Olson, Gen
Senate 1983-92 (District 43); Senate 1993-2002 (District 34); Senate 2003-2012 (District 33)
Party when first elected: Independent Republican
Counties Served:
Hennepin, Wright
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
5/20/1938
Birth Place:
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Birth County:
Ramsey
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
Gender:
Female
Religion:
Lutheran
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected):
Mound
Occupation (when first elected):
Director, Secondary Vocational Education Education, Anoka-Hennepin Independent School District/Former High School Teacher
EDUCATION
Minnehaha Academy High School; Secondary;
Wheaton College; Attended College;
University of Minnesota; B.S.Ed.; Home Economics, With Distinction, 1959
University of Minnesota; Ed.D.; Education
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
State Agency:
Minnesota Department of Education (Consultant);
19?? to 19??
Municipal Board/Commission:
Minnetrista, Minnesota (Police Commission);
19?? to 19??
Municipal Board/Commission:
Minnetrista, Minnesota (Park and Recreation Commission);
19?? to 19??
[Appointed]
Municipal Board/Commission:
Minnetrista, Minnesota (Planning and Zoning Commission);
19?? to 19??
[Appointed]
Municipal Council/Aldermen:
Minnetrista, Minnesota (City Council);
1979 to 1980
[Elected]
Municipal Mayor:
Minnetrista, Minnesota (City Mayor);
1981 to 1982
[Elected]
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Statehood Sesquicentennial Commission;
2006 to 12/31/2008
[Appointed]
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Single
Children:
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
Special Legislative Concerns: education, property tax reform, cost of government, environmental issues, tax policy, agriculture, environment and natural resources, economic development, local government.
She ran for the Independent Republican endorsement for the United States Senate in the 1994 election. She lost the nomination to Rod Grams at the state party convention.
She was the Republican endorsed candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota with Norm Coleman as Governor in 1998. They lost to Jesse Ventura.
She was a member of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Deephaven, Minnesota.
Religion provided by a newspaper article.
Body: Senate
District: 33
Elected: 11/2/2010
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/4/2011 to 1/7/2013
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Education (Chair)
-
Finance
-
State Government Innovation and Veterans
Leadership Position:
President Pro Tempore
Body: Senate
District: 33
Elected: 11/7/2006
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/3/2011
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator
Party:
Republican
Special Session Bills Authored: 2010 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
-
Education
-
Education: Charter Schools
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Finance
-
Finance: E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division
-
Finance: E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division: Arts Education
-
Finance: Transportation Budget and Policy Division
-
Finance: Transportation Budget and Policy Division: Transit Subdivision
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Committees
-
Transportation
Body: Senate
District: 33
Elected: 11/7/2006
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/3/2011
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Finance
[She was a member in 2008 only.]
-
Finance: E-12 Education Budget Division
-
Finance: Transportation Budget and Policy Division
-
Finance: Transportation Budget and Policy Division: Transit Subdivision
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Committees
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Transit Subdivision
Body: Senate
District: 33
Elected: 11/5/2002
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
-
Finance
-
Finance: K-12 Education Budget Division
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Personnel
Body: Senate
District: 33
Elected: 11/5/2002
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator
Party:
Republican
Special Session Bills Authored: 2003 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
-
Education
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
-
Finance: Early Childhood-Grade 12 Education Budget Division-2003/K-12 Education Budget Division-2004
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Personnel
Leadership Position:
Assistant Minority Leader
Body: Senate
District: 34
Elected: 11/7/2000
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003
Counties Represented:
Hennepin, Wright
Occupation: Legislator
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Crime Prevention
-
Education
-
Education: Assessment and Testing
-
Education: Early Childhood-Grade 12 Education Budget Division
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Personnel
-
Rules and Administration: Senate Budget
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Property Tax Budget Division
Leadership Position:
Assistant Minority Leader
Body: Senate
District: 34
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented:
Hennepin, Wright
Occupation: Legislator
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Children, Families and Learning
-
Children, Families and Learning/Education Finance: K-12 Education Budget Division
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Local and Metropolitan Government
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Personnel
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Income and Sales Tax
-
Taxes/Local and Metropolitan Government: Property Taxes and Local Government Budget Division
Leadership Position:
Assistant Minority Leader
Body: Senate
District: 34
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented:
Hennepin, Wright
Occupation: Legislator
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Agriculture and Rural Development: Joint House/Senate Special Select Subcommittee on Agricultural Education
- Ex Officio Member
-
Children, Families and Learning
-
Children, Families and Learning/Education Finance: K-12 Education Budget Division
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Local and Metropolitan Government
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Personnel
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Income and Sales Tax
-
Taxes/Local and Metropolitan Government: Property Taxes and Local Government Budget Division
Leadership Position:
Assistant Minority Leader
Body: Senate
District: 34
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/6/1997
Counties Represented:
Hennepin, Wright
Occupation: Legislator
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Education: Education Funding Division
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Personnel
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Taxes and Tax Laws: Income and Sales Tax
-
Taxes and Tax Laws: Property Tax
Leadership Position:
Assistant Minority Leader
Body: Senate
District: 34
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/6/1997
Counties Represented:
Hennepin, Wright
Occupation: Legislator
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Education: Education Funding Division
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Personnel
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Taxes and Tax Laws: Property Tax
-
Transportation and Public Transit
Leadership Position:
Assistant Minority Leader
Body: Senate
District: 43
Elected: 11/6/1990
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 1/4/1993
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Education: Early Childhood/Special Populations
-
Education: Education Funding Division
-
Education: Governance and Structures
-
Energy and Public Utilities
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Taxes and Tax Laws: Property Taxes and Local Government Aids Division
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Public Transportation
-
Transportation: Transportation Safety
Body: Senate
District: 43
Elected: 11/4/1986
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/7/1991
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Legislator
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Education: Education Funding Division
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
-
Local and Urban Government
-
Local and Urban Government: Metropolitan Government
-
Public Utilities and Energy
-
Public Utilities and Energy: Energy
-
Transportation: Safety
Leadership Position:
Assistant Minority Leader
Body: Senate
District: 43
Elected: 11/4/1986
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/7/1991
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Vocational Education Administrator
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Education: Education Aids Division
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
-
Local and Urban Government
-
Local and Urban Government: Metropolitan Government
-
Public Utilities and Energy
-
Public Utilities and Energy: Alternative Energy
Body: Senate
District: 43
Elected: 11/2/1982
Residence: Minnetrista
Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/5/1987
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Vocational Education Administration
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Education: Education Aids
-
Education: Joint Senate/House Subcommittee on Libraries
-
Education: Post-Secondary and Higher Education
-
Energy and Housing
-
Energy and Housing: Energy
-
Energy and Housing: Research and Alternative Financing
-
Local and Urban Government
-
Local and Urban Government: Land Use, Planning and Zoning
-
Local and Urban Government: Urban Government
Body: Senate
District: 43
Elected: 11/2/1982
Residence: Mound
Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/5/1987
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Director, Secondary Vocational Education Education, Anoka-Hennepin Independent School District/Former High School Teacher
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Education: Joint House/Senate Subcommittee on Libraries
-
Education: Post-Secondary and Higher Education
-
Energy and Housing
-
Energy and Housing: Energy
-
Energy and Housing: Research and Alternative Financing
-
Local and Urban Government
-
Local and Urban Government: Urban Government
Senate Photos
The photos in this collection were scanned from the files of the Minnesota Senate Photographer
with the generous help of the Minnesota
Digital Library.
District Files
District File - 2000 District 34
District File - 2002 District 34
District File - 2001 District 34
District File - 2003 District 33
District File - 2004 District 33
District File - 2005 District 33
District File - 2006 District 33
District File - 2007 District 33
District File - 2008 District 33
District File - 2009 District 33
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.
The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.