(ST. PAUL) — Last Thursday, House Speaker-designate Paul Thissen announced the Minnesota House of Representatives committee assignments for the 2013-2014 biennium, selecting state Representative-elect Dan Schoen (DFL – St. Paul Park) to serve on the Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy, Health and Human Services Policy, Public Safety Finance and Policy, and Taxes Committees.
“I’m honored and pleased to be serving on these important committees,” said Rep.-elect Schoen. “As a police officer, I have an excellent understanding of our public safety systems and how they can be improved. I also look forward to serving on the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee and working to ensure that Minnesotans are protected from unfair business practices and scams.
“Thanks to many forward-thinking policies over the years, Minnesota is a national leader in health care. However, we must continue to work to make sure that every Minnesotan has access to high-quality, affordable health care. We need to work together and pursue additional Minnesota-made solutions that will help us achieve that goal.
“After year after year of budget deficits, it’s time for us to stop with the gimmicks and finally address our structural deficit. We need to tackle our state’s fiscal issues in a fair and responsible manner that keeps Minnesota competitive and funds important priorities like education and job training.”
After graduating from MACCRAY High School in 1993, Rep.-elect Schoen earned his Criminal Justice degree from Ridgewater College in Willmar. He went on to work there for five years as a Paramedic, where he was the founding President of the International Association of Firefighters Local 3943. Rep.-elect Schoen is currently a member of the MN Police & Peace Officers Association and The Fraternal Order of Police. He is a resident of Saint Paul Park and formerly served on the Board of Directors for the St. Paul Park/Newport Lions Club, who awarded him the Melvin Jones Fellowship for Humanitarian Services in 2011.
Recently, Rep.-elect Schoen worked closely with Senator Katie Sieben to ban synthetic marijuana in Minnesota and testified at the Capitol for the Public Safety Committee.
The Legislative Session is scheduled to begin on January 8, 2013.