Jon Koznick Explained

Jon Koznick
State House:Minnesota
District:57A
Constituency:57A (2023-present)
58A (2015-2022)
Term Start:January 6, 2015
Predecessor:Mary Liz Holberg
Birth Date:4 July 1972
Birth Place:Colombia
Party:Republican
Spouse:Patty
Children:2
Residence:Lakeville, Minnesota
Education:St. Cloud State University (B.S.)

Jon Koznick (;[1] born July 4, 1972) is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2015. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Koznick represents District 57A in the southern Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the city of Lakeville and parts of Dakota and Scott Counties.[2]

Early life, education, and career

Koznick was born in Colombia. After the death of his mother, he was placed in an orphanage at age five. He was adopted soon after and was brought to the United States.

Koznick attended St. Cloud State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in marketing. He moved to Lakeville, Minnesota in 2001.[3]

Minnesota House of Representatives

Koznick was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2014 and has been reelected every two years since. He first ran after eight-term Republican incumbent Mary Liz Holberg announced she would not seek reelection. When elected, he was one of the first two Latino Republicans to serve in the Minnesota Legislature along with Eric Lucero.[4] During the 2016 Republican Presidential Primary, Koznick joined two dozen state lawmakers in endorsing Florida Senator Marco Rubio.[5] He supported Tim Pawlenty during his 2018 Republican gubernatorial primary campaign.[6]

Koznick serves as the minority lead on the Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee and sits on the State and Local Government Finance and Policy and Taxes Committees. From 2019 to 2020 he served as an assistant minority leader for the House Republican Caucus.[7]

Transportation

Koznick has opposed legislation to raise the state's gas tax.[8] He sponsored legislation that would disband the Counties Transit Improvement Board, a public body that pools resources to pay for transit lines, a proposal opposed by Governor Mark Dayton.[9] Koznick authored a bill that would close the Northstar Commuter Rail line, which runs from Big Lake to Minneapolis, citing low ridership numbers.[10] [11] [12] He opposed funding for predevelopment of a land bridge over the I-94 highway in Saint Paul.[13]

Koznick signed on to a letter calling for reforms to the Metropolitan Council, a regional planning agency, and criticizing their handling of the Southwest light rail project.[14] He served on a committee on the Metropolitan Council's Structure and Service, and called for more accountability for the council.[15] He briefly served as chair of the Legislative Commission on Metropolitan Government, and later resigned after a procedural fight between DFL and Republican members of the commission.[16]

Koznick opposed reducing penalties for fare evasions in the Metro Transit system, and authored a bill to establish a rider code of conduct and increase police presence on transit.[17] [18] [19] He also worked on bipartisan legislation to create transit ambassadors, and favored increased monitoring of trains and stations.[20] [21] [22]

Other political positions

Koznick has co-sponsored legislation to toughen enforcement of existing gun laws.[23] He coauthored legislation attempting to recruit more teachers of color into Minnesota schools, as well as a bill that would propose a constitutional amendment to establish a fundamental right to quality public education in the state.[24] [25] Koznick opposed the creation of a fifth-income tier on the highest earners in Minnesota, saying it would lead to businesses leaving the state.[26]

In 2020 while serving as an assistant majority leader, Koznick accidentally sent an email to all representatives, instead of only Republican members, telling his colleagues to "“Stay on message if you speak today, COVID issues are not our winning message. PUBLIC SAFETY is our ticket to the majority, let’s win with that”.[27] [28]

Koznick supported Governor Tim Walz's proposal to increase small business assistance, but opposed the governor's calls for statewide paid leave.[29] He has supported increasing funding to the International Institute of Minnesota, a nonprofit that provides job training and English classes to new immigrants and refugees.[30] He sponsored legislation that would pay to improve the Lakeville Airlake Industrial Park to allow them to store unused rail cars.[31]

Liquor laws

Koznick has supported so-called "growler laws" which would allow breweries to sell cans and to-go growlers from brewery taprooms and restaurants.[32] He has also authored legislation to allow convenience stores to sell full-strength beer, instead of the 3.2 percent limit in current state law.[33] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Koznick sponsored legislation to allow restaurants to sell beer and wine with take-out orders, but opposed extending the provision to cover cocktails and spirits.[34] [35]

Personal life

Koznick is married to his wife, Patty. They have two children and reside in Lakeville, Minnesota.

External links

Notes and References

  1. January 19, 2024. Informational interview with Rep. Jon Koznick (R-Lakeville).. MNHouseInfo. YouTube. August 20, 2024 . 9:15.
  2. Web site: Rep. Jon Koznick (57A) - Minnesota House of Representatives . 2023-04-19 . www.house.mn.gov.
  3. Web site: Koznick, Jon . Minnesota Legislative Reference Library . Legislators Past & Present . September 20, 2015.
  4. Web site: Pugmire . Tim . October 27, 2015 . As MN diversity grows, Legislature stays mostly white . 2023-04-20 . MPR News . en.
  5. Web site: Bakst . Brian . February 25, 2016 . Rubio nets backing from two dozen state legislators . 2023-04-20 . MPR News . en.
  6. Web site: Brucato . Cyndy . 2018-06-03 . Johnson wins GOP endorsement, setting up primary against Pawlenty . 2023-04-20 . MinnPost . en-US.
  7. Web site: Keen . Judy . December 1, 2018 . Minnesota House Republican leaders prepare for minority role . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  8. Web site: Coolican . J. Patrick . April 29, 2019 . House passes gas tax that Senate GOP vows 'we're not going to do' . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  9. Web site: Moore . Janet . May 5, 2017 . Twin Cities transit board under fire by Minnesota lawmakers . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  10. Web site: Moore . Janet . March 26, 2021 . Talks surface again about shuttering Minnesota's Northstar rail line . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  11. Web site: Moore . Janet . October 31, 2021 . Northstar rail runs into trouble in Anoka County . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  12. Web site: Marohn . Kristi . April 7, 2021 . Plunge in riders sparks debate over Northstar's future . 2023-04-20 . MPR News . en.
  13. Web site: Galioto . Katie . April 13, 2022 . Rondo advocates push back against GOP efforts to halt state funding for I-94 land bridge . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  14. Web site: Runbeck . Linda . Peppin . Joyce . November 29, 2017 . OPINION EXCHANGE The Met Council: Why this unelected governing body needs reforms . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  15. Web site: Jackson . Zoë . August 31, 2020 . Walz establishes Met Council oversight committee . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  16. Web site: Callaghan . Peter . 2020-02-06 . The 2020 session of the Minnesota Legislature begins next week. The bickering has already started. . 2023-04-20 . MinnPost . en-US.
  17. Web site: Moore . Janet . February 3, 2020 . Minnesota legislators propose changing fare evasion fines on transit . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  18. Web site: Montemayor . Stephen . February 17, 2020 . Minnesota GOP lawmakers take aim at Twin Cities crime . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  19. Web site: Moore . Janet . February 29, 2020 . Light-rail stations could benefit from proposed safety measures at Minnesota State Capitol . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  20. Web site: Moore . Janet . July 18, 2020 . Metro Transit ambassadors, other safety measures languish at Capitol . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  21. Web site: Moore . Janet . March 16, 2021 . Bills would put safety officers on buses and LRT, lower fare evasion fines . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  22. Web site: Callaghan . Peter . 2020-07-07 . How an effort to address Metro Transit safety got left behind at the Minnesota Legislature . 2023-04-20 . MinnPost . en-US.
  23. Web site: Montemayor . Stephen . November 16, 2019 . Will gun policy swing Minnesota's 2020 elections? . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  24. Web site: Shockman . Elizabeth . February 12, 2019 . Bill aims to get more teachers of color in Minnesota classrooms . 2023-04-20 . MPR News . en.
  25. Web site: Eischens . Rilyn . February 15, 2021 . Bipartisan group of lawmakers introduces education amendment proposal . 2023-04-20 . Minnesota Reformer . en-US.
  26. Web site: Griffith . Michelle . April 11, 2023 . DFL lawmakers propose additional income tax tier targeting wealthy Minnesotans . 2023-04-20 . Minnesota Reformer . en-US.
  27. Web site: Montgomery . David . September 11, 2020 . Errant email tips off GOP messaging strategy . 2023-04-20 . MPR News . en.
  28. Web site: Lopez . Ricardo . September 11, 2020 . Minnesota GOP lawmaker: 'COVID issues are not our winning message' . 2023-04-20 . Minnesota Reformer . en-US.
  29. Web site: Van Berkel . Jessie . January 19, 2023 . Minnesota leaders propose new spending to bolster workforce . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  30. Web site: Housley . Karin . Koznick . Jon . April 29, 2020 . OPINION EXCHANGE Funding the International Institute of Minnesota is critical to the workforce . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  31. Web site: Adler . Erin . February 7, 2023 . Empty rail cars stored on Lakeville tracks still causing concern — but a solution may be coming . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  32. Web site: Painter . Kristen Leigh . June 5, 2021 . Minnesota's largest craft brewers make a last-call pitch to lawmakers for growler sales . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  33. Web site: Bierschbach . Briana . 2018-05-04 . Is a behind-the-scenes debate at the Legislature foreshadowing more big changes to Minnesota’s liquor laws? . 2023-04-20 . MinnPost . en-US.
  34. Web site: Van Oot . Torey . Van Berkel . Jessie . April 16, 2020 . Cheers: Minnesota lawmakers strike deal on takeout beer-and-wine sales during coronavirus closures . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.
  35. Web site: Montemayor . Stephen . April 17, 2020 . Beer and wine sales with takeout orders can begin Saturday in Minnesota . 2023-04-20 . Star Tribune.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Jon Koznick".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.