Rick Hansen is a Democratic-Farmer-Labor member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 53B in the southern Twin Cities metro area, including parts of Dakota and Washington counties. Born on March 1, 1963, in Albert Lea, Minnesota, he was raised on a family farm in rural Freeborn County and currently resides in South St. Paul with his wife, Suzanne Savanick Hansen, and their son, Evan. First elected in 2004, he has served multiple terms, including District 39A , District 52A , and District 53B . Notable achievements include his leadership at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture , where he advanced pesticide certification and recycling programs nationally, and his prior service as Chair of the Dakota County Soil & Water Conservation District. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee, Chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee, and holds positions on the Capital Investment and Ways and Means Committees; he is also Co-Chair of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources and Vice Chair of the Legislative Audit Commission.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Graduated from Freeborn High School ; B.S. in Biology, magna cum laude, Upper Iowa University ; M.S. in Soil Management, Iowa State University .
• Professional Experience: Worked at MDA starting in 1988 on pesticide surveys, recycling pilots, and as Supervisor of the pesticide applicator certification program; recognized as a national leader in pesticide certification.
• Political Experience: Elected to Dakota County Soil & Water Conservation District Board , serving as Chair; Minnesota House since 2004 .