71st Minnesota Legislature

The seventy-first Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 3, 1979. The 67 members of the Minnesota Senate were elected during the General Election of November 2, 1976, and the 134 members of the Minnesota House of Representatives were elected during the General Election of November 7, 1978.

Seventy-first Minnesota Legislature
←70th Minnesota Legislature 72nd Minnesota Legislature→
Overview
Legislative bodyMinnesota Legislature
JurisdictionMinnesota, United States
Meeting placeMinnesota State Capitol
TermJanuary 3, 1979 (1979-01-03) – January 6, 1981 (1981-01-06)
Websitewww.leg.state.mn.us
Minnesota State Senate
Members67 Senators
PresidentEdward J. Gearty
Majority LeaderNick Coleman
Minority LeaderRobert O. Ashbach
Party controlDemocratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Minnesota House of Representatives
Members134 Representatives
SpeakerRod Searle,
Fred C. Norton
Majority LeaderJerry Knickerbocker,
Irv Anderson
Minority LeaderRod Searle
Party controlDemocratic-Farmer-Labor Party

The seventy-first legislature is noteworthy for the partisan composition of the House of Representatives. Until Bob Pavlak was unseated for unfair campaign practices,[1] the House was equally divided between the DFL and the Independent-Republicans.[2] Due to the tie, the DFL and the Independent-Republicans were forced to forge a compromise by which the Independent-Republicans were to elect the Speaker from among their own ranks, while the DFL would be given the chairmanship of, and one-vote majorities on, the rules and tax committees. This agreement was superseded for the 1980 continuation of the regular session, by which time the DFL had gained a slim majority in the House.

Sessions

The legislature met in a regular session from January 3, 1979, to May 24, 1979. A special session was convened on May 24, 1979, to consider three bills regarding workers' compensation, energy, and transportation appropriations.[3]

A continuation of the regular session was held between January 22, 1980, and April 12, 1980. No special sessions were held in 1980. The legislature met for a total of 99 legislative days during the 1979-80 biennium.[3]

Party summary
Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Membership changes" section, below.

Senate
Party[4]
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total Vacant
DFL IR
End of previous Legislature 47 20 67 0
Begin 47 20 67 0
April 25, 1979 46 66 1
July 9, 1979 47 67 0
August 1, 1979 46 66 1
November 12, 1979 47 67 0
November 26, 1979 46 66 1
January 16, 1980 21 67 0
January 20, 1980 45 66 1
February 28, 1980 22 67 0
May 1, 1980 44 66 1
July 1, 1980 21 65 2
Latest voting share 68% 32%
Beginning of the next Legislature 45 22 67 0

House of Representatives
Party[5]
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total Vacant
DFL IR
End of previous Legislature 99 35 134 0
Begin 67 67 134 0
May 18, 1979 67 66 133 1
June 26, 1979 68 134 0
December 5, 1979 67 133 1
January 22, 1980 68 134 0
June 1, 1980 67 133 1
Latest voting share 50% 50%
Beginning of the next Legislature 70 64 134 0

Leadership

Senate
President of the Senate
Edward J. Gearty (DFL-Minneapolis)[6]
Senate Majority Leader
Nick Coleman (DFL-St. Paul)[7]
Senate Minority Leader
Robert O. Ashbach (IR-St. Paul)[7]

House of Representatives
Speaker of the House[nb 1][nb 2]
1979: Rod Searle (IR-Waseca)[9]
1980: Fred C. Norton (DFL-St. Paul)[9]
House Majority Leader[nb 3]
1979: Irv Anderson (DFL-International Falls) and Jerry Knickerbocker (IR-Minnetonka)[10]
1980: Irv Anderson (DFL-International Falls)[10]
House Minority Leader[nb 4]
1979: None
1980: Rod Searle (IR-Waseca)[10]

Members

Senate
Name District City Party
Anderson, Jerald C. 19 North Branch DFL
Ashbach, Robert O. 48 St. Paul IR
Bang, Otto T. 39 Edina IR
Barrette, Emery G. 66 St. Paul IR
Benedict, Robert M. 38 Bloomington DFL
Bernhagen, John 22 Hutchinson IR
Brataas, Nancy 33 Rochester IR
Chenoweth, John C. 66 St. Paul DFL
Chmielewski, Florian 14 Sturgeon Lake DFL
Coleman, Nicholas D. 65 St. Paul DFL
Davies, John T. 60 Minneapolis DFL
Dieterich, Neil 62 St. Paul DFL
Dunn, Robert G. 18 Princeton IR
Engler, Steven 25 Randolph IR
Frederick, Mel 32 West Concord IR
Gearty, Edward J. 54 Minneapolis DFL
Gunderson, Jerome O. 35 Mabel DFL
Hanson, Marv 01 Hallock DFL
Hughes, Jerome M. 50 Maplewood DFL
Humphrey, Skip 44 New Hope DFL
Jensen, Carl A. 28 Sleepy Eye IR
Johnson, Doug 06 Tower DFL
Keefe, John B. 40 Hopkins IR
Keefe, Stephen 59 Minneapolis DFL
Kirchner, William G. 37 Richfield IR
Kleinbaum, Jack I. 17 St. Cloud DFL
Knaak, Delores J. 49 White Bear Lake IR
Knoll, Franklin J. 61 Minneapolis DFL
Knutson, Howard A. 53 Burnsville IR
Laufenburger, Roger A. 34 Lewiston DFL
Lessard, Bob 03 International Falls DFL
Lewis, B. Robert 41 Golden Valley DFL
Luther, Bill 45 Brooklyn Park DFL
McCutcheon, William W. 67 St. Paul DFL
Menning, Mike 26 Edgerton DFL
Merriam, Gene 47 Coon Rapids DFL
Moe, Roger 02 Ada DFL
Nelson, Tom A. 31 Austin DFL
Nichols, James W. 20 Lake Benton DFL
Ogdahl, Harmon T. 58 Minneapolis IR
Olhoft, Wayne 11 Herman DFL
Olson, Howard D. 27 St. James DFL
Omann, Sr., Bernard P. 16 St. Joseph IR
Penny, Tim 30 New Richland DFL
Perpich, George F. 05 Chisholm DFL
Peterson, Collin Clark 10 Detroit Lakes DFL
Pillsbury, George Sturgis 42 Wayzata IR
Purfeerst, Clarence 24 Faribault DFL
Renneke, Earl 23 Le Sueur IR
Rued, David E. 13 Aitkin IR
Schaaf, David D. 46 Fridley DFL
Schmitz, Robert J. 36 Jordan DFL
Schrom, Ed 16 Albany DFL
Setzepfandt, A. O.H. 21 Bird Island DFL
Sieloff, Ron 63 St. Paul IR
Sikorski, Gerry 51 Stillwater DFL
Sillers, Douglas H. 09 Moorhead IR
Solon, Sam 07 Duluth DFL
Spear, Allan 57 Minneapolis DFL
Staples, Emily Anne 43 Plymouth DFL
Stern, Irving M. 41 St. Louis Park DFL
Stokowski, Anne K. 55 Minneapolis DFL
Stokowski, Eugene E. 55 Minneapolis DFL
Strand, Roger Ernest 15 Cyrus DFL
Stumpf, Jr., Peter P. 64 St. Paul DFL
Tennessen, Robert J. 56 Minneapolis DFL
Ueland, Arnulf 29 North Mankato IR
Ulland, James E. 08 Duluth IR
Vega, Conrad 52 South St. Paul DFL
Wegener, Myrton O. 12 Bertha DFL
Willet, Gerald 04 Park Rapids DFL

House of Representatives
Name District City Party
Aasness, Paul D. 11A Wendell IR
Adams, Leo G. 44B New Hope DFL
Ainley, Jr., John A. 04A Park Rapids IR
Albrecht, Raymond John 23A Brownton IR
Anderson, Bob 10B Ottertail IR
Anderson, Bruce W. 26A Slayton DFL
Anderson, Delbert F. 15A Starbuck IR
Anderson, Glen H. 15B Bellingham DFL
Anderson, Irvin N. 03A International Falls DFL
Battaglia, David Peter 06B Two Harbors DFL
Begich, Joseph 06A Eveleth DFL
Berglin, Linda Lee 59A Minneapolis DFL
Berkelman, Thomas R. 08B Duluth DFL
Biersdorf, John S. 32A Owatonna IR
Blatz, Kathleen 38A Bloomington IR
Brinkman, Bernard J. 16B Richmond DFL
Byrne, Margaret Mary 64B St. Paul DFL
Carlson, Doug 14A Sandstone IR
Carlson, Lyndon 44A Crystal DFL
Casserly, James R. 56A Minneapolis DFL
Clark, Janet H. 60A Minneapolis DFL
Clawson, John T. 19A Center City DFL
Corbid, John R. 01B Oklee DFL
Crandall, William A. 61A Minneapolis IR
Dean, William D. 58A Minneapolis IR
Dempsey, Terry 28B New Ulm IR
Den Ouden, Gaylin 21B Prinsburg IR
Drew, John 63B St. Paul IR
Eken, Willis 02B Twin Valley DFL
Elioff, Dominic J. 05A Virginia DFL
Ellingson, Robert L. 45B Brooklyn Center DFL
Enebo, Stanley A. 60B Minneapolis DFL
Erickson, Wendell O. 26B Hills IR
Esau, Gilbert D. 28A Mountain Lake IR
Evans, James 10A Detroit Lakes IR
Ewald, Douglas R. 40A Minnetonka IR
Faricy, Ray W. 63A St. Paul DFL
Fjoslien, David O. 11B Brandon IR
Forsythe, Mary 39A Edina IR
Friedrich, Donald L. 32B Rochester IR
Fritz, Michael D. 62B St. Paul IR
Fudro, Stanley J. 55A Minneapolis DFL
Greenfield, Lee 57B Minneapolis DFL
Halberg, Chuck 53B Burnsville IR
Haukoos, Bob 31A Albert Lea IR
Heap, Jim 43B Robbinsdale IR
Heinitz, Orlando Jacob 43A Plymouth IR
Hoberg, Dwaine 09A Moorhead IR
Hokanson, Shirley A. 37A Richfield DFL
Jacobs, Joel 47A Coon Rapids DFL
Jaros, Mike 07B Duluth DFL
Jennings, David M. 27B Truman IR
Johnson, Carl M. 23B St. Peter DFL
Johnson, Dean 21A Willmar IR
Jude, Tad 42A Mound DFL
Kahn, Phyllis 57A Minneapolis DFL
Kaley, John R. 33A Rochester IR
Kalis, Henry 30A Walters DFL
Kelly, Randy 66B St. Paul DFL
Kempe, Raymond J. 53A West St. Paul DFL
Knickerbocker, Jerry 40B Minnetonka IR
Kostohryz, Dick 50B North St. Paul DFL
Kroening, Carl W. 54A Minneapolis DFL
Laidig, Gary 51A Stillwater IR
Lehto, Arlene Ione 08A Duluth DFL
Kvam, Adolph Leonard 22A Litchfield IR
Levi, Connie 50A Dellwood IR
Long, Dee 56B Minneapolis DFL
Ludeman, Cal 20B Tracy IR
Luknic, Marsha Johnson 24B Faribault IR
Mann, George 27A Windom DFL
McCarron, Paul 46A Spring Lake Park DFL
McDonald, K. J. 36A Watertown IR
McEachern, Bob 18B St. Michael DFL
Mehrkens, Lyle 25B Red Wing IR
Metzen, James P. 52A South St. Paul DFL
Minne, Lona 05B Hibbing DFL
Moe, Donald M. 65B St. Paul DFL
Munger, Willard 07A Duluth DFL
Murphy, Mary 14B Hermantown DFL
Nelsen, Bruce G. 12A Staples IR
Nelsen, Marlin B. 13B Aitkin DFL
Nelson, Ken 59B Minneapolis DFL
Niehaus, Sr., Joseph T. 16A Sauk Centre IR
Norman, Jim 61B Minneapolis IR
Norton, Fred C. 65A St. Paul DFL
Novak, Steve 48A New Brighton DFL
Nysether, Myron E. 01A Roseau IR
Olsen, Sally 41A Saint Louis Park IR
Onnen, Tony 22B Cokato IR
Osthoff, C. Thomas 64A St. Paul DFL
Otis, Todd 58B Minneapolis DFL
Patton, Al W. 17A Sartell DFL
Pavlak, Sr., Robert L. 67A St. Paul IR
Pehler, James C. 17B St. Cloud DFL
Peterson, Bill 38B Bloomington IR
Peterson, Donna C. 60B Minneapolis DFL
Piepho, Mark J. 29A Mankato IR
Pleasant, Ray O. 39B Bloomington IR
Prahl, Norman Rudolph 03B Grand Rapids DFL
Redalen, Elton 35A Fountain IR
Reding, Leo John 31B Austin DFL
Rees, Tom 36B Elko IR
Reif, Robert W. 49B White Bear Lake IR
Rice, Jim 54B Minneapolis DFL
Rodriguez, Frank J. 67A St. Paul DFL
Rose, John 48B Roseville IR
Rothenberg, Elliot C. 41B St. Louis Park IR
Sarna, John 55B Minneapolis DFL
Schreiber, Bill 45A Brooklyn Park IR
Searle, Rodney Newell 30B Waseca IR
Searles, Robert L. 42B Wayzata IR
Sherwood, Glen A. 04B Pine River IR
Sieben, Harry A. 52B Hastings DFL
Sieben, Michael R. 51B Newport DFL
Simoneau, Wayne 46B Fridley DFL
Stadum, Tony 02A Ada IR
Stoa, Tom 34B Winona DFL
Stowell, Warren 34A Lewiston IR
Sviggum, Steve 25A Kenyon IR
Swanson, James C. 37B Richfield DFL
Thiede, Paul M. 13A Pequot Lakes IR
Tomlinson, John D. 67B St. Paul DFL
Valan, Merlyn Orville 09B Moorhead IR
Valento, Don 49A Little Canada IR
Vanasek, Robert 24A New Prague DFL
Voss, Gordon 47B Blaine DFL
Waldorf, Eugene T. 66A St. Paul DFL
Weaver, John L. 19B Anoka IR
Welch, Richard J. 18A Cambridge DFL
Welker, Ray 20A Montevideo IR
Wenzel, Steve 12B Little Falls DFL
Wieser, Jr., Al W. 35B La Crescent IR
Wigley, Richard E. 29B Lake Crystal IR
Wynia, Ann 62A St. Paul DFL
Zubay, Kenneth Peter 33B Rochester IR

Membership changes

Senate
District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date successor
seated
41 B. Robert Lewis
(DFL)		 Died of a heart attack on April 25, 1979.[11] Irving M. Stern
(DFL)		 July 9, 1979[12]
55 Eugene E. Stokowski
(DFL)		 Died of a heart attack on August 1, 1979.[13] Anne K. Stokowski
(DFL)[nb 5]		 November 12, 1979[14]
66 John C. Chenoweth
(DFL)		 Resigned on November 26, 1979, to become the Director of the Minneapolis Municipal Employees Retirement Fund.[15] Emery G. Barrette
(IR)		 January 16, 1980[16]
16 Ed Schrom
(DFL)		 Died on January 20, 1980.[17] Ben Omann
(IR)		 February 28, 1980[18]
67 William W. McCutcheon
(DFL)		 Resigned on May 1, 1980, to accept appointment as Chief of the SPPD.[19] Remained vacant
18 Robert G. Dunn
(IR)		 Resigned on July 1, 1980, to accept appointment as the Chair of the Minnesota Waste Management Board.[20] Remained vacant

House of Representatives
District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date successor
seated
67A Bob Pavlak
(IR)		 Expelled on May 18, 1979, on charges of unfair campaign practices.[1] Frank J. Rodriguez Sr.
(DFL)		 June 26, 1979[21]
60B Stanley A. Enebo
(DFL)		 Resigned on December 5, 1979, to become the Associate Director of the Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association.[22] Donna C. Peterson
(DFL)		 January 22, 1980[23]
44B Leo G. Adams
(DFL)		 Resigned to accept appointment to the Minnesota Public Service Commission circa June 1, 1980.[24] Remained vacant

Notes
  1. Due to the fact that the DFL and the Independent-Republicans were evenly divided in the House when the seventy-first legislature convened, neither party could claim a majority and, instead, the two parties reached a compromise by which the Independent-Republicans would elect the Speaker from their own ranks, while the DFL would hold the chairmanship of, and one-vote majorities on, the rules and tax committees. The Independent-Republicans elected Rod Searle as Speaker.[2]
  2. When Bob Pavlak was expelled for unfair campaign practices, the DFL gained control of the House. In the process of selecting a Speaker, the DFL split into factions, with 26 DFLers supporting Fred C. Norton and 42 supporting Irv Anderson; however, 49 Independent-Republicans sided with the pro-Norton faction, and Norton became Speaker for the 1980 session.[8]
  3. Due to the fact that the House was evenly divided, the floor leaders of the DFL and Independent-Republican caucuses in the House—Irv Anderson and Jerry Knickerbocker, respectively—shared the role of Majority Leader during the 1979 sessions. In the 1980 session, Anderson was the sole Majority Leader.
  4. Since neither party held a majority in the House, and hence there was no minority, there was no House Minority Leader during the 1979 sessions.
  5. Anne K. Stokowski was the widow of Eugene E. Stokowski.[13][14]

References
  1. "Pavlak, Sr., Robert L. "Bob"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  2. "71st Legislature (1979-1980)". Legislative Time Capsule. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  3. "Sessions of the Minnesota State Legislature and the Minnesota Territorial Legislature, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  4. "Party Control of the Minnesota Senate, 1951-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  5. "Party Control of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1951-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  6. "President and President Pro Tempore of the Minnesota Senate, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  7. "Majority and Minority Leaders of the Minnesota Senate, 1933-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  8. "Norton, Fred C." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  9. "Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  10. "Majority and Minority Leaders of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1901-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  11. "Lewis, Sr., B. Robert "Bob, Bert"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  12. "Stern, Irving M. "Irv"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  13. "Stokowski, Eugene E." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  14. "Stokowski, Anne K." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  15. "Chenoweth, John C." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  16. "Barrette, Emery G." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  17. "Schrom, Ed". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  18. "Omann, Sr., Bernard P. "Ben"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  19. "McCutcheon, William W. "Bill"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  20. "Dunn, Robert G. "Bob"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  21. "Rodriguez, Sr., Frank J." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  22. "Enebo, Stanley A. "Stan"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  23. "Peterson, Donna C." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  24. "Adams, Leo G." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.