Rep. Rosenthal resigns from House of Representatives

Rep. Paul Rosenthal (DFL-Edina) has left the Minnesota House of Representatives.

In an Aug. 31 letter to Gov. Mark Dayton, legislative leaders and others, Rosenthal said his resignation is effective Sept. 5 at 11:59 p.m.

Rep. Paul Rosenthal

In June, the four-term House member announced he accepted a position as external affairs director for Western Governors University, an online school based in Salt Lake City.

Rosenthal, who has served on more than a half-dozen committees since he was first elected to the House in 2008, said in a statement that he’s made many great friends on both sides of the aisle while serving, but that higher education has been a passion he looks forward to pursuing.

“I have loved every minute of my time at the Legislature,” Rosenthal said. “Representing our growing and diversifying community in St. Paul has been an incredible honor. I’m humbled to have had this opportunity, working on behalf of the people who make Minnesota such an amazing place to live.”

Rosenthal cited a number of accomplishments that made him proud of his time in the House, including legislation to combat fraud against seniors and vulnerable adults, increasing penalties for hit and runs and securing funding to begin improving the congested Interstates 35W/494 interchange.

In the 2017-18 biennium, Rosenthal served on the House Commerce and Regulatory Reform Committee, the House Transportation Finance Committee and as the DFL-Lead on the House Veterans Affairs Division.