Josh Heintzeman - Wikiwand

Joshua Heintzeman (/ˈhaɪntsmən/;^[1] born December 5, 1977) is a Minnesotan politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2015. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Heintzeman represents District 6B, which includes the city of Brainerd and parts of Crow Wing County in central Minnesota.^[2]^[3]

Quick Facts Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 6B district, Preceded by ...

Josh Heintzeman


Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 6B district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 6, 2015
Preceded by	John Ward

Personal details
Born	(1977-12-05) December 5, 1977 (age 47) Bloomington, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Keri
Children	6
Residence(s)	Nisswa, Minnesota, U.S.
Education	Central Lakes College (AA)
Occupation	Small business owner Legislator
Website	Government website Campaign website

Early life, education, and career

Heintzeman was born in Bloomington, Minnesota, and his family moved to Motley, Minnesota, when he was an infant. He graduated from Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Minnesota, graduating with an associate degree in business.^[2]

Heintzeman served as the Thirty Lakes Watershed District Manager and is a member of the Brainerd Chamber of Commerce. He also chaired the Crow Wing County Human Rights Commission and the Crow Wing County Republicans.^[4] He runs a family-owned custom wood interiors business.^[2]^[5]

Minnesota House of Representatives

Summarize

Perspective

Heintzeman was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2014, and has been reelected every two years since. He defeated four-term DFL incumbent John Ward.^[2]

Heintzeman serves as the minority lead for the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee and sits on the Legacy Finance and Ways and Means Committees. From 2019 to 2020, he served as an assistant minority leader, and has served on the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources.^[2]^[6]^[7]

Environment and natural resources

As co-chair of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, Heintzeman advocated using lottery money proceeds for local public works projects such as wastewater treatment plants, and supported using funding to build a National Loon Center in Crosslake, Minnesota.^[7]^[8] He authored legislation to fund a field test to detect chronic wasting disease in live deer, and has supported a government buyout of deer farms in the state.^[9]^[10]

Heintzeman offered an amendment to a 2020 bonding bill that would block efforts to challenge the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline project.^[11] He has been critical of Governor Tim Walz's efforts to use rule-making to adopt stricter car emission standards.^[12]^[13] Heintzeman has opposed state efforts to regulate PFAS chemicals, arguing action should be addressed at the federal level.^[14]^[15]

Other political positions

Heintzeman said he believes private businesses should have the right to refuse services to same-sex couples, citing religious objections as a reason to deny service.^[16]^[17] He has voiced concerns over legalizing sports betting in Minnesota due to gambling addiction.^[18]

Heintzeman authored legislation to exempt military pensions from state income taxes.^[19] He has been critical of the Affordable Care Act.^[20] Heintzeman signed on to a letter calling on the University of Minnesota to stop participating in research on "aborted human fetal organs".^[21] In 2020, he was targeted by activist Ben Dorr, who posted a video clip confronting Heintzeman with his six-year-old son for allegedly "voting to kill babies".^[22]