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Heather Edelson

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Heather Edelson
Member of the
Hennepin County Board of Commissioners
6th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 4, 2024
Preceded byChris LaTondresse
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 50A district
In office
January 8, 2019 – May 28, 2024
Preceded byDario Anselmo
Succeeded byVacant
Personal details
Born (1981-04-04) April 4, 1981 (age 43)
Political partyDemocratic (DFL)
SpouseBrett
Children3
ResidenceEdina, Minnesota
EducationUniversity of Minnesota (M.S.W.)
Occupation
WebsiteGovernment website Campaign website

Heather Edelson (/ˈɛdəlsən/ ED-əl-sən; born April 4, 1981) is an American politician who is a member of the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), she served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to 2024, representing District 50A in the western Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes Edina and parts of Hennepin County.[1][2] In 2024, she was elected to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners from the 6th district.[3]

Early life, education, and career

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Edelson was raised in north Minneapolis and attended Columbia Heights Public Schools. She attended the University of Minnesota, earning an M.S.W., and was the first person from her family to graduate from college.[1]

Edelson has worked as a mental health therapist and served as a guardian ad litem in Hennepin County. She served on the Edina Public School Board Special Education Advisory Council and the Edina Race and Equity Working Group. Edelson also served as Edina's Human Rights and Relations Commissioner.[1][4]

Minnesota House of Representatives

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Edelson was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2018 and has been reelected every two years since. She first ran for the DFL party endorsement in 2016, losing to Ron Erhardt, an 11-term incumbent who switched from the Republican to the DFL party in 2010.[5][6] Erhardt lost the general election, and Edelson won the DFL endorsement in 2018, going on to defeat one-term Republican incumbent Dario Anselmo.[1][7][8]

Edelson served as vice chair of the Ways and Means Committee, and sat on the Education Finance, Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy, and Human Services Policy Committees. In 2021–22, she served as an assistant majority leader.[1]

Edelson resigned from the Minnesota House in May 2024, after being elected to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners.[9]

Marijuana legalization

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After concerns were raised over price and accessibility, Edelson authored a bill that would add the whole cannabis flower to the state's medical cannabis program, saying it would decrease reliance on painkillers and opioids.[10][11] She also drafted a bill that would allow medical cannabis and CBD oil in schools for students with a doctor's approval.[12][13]

In 2022, Edelson sponsored legislation that legalized food and beverages, including gummies, containing THC if it was derived from hemp.[14][15] The legislation was enacted in part to address previously unregulated delta-8 THC products which were already being sold in Minnesota.[16] It is unclear whether Minnesota Senate leaders understood that this legislation would legalize products with delta-9 THC.[17] Edelson said she wrote the legislation to strengthen consumer protections in an emerging market, and that she would write bills to add additional requirements and work with local governments to help them regulate THC edibles.[17][18][19]

Other political positions

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Edelson has advocated for funding school-linked mental health programs.[20] She carried legislation that would raise the legal age of tobacco, e-cigarettes and vaping devices from 18 to 21, and supported efforts to raise youth awareness of the harms of vaping.[21][22][23] She supported Governor Tim Walz's proposal to raise taxes on nicotine and tobacco products, saying increased revenue could go to prevention efforts.[24]

Edelson worked with Republican Representative Tony Albright on bipartisan legislation to fix the competency restoration program, adopting recommendations from a task force dealing with gaps in the system for those found incompetent to stand trial.[25] She supported legislation giving incarceration alternatives for women who would otherwise be separated from their children.[26] Edelson supported legislation to expedite police training to address workforce shortages, and has supported various measures to address increasing car theft in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.[27][28]

Edelson sponsored legislation to give grants to religious groups to increase security following a rise in antisemitic attacks.[29] She has spoken in support of assisted-suicide legislation.[30] She was the only DFL representative to vote against the 2019 House tax bill.[31]

Hennepin County Board

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In 2024, Edelson won an open seat on the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners, defeating conservative opponent Marisa Simonetti. Edelson won 54% of the approximately 11,300 votes cast.[3]

Electoral history

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2018 Minnesota State House - District 49A[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Heather Edelson 14,725 58.13
Republican Dario Anselmo (incumbent) 10,584 41.78
Write-in 21 0.08
Total votes 25,330 100.0
Democratic (DFL) gain from Republican
2020 Minnesota State House - District 49A[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Heather Edelson (incumbent) 20,306 95.62
Write-in 931 4.38
Total votes 21,237 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold
2022 Minnesota State House - District 50A[34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Heather Edelson (incumbent) 15,087 68.57
Republican Sami Cisman 6,882 31.28
Write-in 32 0.15
Total votes 22,001 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold

Personal life

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Edelson was raised agnostic but converted to Judaism. Her husband, Brett, is the CEO of UnitedHealthcare of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. They have three children and reside in Edina.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Edelson, Heather". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  2. ^ "Rep. Heather Edelson (50A) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  3. ^ a b Magan, Christopher (2024-05-15). "Heather Edelson wins special election for open seat on the Hennepin County Board". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
  4. ^ Otárola, Miguel (August 4, 2017). "West metro news briefs: Plymouth weighs lodging tax, convention bureau". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  5. ^ jpcoolican (February 1, 2016). "Dario Anselmo with about $30,000 on hand for House race". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  6. ^ Brucato, Cyndy (2015-12-09). "Political newcomer says 'time is right' to challenge Rep. Ron Erhardt in DFL primary". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  7. ^ Keen, Judy (March 24, 2018). "Women surge into 2018 elections, from county board to Congress". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  8. ^ Pugmire, Tim (June 27, 2018). "DFL pins hopes on suburbs to flip control of House". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  9. ^ "Final Legislative Update". Minnesota Legislature. 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  10. ^ Faircloth, Ryan. "Minnesota medical pot growers seek OK for smokable cannabis in 2020". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  11. ^ Bierschbach, Briana (June 13, 2021). "Patients celebrate 'huge win' in adding cannabis flower to Minnesota's medical program". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  12. ^ Faircloth, Ryan (January 25, 2020). "Minnesota parents fight schools to allow children access to CBD". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  13. ^ Eischens, Rilyn (2020-01-28). "About 500 children are using cannabis as medicine in Minnesota. Here's a breakdown". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  14. ^ Faircloth, Ryan (July 1, 2022). "New edible cannabis law catches some Minnesota regulators, lawmakers by surprise". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  15. ^ Pugmire, Tim (June 30, 2022). "New law permits sale and consumption of hemp THC edibles in Minnesota". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  16. ^ Coolican, J. Patrick (2022-07-01). "The Legislature stumbles into legalizing THC, for better or worse | Column". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  17. ^ a b Faircloth, Ryan (July 1, 2022). "Edibles, beverages infused with cannabis ingredient THC become legal Friday in Minnesota". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  18. ^ Faircloth, Ryan (July 5, 2022). "Minnesota House leader says DFLers stayed quiet about THC edible law to give it chance of passing". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  19. ^ Faircloth, Ryan (July 7, 2022). "Minnesota cities considering regulations for THC edible products left largely unrestricted by state law". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  20. ^ Shockman, Elizabeth (January 18, 2019). "4 ways MN lawmakers hope to boost education". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  21. ^ Pugmire, Tim (February 12, 2019). "Anti-smoking bills on the move at the MN Capitol". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  22. ^ Star Tribune Editorial Board. "EDITORIAL | Minnesota is a laggard in raising tobacco age to 21". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  23. ^ Pugmire, Tim (October 28, 2019). "Minnesota lawmakers say they're ready to take on vaping". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  24. ^ Pugmire, Tim (February 5, 2021). "Walz targets smoking, vaping with higher taxes". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  25. ^ Star Tribune Editorial Board (April 17, 2022). "EDITORIAL | A complex fix for a crack in the justice system". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  26. ^ The Associated Press, February 19, 2020. "First lady Gwen Walz, groups push for changes in Minnesota criminal justice system". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-04-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  27. ^ Winter, Deena (2022-02-21). "Winkler proposes expedited police training program for people with 'strong moral character'". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  28. ^ Orenstein, Walker (2022-01-14). "Why crime is likely to be a big focus at the 2022 Minnesota Legislature". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  29. ^ Hopfensperger, Jean (May 5, 2019). "Government grants help Minnesota religious groups tighten security". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  30. ^ Van Berkel, Jessie (September 11, 2019). "Minnesota lawmakers explore assisted suicide legislation". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  31. ^ Callaghan, Peter (2019-04-30). "Legislative tax plans: Equitable, inspirational or destructive?". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  32. ^ "2018 Results for State Representative District 49A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  33. ^ "2020 Results for State Representative District 49A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  34. ^ "2022 Results for State Representative District 50A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
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