Patricia Kathryn "Pat" Piper (July 16, 1934 – January 31, 2016) was a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate and the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), she represented District 27 in the Senate and 31B in the House, which includes portions of Freeborn and Mower counties in southern Minnesota. She was a religious education director, ecumenical resource center/consultant/teacher and workshop leader.[1]
For the 74th Legislative Session, Piper was a part of:
Governmental Operations Committee
Governmental Operations Subcommittee: Property Tax Study Commission
Health and Human Services Committee
Health and Human Services Subcommittee: Health Care
Local and Urban Affairs Committee
Local and Urban Affairs Subcommittee: Local Government Affairs
For the 73rd Legislative Session, Piper was a part of:
Energy Committee
Energy Subcommittee: Energy and Society
General Legislation and Veterans Affairs Committee
General Legislation and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee: Gaming Division
Regulated Industries Committee
Regulated Industries Subcommittee: Beverage
Tenure
Piper represented District 31A in the Minnesota House of Representatives from January 4, 1983, to January 6, 1987 (73rd and 74th Legislative Sessions).
Minnesota Senate
Elections
Piper was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1986, and reelected in 1990, 1992 and 1996. She lost reelection in 2000 to Grace Schwab.
Finance Subcommittee: Health and Human Services Division
Health and Human Services Committee
Health and Human Services Subcommittee: Social Services and Government Administration (Chair)
Health and Human Services Subcommittee: Welfare Reform Division
Public Utilities and Energy Committee
Public Utilities and Energy Subcommittee: Alternative Energy
Tenure
Piper was sworn in on January 6, 1987, serving in the 75th, 76th, 77th, 78th 79th, 80th, and 81st Legislative Sessions. She championed issues such as family support, children, health, human services, and education. She was part of the "Gang of Seven" (with Linda Berglin, Paul Ogren, Duane Benson, Dave Gruenes, Brad Stanius, and Lee Greenfield) that worked to pass bipartisan Minnesota Care.[10] She also pushed legislation to help the Exol Ethanol plant in Glenville, Minnesota.[11] Piper convinced a Senate committee to join her in singing the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" song when children visited the state Capitol to testify about welfare issues.[2] She authored legislation that would require insurance companies to pay for bone marrow transplants as an experimental procedure for women with breast cancer.[12]
Post-legislative career
Piper suggested that she'd apply for the position of chaplain of the Senate, where she could give her numerous original prayers an appropriate audience. Piper also suggested she would be the appropriate candidate to become the director of a child-care center in the state Capitol.[2] Piper stayed involved in the Austin Community, running the Senate Campaign for KAAL TV 6 Anchor Terry Kelley and attending public events. She also became a board member for Minnesota Partnership for Action Against Tobacco.
