Murphy, Mary Catherine
House 1977-82 (District 14B); House 1983-2002 (District 8A): House 2003-2012 (District 6B); House 2013-2022 (District 3B)
Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Counties Served:
Carlton, Lake, St. Louis
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
Birth Place:
Duluth, Minnesota
Birth County:
St. Louis
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
Gender:
Female
Religion:
Catholic
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected):
Hermantown
Occupation (when first elected):
American History and Social Studies Teacher, Duluth Central High School
EDUCATION
Hermantown High School; Secondary;
College of St. Scholastica; B.A.; History and Economics, 1961
University of Minnesota, Duluth; Attended Graduate School;
Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota; Attended Graduate School;
American University, Washington D.C.; Attended Graduate School;
University of Wisconsin, Superior; Attended Graduate School;
Indiana University; Attended Graduate School;
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Great Lakes Commission;
19?? to 19??
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Statehood Sesquicentennial Commission;
2006 to 12/31/2008
[Appointed]
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Children:
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
She ran unsuccessfully for the Minnesota Senate in a 1985 special election.
She is the longest serving female legislator and the second longest serving legislator. Rep. Lyndon Carlson is the longest-serving legislator.
She ran in the House District 3B election in 2022, but was defeated by 33 votes.
Religion provided by the Natural Resources Defense Council's State Directories 2005.
Body: House
District: 03B
Elected: 11/3/2020
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/5/2021 to 1/2/2023
Counties Represented:
Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Grounds Manager/Historical Preservation
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Ran in next election? Yes. Defeated in general election
Body: House
District: 03B
Elected: 11/6/2018
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/8/2019 to 1/4/2021
Counties Represented:
Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Grounds Manager/Historical Preservation
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Ethics (Chair)
Minutes
-
Rules and Legislative Administration: Subcommittee on Legislative Process Reform
Minutes
-
Ways & Means: Capital Investment Division (Chair)
Minutes
-
Ways & Means: Education Finance Division
Minutes
-
Ways & Means: Legacy Finance Division
Minutes
Body: House
District: 03B
Elected: 11/8/2016
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/3/2017 to 1/7/2019
Counties Represented:
Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Grounds Manager/Historical Preservation
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Body: House
District: 03B
Elected: 11/4/2014
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/6/2015 to 1/2/2017
Counties Represented:
Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Grounds Manager/Historical Preservation
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Body: House
District: 03B
Elected: 11/6/2012
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/8/2013 to 1/5/2015
Counties Represented:
Lake, St. Louis
Occupation: Grounds Manager/Historical Preservation
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Ethics
Minutes
-
Government Operations
Minutes
- Ex Officio Member
-
Legacy
Minutes
-
State Government Finance and Veterans Affairs (Chair)
Minutes
Body: House
District: 06B
Elected: 11/2/2010
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/4/2011 to 1/7/2013
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: Grounds Manager/Historical Preservation
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance: Legacy Funding Division
Minutes
-
Redistricting
Minutes
-
State Government Finance
Minutes
Body: House
District: 06B
Elected: 11/4/2008
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/6/2009 to 1/3/2011
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: Grounds Manager/Historical Preservation
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Ethics (Chair)
Minutes
-
Finance
Minutes
-
Finance: Capital Investment Finance Division
Minutes
-
Finance: Cultural and Outdoor Resources Finance Division (Chair)
Minutes
-
Finance: Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
Minutes
Body: House
District: 06B
Elected: 11/7/2006
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/5/2009
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: Grounds Manager/Historical Preservation
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
E-12 Education
Minutes
- Ex Officio Member
-
Ethics (Chair)
Minutes
-
Finance
Minutes
-
Finance: Capital Investment Finance Division
Minutes
-
Finance: Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division (Chair)
Minutes
-
Finance: Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division: Early Childhood Learning Finance Division
Minutes
- Ex Officio Member
-
Finance: Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division: Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division
Minutes
- Ex Officio Member
-
Finance: Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division: K-12 Finance Division
Minutes
- Ex Officio Member
-
Finance: Public Safety Finance Division
Minutes
-
Ways and Means
Minutes
Body: House
District: 06B
Elected: 11/2/2004
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/4/2005 to 1/2/2007
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: Grounds Manager/Historical Preservation
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Special Session Bills Authored: 2005 1st Sp.S. - Author
Body: House
District: 06B
Elected: 11/5/2002
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/3/2005
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: Grounds Manager/Historical Preservation
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Body: House
District: 08A
Elected: 11/7/2000
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: Grounds Manager/Historical Preservation/Reader/Teacher
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Special Session Bills Authored: 2001 1st Sp.S. - Author
Leadership Position:
Assistant Minority Leader
Body: House
District: 08A
Elected: 11/3/1998
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/5/1999 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: Historical Preservation/Reader/Teacher
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Capital Investment
Minutes
-
Crime Prevention
-
Ethics
Minutes
-
Judiciary Finance
Body: House
District: 08A
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/4/1999
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: History and Social Studies Teacher, Duluth Central High School
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Capital Investment
-
Ethics (Chair)
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Civil and Family Law Division
-
Judiciary: Judiciary Finance Division (Chair)
-
Labor-Management Relations
Body: House
District: 08A
Elected: 11/8/1994
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/3/1995 to 1/6/1997
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: History and Social Studies Teacher, Duluth Central High School
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary Finance (Chair)
-
Labor-Management Relations
Body: House
District: 08A
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/2/1995
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: History and Social Studies Teacher, Duluth Central High School
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Commerce and Economic Development
-
Commerce and Economic Development: Economic Equality
-
Education
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Civil Law
- Ex Officio Member
-
Judiciary: Criminal Justice and Family Law
- Ex Officio Member
-
Judiciary: Judiciary Finance Division (Chair)
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Ways and Means
Session Notes:
Her margin of victory over Jan Grannes was only 161 votes so an automatic recount was triggered. After the recount she was declared the winner by 153 votes.
Body: House
District: 08A
Elected: 11/6/1990
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 1/4/1993
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: History and Social Studies Teacher, Duluth Central High School
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Appropriations: Human Resources Division
-
Economic Development
-
Economic Development: Review of Economic Development Strategies
-
Energy (Chair)
-
Labor-Management Relations
Body: House
District: 08A
Elected: 11/8/1988
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/3/1989 to 1/7/1991
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: History and Social Studies Teacher, Duluth Central High School
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Appropriations: Health and Human Services Division
-
Commerce
-
Commerce: Tourism
-
Economic Development
-
Economic Development: Rural Resource Development Division (Chair)
Body: House
District: 08A
Elected: 11/4/1986
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/2/1989
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: History and Social Studies Teacher, Duluth Central High School
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Appropriations: Health and Human Services Division
-
Commerce
-
Commerce: Tourism
-
Economic Development and Housing
-
Economic Development and Housing: Housing and Community Development
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Labor-Management Relations: Unemployment Insurance and Workers Compensation Division (Chair)
Body: House
District: 08A
Elected: 11/6/1984
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/8/1985 to 1/5/1987
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: History and Social Studies Teacher, Duluth Central High School
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Appropriations: Human Services Division
-
Commerce and Economic Development
-
Commerce and Economic Development: Liquor
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Labor-Management Relations: Video Display Terminal
Body: House
District: 08A
Elected: 11/2/1982
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/7/1985
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: History and Social Studies Teacher, Duluth Central High School
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Appropriations: Health, Welfare, and Corrections Division
-
Commerce and Economic Development
-
Commerce and Economic Development: Commerce and Job Creation (Chair)
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Labor-Management Relations: General Labor Legislation
Body: House
District: 14B
Elected: 11/4/1980
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/6/1981 to 1/3/1983
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: History and Social Studies Teacher, Duluth Central High School
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Commerce and Economic Development
-
Commerce and Economic Development: Consumer Affairs and Tourism
-
Commerce and Economic Development: Liquor
-
Governmental Operations
-
Governmental Operations: Administration
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Labor-Management Relations: Negotiations and General Labor Legislation (Chair)
Body: House
District: 14B
Elected: 11/7/1978
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/3/1979 to 1/5/1981
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: History and Social Studies Teacher, Duluth Central High School
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Commerce, Economic Development and Housing
-
Commerce, Economic Development and Housing: Business and Job Development
-
Judiciary
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Labor-Management Relations: Negotiation, General Labor and Legislation (Chair)
-
Local and Urban Affairs
-
Local and Urban Affairs: Governmental Administration and Structures
Body: House
District: 14B
Elected: 11/2/1976
Residence: Hermantown
Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/2/1979
Counties Represented:
Carlton, St. Louis
Occupation: American History and Social Studies Teacher, Duluth Central High School
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Commerce and Economic Development
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Local and Urban Affairs