ST. PAUL – State Representative Kurt Zellers (R-Maple Grove) announced today he will not seek re-election to the Minnesota House of Representatives. Zellers, first elected in 2003, represents House District 34B – covering the cities of Maple Grove and Osseo.
“It has been an honor to serve the good people of Maple Grove and Osseo over the past 11 years,” said Zellers. “I’m proud of the important legislation I passed over the past six terms benefitting the residents of Maple Grove and Osseo, as well as the state of Minnesota.”
During Zellers’ six terms in the legislature, he enacted sweeping legislation to impose life in prison sentences for violent offenders after the murder of University of North Dakota student Dru Sjodin; secured legislation to build a new hospital in Maple Grove; passed legislation to address the growing need for adolescent mental health treatment; and led the effort to stop Governor Mark Dayton from imposing job killing tax increases on hard working, middle class Minnesotans in 2011-12.
Zellers served as Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives during the 2011 and 2012 legislative sessions. Zellers is only the third Republican to serve as House Speaker since party designation. In his role as Speaker of the House, Zellers led the effort to balance the state budget without raising taxes, turning around the state budget from a $5 billion deficit to an over $3 billion surplus within two years.
Kurt and his wife, a public school teacher, have two kids, Reagan (age 9) and Will (age 7).
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