Rep. Joyce Peppin to Leave Legislature
A local Republican House Leader says she won’t be back for another legislative session. Representative Joyce Peppin has announced she is resigning from the legislature. A Republican spokesperson says the resignation is effective July 2.
Peppin represents Rogers, Maple Grove and Dayton in the House. For the last four years, Peppin held the second most powerful House leadership position as majority leader. She is currently serving her seventh term in office.
Although Peppin filed for re-election last Tuesday on the first day possible, she said today it’s time to step back from public service and return to employment in the private sector.
In a news release, Peppin said, “Serving in the legislature was not meant to be a full-time career, but rather a temporary public service and I know there are many smart leaders with new ideas, goals and skills that will step forward to serve.”
Peppin has accepted a job as General Counsel for The Minnesota Rural Electric Association in Maple Grove.
Rep. Joyce Peppin’s tenure in office
During her tenure in office, Peppin points to securing emergency funding after the Rogers tornado, helping to pass legislation for the Maple Grove Hospital, and passing legislation for a new interchange on I-94 at Brockton Lane as some of her biggest accomplishments.
When we talked to her after the session ended, Peppin said the Brockton Lane interchange is long overdue.
“It’s the longest stretch of freeway in the metro area that doesn’t have a point to exit and enter for about six miles,” Peppin said. “For safety concerns and traffic congestion, it’s just needed. Growth in the area has been so strong that’s been needed for a long time. I’m just absolutely thrilled that we are able to pass it.”
Governor Mark Dayton signed the bonding bill Wednesday, which includes $13 million for the Brockton Lane interchange.
Peppin also points to an agreement to stabilize pension plans for public workers, including teachers. She was also part of a push to broaden Minnesota’s standard for sexual harassment, a measure that passed the House but stalled in the Senate. Peppin says the current standard is so strict, sexual harassment cases rarely move forward.
“One of the things I worked on personally was a change in the sexual harassment law. It passed in the House overwhelmingly 122 to 4,” Peppin said. “The Governor supported it so we got to get the Minnesota Senate on board and hopefully keep moving forward with that.”
The deadline for a candidate to file for Peppin’s seat is June 5.
