Friends and Neighbors,
The legislative session has come to a close, and after four years representing Woodbury in the Minnesota House of Representatives, I am retiring from Minnesota politics to spend more time with my family and to pursue new opportunities.
I would like to humbly thank you all for trusting me to represent you in Saint Paul for the past two terms. It has been an honor, a privilege and an experience I will never forget.
Since being elected in 2010, my goal has been to represent you to the best of my abilities. I fought hard for a smart, limited government that spent your tax dollars wisely and did not burden you with unnecessary regulations or personal intrusions.
One of my proudest accomplishments came earlier this week, when I bill I have been working on for the past several years was signed into law. The bill increases penalties for repeat 5th degree criminal sexual conduct. It was presented to the Governor for his signature and passed with no opposition.
During my time in the legislature, I also fought for stronger schools and improved student achievement. I voted to put more money in education and authored a law requiring teachers to pass a basic skills exam.
Finding ways to strengthen our education standards and improve academic achievement will keep Minnesota competitive on a global scale, and I am proud of our state’s world class education system. I hope that whoever replaces me as your state representative will continue to make education a top priority.
My favorite part of this job came from you. I have enjoyed every conversation whether through email, phone, or face-to-face. And whether we agreed or not, learning about what is important to you helped make me a better legislator and ultimately shaped state policy.
For all your support, guidance and input over the past four years, I thank you. It has been an honor to represent Woodbury—the city I call home.
Please know that I will continue to serve out my term until the end of the year, and if I can ever be of assistance to you or your family on a matter of state government, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Respectfully,
Rep. Andrea Kieffer, Woodbury