Josh Heintzeman

Joshua Heintzeman (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.

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.

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. He runs a family-owned custom wood interiors business.

Minnesota House of Representatives
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.

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.

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. 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.

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

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. He has voiced concerns over legalizing sports betting in Minnesota due to gambling addiction.

Heintzeman authored legislation to exempt military pensions from state income taxes. He has been critical of the Affordable Care Act. Heintzeman signed on to a letter calling on the University of Minnesota to stop participating in research on "aborted human fetal organs". 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".

Personal life
Heintzeman married his wife, Keri, on June 26, 1999. They have six children and reside in Nisswa, Minnesota. Heintzeman and his wife homeschool their children.