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    Kalis, Henry J.

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1975-82 (District 30A); House 1983-92 (District 29B); House 1993-2002 (District 26B)

    Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

    Counties Served:  Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Waseca

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 3/2/1937
    Birth Place: Easton, Minnesota
    Birth County: Faribault
    Birth Country:
    Date of Death: 9/12/2018
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Catholic
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Walters
    Occupation (when first elected): Farmer

    EDUCATION

    Kiester High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1955

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    County Board/Commissioner: Faribault County, Minnesota (County Welfare Board); [Dates Unknown]
    County Board/Commissioner: Faribault County, Minnesota (County Planning and Zoning Commission); [Dates Unknown]
    County Board/Commissioner: Tri-County Human Services Board; [Dates Unknown]
    Military: United States Army, and Minnesota National Guard, Company A, 147th Division (4 years); 19?? to 19??
    Municipal Government: Foster Township, Minnesota (Fire Department Rescue Squad); 19?? to 19??
    Municipal Government: Foster Township, Minnesota (Town Treasurer); 19?? to 19??
    Municipal Board/Commission: Foster Township, Minnesota (Township Board); 19?? to 19??
    County Board/Commissioner: Faribault County, Minnesota (County Commissioner); 1970 to 01/01/1975

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Violet (married on November 28, 1959)
    Children: Four children: Joe, John, Jacqueline, and Jeffrey
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    His "proudest legislative accomplishment is passage of the Groundwater Protection Act of 1989." (Star Tribune, November 2, 2002)

    Religion provided by the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1999-2000.

    His funeral was held on September 17, 2018 at St. Casimir's Catholic Church in Wells, Minnesota.

    Most recent term photo
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    Total Days Served: 10227

    SESSIONS SERVED

    82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 26B
    Elected: 11/7/2000
    Residence: Wells
    Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003
    Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:     2001 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    term photo
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    81st Legislative Session (1999-2000)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 26B
    Elected: 11/3/1998
    Residence: Walters
    Term of Office: 1/5/1999 to 1/2/2001
    Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:

    80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 26B
    Elected: 11/5/1996
    Residence: Walters
    Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/4/1999
    Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Capital Investment (Chair)
    • Economic Development and International Trade: Economic Development Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
    • Economic Development and International Trade: Housing and Housing Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
    • Education: Family and Early Childhood Education Finance Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
    • Education: Higher Education Finance Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
    • Education: K-12 Education Finance Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
    • Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance
    • Governmental Operations: State Government Finance Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
    • Health and Human Services: Health and Human Services Finance Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
    • Judiciary: Judiciary Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
    • Taxes Minutes - Ex Officio Member
    • Taxes: Property Tax and Tax Increment Financing Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
    • Taxes: Sales and Income Tax Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
    • Transportation and Transit: Transportation and Transit Finance Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
    • Ways and Means

    79th Legislative Session (1995-1996)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 26B
    Elected: 11/8/1994
    Residence: Walters
    Term of Office: 1/3/1995 to 1/6/1997
    Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Capital Investment (Chair)
    • Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance
    • Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance: Transportation Finance Division
    • Education: K-12 Education Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
    • Transportation and Transit
    • Transportation and Transit: Transportation Safety
    • Transportation and Transit: Transportation Systems
    • Ways and Means
    term photo
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    78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 26B
    Elected: 11/3/1992
    Residence: Walters
    Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/2/1995
    Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture: Soil and Water Resources (Chair)
    • Capital Investment (Chair)
    • Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance
    • Education: Higher Education Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
    • Education: K-12 Education Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
    • Environment and Natural Resources Finance - Ex Officio Member
    • Governmental Operations and Gambling: State Government Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
    • Health and Human Services: Health and Housing Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
    • Health and Human Services: Human Services Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
    • Judiciary: Judiciary Finance Division - Ex Officio Member
    • Ways and Means

    77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 29B
    Elected: 11/6/1990
    Residence: Walters
    Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 1/4/1993
    Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Waseca
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Soil and Water Resources
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Economic Development, Infrastructure, and Regulation Division
    • Health and Human Services
    • Health and Human Services: Health Care Access and Delivery
    • Transportation (Chair)
    • Transportation: Air, Rail, and Toll Roads
    • Transportation: Safety
    • Transportation: Surface Transportation
    term photo
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    76th Legislative Session (1989-1990)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 29B
    Elected: 11/8/1988
    Residence: Walters
    Term of Office: 1/3/1989 to 1/7/1991
    Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Waseca
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agriculture Finance and Farm Programs
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Agriculture, Transportation and Semi-State Division
    • Transportation (Chair)
    • Transportation: Air Transportation
    • Transportation: Safety
    • Transportation: Surface Transportation

    75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 29B
    Elected: 11/4/1986
    Residence: Walters
    Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/2/1989
    Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Waseca
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agriculture Finance Division
    • Agriculture: Farm Programs and Policies
    • Agriculture: International Trade, Farm Commodities, Agri-Business and Marketing
    • Agriculture: Soil and Water Conservation
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Agriculture, Transportation and Semi-States Division
    • Appropriations: Joint Claims (Chair)
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Civil Law
    • Transportation (Chair)

    74th Legislative Session (1985-1986)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 29B
    Elected: 11/6/1984
    Residence: Walters
    Term of Office: 1/8/1985 to 1/5/1987
    Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Waseca
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agricultural Land Use
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Agriculture, Transportation and Semi-States Division
    • Appropriations: Joint Claims
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    term photo
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    73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 29B
    Elected: 11/2/1982
    Residence: Walters
    Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/7/1985
    Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Waseca
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agricultural Exports and Marketing
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Agriculture, Transportation, Semi-State Division (Chair)
    • Appropriations: Joint Claims (Chair)
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: Commercial and Passenger Transportation

    72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 30A
    Elected: 11/4/1980
    Residence: Walters
    Term of Office: 1/6/1981 to 1/3/1983
    Counties Represented: Faribault, Freeborn, Martin
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Farm Programs and Policies
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Semi-State Division
    • Local and Urban Affairs
    • Local and Urban Affairs: Governmental Administration (Chair)
    • Local and Urban Affairs: Local Government Financing
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: General Transportation
    • Transportation: Safety
    • Transportation: Trunk Highways (Chair)
    term photo
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    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 30A
    Elected: 11/7/1978
    Residence: Walters
    Term of Office: 1/3/1979 to 1/5/1981
    Counties Represented: Faribault, Freeborn, Martin
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agriculture Products and Marketing
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Semi-State Division
    • Appropriations: State Departments Division
    • Education
    • Education: Higher Education Division
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: Bridges and Highways

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 30A
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Walters
    Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/2/1979
    Counties Represented: Faribault, Freeborn, Martin
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Education
    • Transportation
    term photo
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    69th Legislative Session (1975-1976)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 30A
    Elected: 11/5/1974
    Residence: Walters
    Term of Office: 1/7/1975 to 1/3/1977
    Counties Represented: Faribault, Freeborn, Martin
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Transportation

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About
    "Henry Kalis, 1937-2018." Albert Lea Tribune, September 15, 2018.

    Mewes, Trey. "Kalis Remembered as 'A Model for a State Representative." The Free Press, September 14, 2018.

    Stahl, Theresa. "Fun While It Lasted: After Nearly Three Decades as a Member of the House, Kalis Says It's Time to Step Down." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, May 3, 2002, p. 17.


    District Files

    District File - 2000 District 26B
    District File - 2002 District 26B
    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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