Senator Ellen Anderson was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1992 and re-elected in 1996, 2000, 2002 and 2006 as a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

She represents District 66, which includes the St. Paul neighborhoods of St. Anthony Park, Midway, Como, North End, part of the East Side, and the city of Falcon Heights including the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus.

Senator Anderson chairs the Senate Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Budget Division, and is a member of the following Senate committees: Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communications; Environment and Natural Resources; Finance; and the E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division.

Senator Anderson has been a leader in the areas of sustainable energy policy, clean water, affordable housing, family friendly workplace policies, and inner city revitalization. Among her major legislative accomplishments:

• Chief Senate Author of Minnesota’s Minimum Wage increase law in 2005. 
• Chief Senate Author of the landmark 2007 Renewable Energy Standard (RES); the new law is said to be the strongest in the nation.
• Chief Senate author of 2009 law to allocate federal “stimulus” funds for energy.
• Key Senate leader in allocating “legacy” funds from constitutional amendment passed in 2008 for clean water, parks & trails, and outdoor habitat.
• Passed first law in the nation providing for right to break time and place for nursing mothers to express breast milk.
• Author of 2004 equity stripping consumer protection law.
• Negotiated for extended unemployment benefits for thousands of Minnesotans laid off during 2001-2002 recession.
• Legislative leader for civil and human rights and affordable housing.
• Secured funding for Como Park, including the Conservatory, new visitor center, and the Como Zoo Polar Bear project.

In 2008-09 she served as co-chair of Minnesota’s Green Jobs Task Force. She also serves on the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR); the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC); the Legislative Energy Commission; the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans; the Environment Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), and the Energy Committee of the Council of State Governments’ Midwestern Legislative Conference. In 2009 she was a founding member of CLEAN (Coalition of Legislators for Energy Action Now), a national group of state legislators working closely with the White House to pass federal clean energy jobs legislation.

She holds a B.A. from Carleton College (1982) and a J.D., cum laude, from the University of Minnesota Law School (1986). In 2009 she taught at the University of Minnesota.

In her legal practice she has been a staff attorney for the Minnesota Education Association, a trial attorney for the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office, a law clerk for Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Crippen, and a clerk for Legal Services and Proyecto Libertad in Harlingen, Texas.

Her other professional experience includes Research Director for U.S. Senator Wellstone’s 1990 Senate campaign, and she previously was a Community Faculty member at Metropolitan State University.

Senator Anderson’s current community involvement includes Chair of the Advisory Council–PEOPLE, Inc.; Community Advisory Board for the National Children’s Study, a collaborative effort led by the US Dept of Health & Human Services and the EPA; and Member–Hampden Park Foods and Mississippi Market Co-op. She has also served as a Board Member of Lifetrack Resources and of Como Lake Strategic Management, and as a Member of the Center for Violence Prevention and Control Advisory Board at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

She was selected the U.S. Democratic delegate to the American Council of Young Political Leaders/East-West Center’s 1994 New Generation Seminar and a Center for Policy Alternatives 1995 Flemming Fellow.

Senator Anderson has received many awards:

• Legislative Award, MN Recreation & Park Association, 2010
• Community Advocacy Award, Family & Children’s Service, 2009
• Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy Outfitters Award for funding Critical Environment Initiatives 2008
• Conservation Minnesota — 100% Minnesotan Perfect Score 2007 & 2008
• Neighborhood Development Center 2008 Appreciation Award
• DFL Feminist Caucus and Democratic Women Leadership Coalition Vision Award 2007
• Smoke-Free Ramsey Association for Nonsmokers–Minnesota and the Hmong Community for her support of the Freedom to Breathe Act 2007
• The Nature Conservancy Government Relations Award 2007
• United Steelworkers Outstanding Legislator Award in 2007
• Friends of the Parks and Trails of St. Paul and Ramsey County Public Service Award 2007
• Arts All Star Award — Arts Advocate 2007 — Minnesota Citizens for the Arts
• Minnesota Farmers Union 2005-2006 Farm and Rural Legislative Award
• Minnesota Alliance for Progressive Action 2005 Elected Official of the Year
• 2005 St. Paul Youth Services High Hopes award
• Minnesota AIDS Project 2004 Hanson-Hemmingson Award
• Outfront MN 2004 Honored Ally award
• Minnesota Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice 2003 Faith and Freedom Award
• Minnesota Farmer’s Union Silver Triangle Award
• Minnesota League of Conservation Voters 2003 Environmental Leadership Award
• WiLL/WAND Pacesetter Award in 2003
• Minnesota Workforce Council Association Legislator of the Year Award in 2001
• Minnesota Nurses Association Public Action Award in 2001
• St. Paul Business and Professional Women’s Legislator of the Year Award in 1995
• Sierra Club North Star (Minnesota) Chapter 1994 Public Sector Environmentalist of the Year Award
• Minnesota Housing Partnership’s 1994 Builder of Housing Justice Award

Senator Anderson is married and has two young children.

She enjoys reading, gardening, biking, travel, hiking, camping and exploring the great outdoors with her family.