• Senate Majority Whip
• Vice Chair, Senate Higher Education Budget and Policy Committee
• Higher Education Budget Conference Committee
• Health and Human Services Budget Conference Committee
• Panel Member, University of Minnesota Board of Regents Review Panel
• Appointed to the Advisory Committee on Human Services Laws and Administrative Requirements
• Health Care Access Working Group Chair, "Bridging the Health Continuum"
• Chief Author of Minnesota's "Freedom to Breathe Act," to ban smoking in public workspace

Awards

• Politics in Minnesota's 2007 "Freshman Legislator of the Year" Award
• Allina Health Group's 2007 "Legislator of the Year" Award
• Minnesota Public Health Association's 2007 "B. Robert Lewis" Award
• Minnesota Academy of Family Physician's "Legislative Achievement" Award
• Minnesota Medical Association's "James H. Sova" Award
• Minnesota Nurses Association "Public Official of the year award" 2007
• The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association's 2007 "Legislative Champion" Award
• Minnesota Farmers Union 2007-2008 Farm and Rural legislative Award
• American Cancer Society's 2008 "Legislator of the Year" Award
• Minnesota State College Student Association's 2008 "Senator of the Year" Award
• National Alliance on Mental Illness – Minnesota 2009 "Legislator of the Year" Award
• Minnesota State College Student Association's 2009 "Senator of the Year" Award