Ron Latz


Ronald Steven Latz is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, he represents District 46, which includes portions of Hennepin County in the western Twin Cities metropolitan area. He is an attorney by profession.

Early life, education, and career

Latz attended Golden Valley High School in Golden Valley and Lindberg High School in Hopkins, graduating in 1981, then went on to the University of Wisconsin in Madison, receiving a B.A. with honors in political science in 1985. He then attended Harvard Law School, earning his J.D. in 1988. He was a Minnesota assistant attorney general for the Public Safety and Human Services Division under Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III from 1989 to 1995, then became a partner in the St. Louis Park law firm of Latz and Latz.
Latz has been active on various government and community councils and boards. He was a member of the St. Louis Park City Council from 1994 to 2003, also serving as Mayor Pro Tem from 1999 to 2003. He is a former member of the Minnesota Attorney General's task forces on Health Care and Privacy. He is also a former State Advocacy Chair of the American Cancer Society, a former member of the Anti-Defamation League's Civil Rights and Education committees, and a former member of the Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing.

Minnesota Legislature

Latz was first elected to the Senate in 2006, and was re-elected in 2010 and 2012.
Prior to being elected to the Senate, Latz was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 44B. He was first elected to the House in 2002, and re-elected in 2004. While in the House, he served on the Capital Investment, Civil Law, Education Policy and Reform, and Higher Education Finance committees. His father, Robert Latz, also served in the House, representing the old districts 35 and 39 from 1959 to 1967.
He served as a majority whip from 2007 to 2011. His special legislative concern is education.