Less than three weeks before the start of the 2013 legislative session, one House member announced he will not be part of the proceedings.
Rep. Terry Morrow (DFL-St. Peter) has been named the legislative director of the Uniform Law Commission, which is based in Chicago.
According to its website, the commission “provides states with non-partisan, well conceived, and well drafted legislation that brings clarity and stability to critical areas of state statutory law.”
First elected in 2006, Morrow, an associate communication studies professor and pre-law advisor at Gustavus Adolphus College, served on three policy and finance committees in 2011-2012: agriculture and rural development, higher education and transportation.
“My family and I have not made this decision lightly. We balanced as best we could meeting the ULC’s timeline with minimizing the impact upon students and colleagues at Gustavus Adolphus College, District 19A’s residents, the House DFL Caucus, our friends, and ourselves,” Morrow said in a statement. “We weighed many factors, including moving to a new state, changing high schools, and preparing the Gustavus fall 2013 course schedule. Departing a community and college and friends with whom we have shared our lives for almost 20 years led us to reflect carefully on this choice. Living here, raising our children here, working here has been a blessed experience for Martha and me.”
Among his accomplishments, Morrow listed knowing that Highway 14 is and will be safer, homeless veteran housing and continually supporting students and schools.
Rep. Paul Thissen (DFL-Mpls), the House speaker-designate, issued the following statement: “Terry Morrow came to the state legislature and never stopped thinking — or moving — as he worked to better our state and the community he represented so well. We will miss his vigorous work ethic and earnest focus on a range of issues from transportation to higher education to improve the lives of Minnesotans.”
No timeline has been established to fill the seat. Morrow ran unopposed in the November election.
“District 19A has so many gifted and dedicated people that I leave knowing that constituents will be well represented for years to come,” Morrow said. “Representing this area for six years has been a wonderful, rewarding experience; it’s an honor that I will always treasure.”
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