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    Kunesh, Mary K.

    Official Senate Web Page Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 2017-2020 (District 41B); Senate 2021-2022 (District 41); Senate 2023-Present (District 39)

    Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

    Counties Served:  Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 11/20/1960
    Birth Place: St. Paul, Minnesota
    Birth County:
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Female
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: American Indian
    Other Names:
    Former Name: Kunesh-Podein
    City of Residence (when first elected): New Brighton
    Occupation (when first elected): Library Media Specialist

    EDUCATION

    St. Catherine's University, St. Paul; B.A.; Elementary Education, 1995
    St. Cloud State University; M.A.; Information Media, 2010

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Municipal Board/Commission: New Brighton (Parks, Recreation and Environment, Chair); 2010 to 02/2017

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Tim
    Children: Three children: Elianne, Louisa, Elie
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    Special legislative concerns: Education, civil justice, environment, American Indian issues.

    During her State Representative tenure her name was Mary Kunesh-Podein.

    She is the first indigenous woman to serve in the Minnesota Senate.

    She refers to herself as a person of Lakota heritage on her 2020 campaign website.

    Her "mother and grandfather [were] enrolled members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe." (Minnesota Lawyer, April 27, 2017)

    She was a founding member of the Native American and People of Color & Indigenous (POCI) caucuses.

    She has 12 siblings (she is nine of thirteen kids) in her family and has a twin.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 3016

    SESSIONS SERVED

    94th Legislative Session (2025-2026) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/14/2025
    Body: Senate
    District: 39
    Elected: 11/8/2022
    Residence: New Brighton
    Term of Office: 1/2/2023 to 1/3/2027
    Oath Date: 1/2/2023
    Counties Represented: Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey
    Occupation: Library media specialist/legislator
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development
    • Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development: Subcommittee on Veterans
    • Education Finance (Chair) [She was chair beginning 2/3/2025. She was co-chair from 1/14/2025 to 2/3/2025.]
    • Education Policy
    • Environment, Climate, and Legacy
    • Rules and Administration: Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct
    • Rules and Administration: Subcommittee on Joint and Permanent Rules
    term photo
    Click to view

    93rd Legislative Session (2023-2024)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/2023
    Body: Senate
    District: 39
    Elected: 11/8/2022
    Residence: New Brighton
    Term of Office: 1/2/2023 to 1/3/2027
    Oath Date: 1/3/2023
    Counties Represented: Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey
    Occupation: Library media specialist/legislator
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture, Broadband and Rural Development
    • Education Finance (Chair)
    • Education Policy
    • Environment, Climate, and Legacy
    • Rules and Administration: Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct
    Leadership Position: Assistant Majority Leader
    term photo
    Click to view

    92nd Legislative Session (2021-2022)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/2021
    Body: Senate
    District: 41
    Elected: 11/3/2020
    Residence: New Brighton
    Term of Office: 1/4/2021 to 1/1/2023
    Oath Date: 1/5/2021
    Counties Represented: Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey
    Occupation: Library media specialist/legislator
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Education Finance and Policy
    • Mining and Forestry Policy
    • Redistricting
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader
    term photo
    Click to view

    91st Legislative Session (2019-2020)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/2019
    Body: House
    District: 41B
    Elected: 11/6/2018
    Residence: New Brighton
    Term of Office: 1/7/2019 to 1/3/2021
    Oath Date: 1/8/2019
    Counties Represented: Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey
    Occupation: Educator
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:  2020 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2020 1st Sp.S. - Author
    2020 2nd Sp.S. - Chief Author    2020 2nd Sp.S. - Author
    2020 4th Sp.S. - Chief Author    2020 4th Sp.S. - Author
    2020 5th Sp.S. - Chief Author    2020 5th Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    • Education Policy Minutes
    • Ethics Minutes
    • Ways & Means: Education Finance Division Minutes
    • Ways & Means: Health and Human Services Finance Division Minutes
    Leadership Position: Assistant Majority Leader
    term photo
    Click to view

    90th Legislative Session (2017-2018)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/2017
    Body: House
    District: 41B
    Elected: 11/8/2016
    Residence: New Brighton
    Term of Office: 1/2/2017 to 1/6/2019
    Oath Date: 1/3/2017
    Counties Represented: Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey
    Occupation: Library Media Specialist
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

    News Sources

    The Library maintains newspaper clippings on individual legislators during their terms. Clippings are available from 1973 to the present in a variety of formats: 1973-1999, microfiche available at the Library; 2000-2009, scanned in yearly compilations and digitally available on the legislative network; 2009-present, archived in a searchable database maintained by the Library and available on the legislative network.

    Video

    Photographs

    Jason Rarick and Mary Kunesh on the Minnesota Senate floor, St. Paul, Minnesota 5/19/2022. Jason Rarick and Mary Kunesh discuss senate business during a floor session. Jason Rarick is a Republican from Pine City and Mary Kunesh is a Democrat from New Brighton. Photo credit: Catherine Davis, Senate Media Services.

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