Sen. Sandy Pappas plans to retire in 2026 after 42 years in the state Legislature, the St. Paul lawmaker announced on Thursday.

Pappas, a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party representing Senate District 65 in the heart of St. Paul, was first elected to the Minnesota House in 1984. She was elected to the Senate in 1990 and served as Senate President from 2013 to 2016.

Pappas is chair of the Senate Capital Investment Committee, which reviews borrowing and funding proposals for large public projects. The powerful committee is responsible for advancing bonding and other spending bills that fund billions of dollars in infrastructure projects.

Neighborhoods in her district include Midway, Frogtown, North End, West Seventh, Summit-University, downtown, as well as the West Side and part

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