[ST. PAUL, MN] – Today, Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Chief Justice Natalie Hudson announced the reappointment of Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and Kimberly Lowe, and the appointment of Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Peter Reyes, Jr. to the Commission on Uniform State Laws. The three appointees will serve terms beginning on June 1, 2025, and expiring on May 31, 2027.

About the Appointees:

Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman
Melissa Hortman is the speaker emerita and DFL caucus leader in the Minnesota House of Representatives and has represented a part of the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis since 2005. As a legislator, she has focused on energy, transportation, the environment, and civil law. Representative Hortman chaired the House Energy Committee from 2013-14 and chief authored legislation that created Minnesota’s solar energy standard. She holds a B.A. from Boston University, an M.P.A. from Harvard University, and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Kimberly Lowe
Kimberly Lowe is a founder of Avisen Legal, a Twin Cities business law firm. Avisen serves clients with their business and transactional legal needs nationally and internationally, in energy, manufacturing, agriculture and technology. Lowe serves clients in the nonprofit and for-profit sector. She has served in leadership roles in the Hennepin County Bar Association, Minnesota State Bar Association and American Bar Association. Lowe has served as a Uniform Law Commissioner since 2016 and sits on numerous ULC drafting, study, and leadership committees.

Peter Reyes, Jr.
Peter Reyes was appointed by Governor Mark Dayton to serve as a judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals in 2014. He previously worked as a partner at Barnes & Thornburg, as a senior Intellectual Property lawyer at Cargill, Inc., and an associate at Robins Kaplan. Reyes serves on the Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Rules of Criminal Procedure and is co-chair of the Court of Appeals’ Equal Justice Committee. His community involvement includes serving as president of the board for the Minnesota Historical Society, serving on numerous bar association boards, and as a frequent speaker on legal topics.

About the Commission on Uniform State Laws
The Commission on Uniform State Laws studies and provides recommendations and drafting services for uniform acts around the country. The commission consists of the Revisor of Statutes and three members appointed by the Governor, Chief Justice, and Attorney General. Commission members represent Minnesota at the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and other similar conventions.