Ron Latz
Encyclopedia
Ronald Steven "Ron" Latz (born August 9, 1963) is a Minnesota
politician and a member of the Minnesota Senate
who represents District 44, which includes portions of Hennepin County
in the western Twin Cities
metropolitan area. A Democrat
, he was first elected to the Senate in 2006, and was re-elected in 2010.
Prior to being elected to the Senate, Latz was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
, representing District 44B (prior to the 2002 legislative redistricting
, the area was known as District 44A). He was first elected to the House in 2002, and re-elected in 2004. While in the House, he served on the Capital Investment, Civil Law, Education Policy and Reform, and Higher Education Finance committees. His Father, Robert Latz, also served in the House, representing the old districts 35 and 39 from 1959 to 1967.
Latz is currently a member of the Senate Higher Education Committee and the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. He served as a majority whip from 2007 to 2011. His special legislative concern is education.
Latz is an attorney
by profession. He attended Golden Valley High School in Golden Valley
and Lindberg High School in Hopkins
, graduating in 1981, then went on to the University of Wisconsin in Madison
, receiving a B.A.
with honors in political science
in 1985. He then attended Harvard University Law School, earning his J.D. in 1988. He was a Minnesota assistant attorney general for the Public Safety and Human Services Division under Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III from 1989 to 1995, then became a partner in the St. Louis Park
law firm of Latz and Latz.
Latz has been active on various government and community councils and boards. He was a member of the St. Louis Park City Council
from 1994 to 2003, also serving as Mayor Pro Tem from 1999 to 2003. He is a former member of the Minnesota Attorney General's task forces on Health Care and Privacy. He is also a former State Advocacy Chair of the American Cancer Society
, a former member of the Anti-Defamation League
's Civil Rights and Education committees, and a former member of the Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
politician and a member of the Minnesota Senate
Minnesota Senate
The Minnesota Senate is the upper house in the Minnesota Legislature. There are 67 members, half as many as are in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In terms of membership, it is the largest upper house of any state legislature. Each Senate district in the state includes an A and B House...
who represents District 44, which includes portions of Hennepin County
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live...
in the western Twin Cities
Twin cities
Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres which are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time...
metropolitan area. A Democrat
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
, he was first elected to the Senate in 2006, and was re-elected in 2010.
Prior to being elected to the Senate, Latz was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
, representing District 44B (prior to the 2002 legislative redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
, the area was known as District 44A). He was first elected to the House in 2002, and re-elected in 2004. While in the House, he served on the Capital Investment, Civil Law, Education Policy and Reform, and Higher Education Finance committees. His Father, Robert Latz, also served in the House, representing the old districts 35 and 39 from 1959 to 1967.
Latz is currently a member of the Senate Higher Education Committee and the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. He served as a majority whip from 2007 to 2011. His special legislative concern is education.
Latz is an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
by profession. He attended Golden Valley High School in Golden Valley
Golden Valley, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,281 people, 8,449 households, and 5,508 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,982.3 people per square mile . There were 8,589 housing units at an average density of 839.5 per square mile...
and Lindberg High School in Hopkins
Hopkins, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,145 people, 8,224 households, and 3,741 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,205.9 people per square mile . There were 8,390 housing units at an average density of 2,058.2 pe square mile...
, graduating in 1981, then went on to the University of Wisconsin in Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, receiving a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
with honors in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
in 1985. He then attended Harvard University Law School, earning his J.D. in 1988. He was a Minnesota assistant attorney general for the Public Safety and Human Services Division under Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III from 1989 to 1995, then became a partner in the St. Louis Park
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,126 people, 20,782 households, and 10,557 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,122.5 persons per square mile . There were 21,140 housing units at an average density of 1,975.0 per square mile...
law firm of Latz and Latz.
Latz has been active on various government and community councils and boards. He was a member of the St. Louis Park City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
from 1994 to 2003, also serving as Mayor Pro Tem from 1999 to 2003. He is a former member of the Minnesota Attorney General's task forces on Health Care and Privacy. He is also a former State Advocacy Chair of the American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
, a former member of the Anti-Defamation League
Anti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League is an international non-governmental organization based in the United States. Describing itself as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency", the ADL states that it "fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects...
's Civil Rights and Education committees, and a former member of the Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing.
External links
- Senator Latz Web Page
- Minnesota Public Radio Votetracker: Senator Ron Latz
- Project Vote Smart - Senator Ron Latz Profile
- Ron Latz Campaign Web Site