# Robert Bierman (politician) *American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2019* Robert Bierman (born September 29, 1960) is a [[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party]] (DFL) member of the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]] and has held his seat since 2019.[^1] His district, 56A, lies in the southern Twin Cities metropolitan area and takes in the city of [[Apple Valley]] and portions of Dakota County.[^1] He was first elected in 2018 and has won reelection at each two-year election since. He is vice chair of the House Health Finance and Policy Committee.[^1] ## Early life, education, and career Bierman was raised in a family with 11 siblings. He holds a bachelor's degree in history from the [[University of Minnesota]].[^1] He owns Bierman's Home Furnishings in Northfield, Minnesota, a business his family founded more than a century ago. He has also been president of both the local Chamber of Commerce and the local Rotary Club.[^1] ## Minnesota House of Representatives The 2018 vacancy arose when [[Erin Maye Quade]], a DFL incumbent who had served one term, announced that she would not seek reelection. She was instead running for [[Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota]] on a ticket with gubernatorial candidate [[Erin Murphy (Minnesota politician)]]. Bierman won the DFL endorsement and then a primary contested by five candidates.[^1] His term began two days before he took the oath of office on January 10, 2019, because he was in the hospital with an infection.[^1] His election results were challenged in 2020. The judge dismissed the case on two grounds: failure to state a claim and lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.[^1] The pack does not include the case caption, the docket or the court. In addition to his vice-chair post on Health Finance and Policy, Bierman is a member of the Ethics Committee and of the Climate and Energy Finance and Policy and Commerce Finance and Policy committees. During 2021–2022 he was vice chair of the Health Finance and Policy Committee's Preventative Health Policy Division.[^1] Bierman has addressed the opioid epidemic publicly. One bill he carried would require the state health commissioner's approval before any merger of the Fairview and Sanford health systems could proceed. He cited possible effects on the cost of health care and on access to it.[^1] His other bills include one to fund electric vehicle charging stations in state parks, paid for from fees that [[Xcel Energy]] pays the state for storing nuclear energy waste. He also authored a bill on preparing homes for weatherization.[^1] ## Personal life Bierman and his wife, Ellen, live in Apple Valley, Minnesota. He has two children.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Robert Bierman (politician)* (revision 1365766459, retrieved 2026-10-26) — Bierman's birth date, party, district, education, business, 2018 election, swearing-in, 2020 election challenge, committee posts, legislation and residence. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bierman_(politician)>