MN SR113

Representative Richard Harrison Jefferson served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1987 to 1998, representing North and Downtown Minneapolis in District 57B (1987-1992) and District 58B (1993-1998).

Jefferson was the fourth Black Minnesotan to serve in the Minnesota House of Representatives and the only Black legislator representing a South Minneapolis district during his tenure until 2001.

Key legislation authored or sponsored by Jefferson included a 1993 residency requirement measure for Minneapolis public employees, a 1998 "no excuses" absentee voting bill, and the 1996 bill establishing Juneteenth as a state holiday, making Minnesota the fourth state to do so.

Jefferson served on committees including Government Operations and Pensions, Redistricting, Local Government, Health and Human Services, Financial Institutions and Housing, and Metropolitan Affairs, and was a key negotiator on the 1994 Target Center buyout and 1998 Convention Center expansion.

The Senate resolution honors Jefferson's life and service following his death on June 28, 2021, at age 90, and directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit an enrolled copy to his family.