnesota Attorney General going into the 2006 primary election. He withdrew from the race on July 18, 2006 before the primary election.

Religion provided by Minnesota Public Radio.

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Total Days Served: 4383

SESSIONS SERVED

84th Legislative Session (2005-2006)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 64A

Elected: 11/2/2004

Residence: Saint Paul

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

Counties Represented: Ramsey

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

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

Committees:

Leadership Position: Minority Leader
Leadership Notes: He resigned as Minority Leader after he secured the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party endorsement for Minnesota Attorney General on June 18, 2006.

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83rd Legislative Session (2003-2004)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 64A

Elected: 11/5/2002

Residence: Saint Paul

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

Counties Represented: Ramsey

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

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

Committees:

Rules and Legislative Administration Minutes

Leadership Position: Minority Leader

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82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 64A

Elected: 11/7/2000

Residence: Saint Paul

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

Counties Represented: Ramsey

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

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

Committees:

Commerce, Jobs, and Economic Development Minutes
Education Policy Minutes
K-12 Education Finance Minutes

Leadership Position: Minority Whip

Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

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81st Legislative Session (1999-2000)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 64A

Elected: 11/3/1998

Residence: Saint Paul

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

Counties Represented: Ramsey

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Commerce Minutes
Education Policy Minutes
K-12 Education Finance Minutes
Ways and Means Minutes

Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 64A

Elected: 11/5/1996

Residence: Saint Paul

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

Counties Represented: Ramsey

Occupation: Prosecutor

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs Minutes
Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs: Consumer Affairs Minutes
Education Minutes
Education: K-12 Education Finance Division Minutes
Education: Quality Initiatives (Chair) Minutes
Judiciary
Judiciary: Civil and Family Law Division
Judiciary: DWI

79th Legislative Session (1995-1996)

Session Details

Body: House

District: 64A

Elected: 11/8/1994

Residence: Saint Paul

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

Counties Represented: Ramsey

Occupation: Attorney

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs
Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs: Business Regulation Division
Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs: Consumer Affairs (Chair)
Education
Education: K-12 Education Finance Division
Judiciary
Judiciary: Civil Law
Ways and Means: Government Efficiency and Oversight Division

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OTHER INFORMATION

Session Interviews
Session Interview (Video) 2006 House Interview

Session Interview (Video) 2003 House Interview

Articles & Books About
Wetzel, Matt. "More or Less: Republicans, DFL Take Different Paths When Establishing Leadership Structure." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, January 7, 2005, p. 7.

Jones, Jeff. "Out Front: As House Minority Leader, Entenza Hopes to Draw Public Attention to DFL Caucus Goals, Priorities." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, January 17, 2003, p. 11.

Specktor, Mordecai. "Entenza Focuses on 'Education, Education, Education'." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, February 10, 1995, p. 19.

District Files

District File - 2000 District 64A
District File - 2002 District 64A
District File - 2003 District 64A
District File - 2004 District 64A
District File - 2005 District 64A
District File - 2006 District 64A
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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

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