St. Paul, MN - Governor-Elect Mark Dayton today announced the appointment of Peter Wattson, whose decades of government service include serving as Senate Counsel and Secretary of the Senate (Legislative), as his General Counsel.

I am delighted that Peter Wattson will be joining our office, Dayton said. His experience will serve our state well, as we address its significant fiscal challenges. Mr. Wattson has worked for the Senate Finance Committee since 1975 and has extensive experience drafting appropriations and bonding bills. A bonding bill in the coming session will be critical to getting Minnesota's economy going and creating jobs in the construction industry and building trades. He also brings four decades of experience in redistricting.

I am deeply honored to serve Governor Dayton and the people of Minnesota, said Wattson. The Governor is assembling a great team, and I am thrilled to be part of it. Our challenges are great, but not insurmountable. I am confident that, working together in a bipartisan fashion with the Legislature, we will deliver for the state and its people.

Peter Wattson previously served as Senate Counsel to the committees on Rules and Administration, Finance, and Capital Investment. Since January 2009, he has also served as Secretary of the Senate (Legislative). He began as counsel to the committees on Agriculture and Natural Resources and Environment in 1971, and began working for the Rules Committee in 1973. He has worked for the Senate Finance Committee since 1975, drafting appropriation bills and state general obligation bonding bills. In 1991-92, Mr. Wattson served as counsel to the Redistricting Committee. From 1993 to 2008, he served as counsel to the committee or subcommittee responsible for election law. In addition to appropriations, redistricting, and legislative immunity, he has lectured on legislative procedure, elections, campaign finance, and gifts to public officials.