The seventy-second Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 6, 1981. The 67 members of the Minnesota Senate and the 134 members of the Minnesota House of Representatives were elected during the general election of November 4, 1980.

Sessions The legislature met in a regular session from January 6, 1981, to May 18, 1981. Three special sessions were also convened in 1981. The first of these special sessions was convened on June 6 to consider the state budget, appropriations, and a tax bill. The second of the special sessions was convened on July 1 and July 2 to consider a short-term borrowing law and to correct errors in the laws enacted during the regular session. The third special session of 1981 was convened from December 1, 1981, to January 18, 1982, to consider reducing appropriations.

A continuation of the regular session was held between January 12, 1982, and March 19, 1982. Three additional special sessions were also held in 1982. The first of these special sessions was convened on March 30 to consider changes to the state's unemployment and workers' compensation laws. The second was convened on July 9 to consider authorizing Albert Lea to spend federal revenue sharing funds, and to consider providing employment aid to the Iron Range from the Northeast Minnesota Economic Protection Fund. The final special session of the 72nd Minnesota Legislature met from December 7, 1982, to December 10, 1982, and considered reductions in appropriations, reducing employer and increasing employee contributions to various retirement funds, adding two members to the investment advisory board, and so forth.

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

Senate Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Vacant DFL IR End of previous Legislature 44 21 65 2 Begin 45 22 67 0 April 10, 1981 44 66 1 May 15, 1981 23 67 0 Latest voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 42 25 67 0

House of Representatives Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Vacant DFL IR End of previous Legislature 67 66 133 1 Begin 70 64 134 0 June 1, 1981 63 133 1 July 17, 1981 64 134 0 Latest voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 77 57 134 0

Leadership Senate President of the Senate John T. Davies (DFL-Minneapolis)

Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe (DFL-Ada)

Senate Minority Leader Robert O. Ashbach (IR-St. Paul)

House of Representatives Speaker of the House Harry A. Sieben (DFL-Hastings)

House Majority Leader Willis Eken (DFL-Twin Valley)

House Minority Leader Until February 1982 Glen Sherwood (IR-Pine River) From February 1982 David M. Jennings (IR-Truman)

Members Senate Name District City Party Ashbach, Robert O. 48 St. Paul IR Bang, Otto T. 39 Edina IR Belanger, William 38 Bloomington IR Benson, Duane 35 Lanesboro IR Berg, Charlie 15 Chokio IR Berglin, Linda 59 Minneapolis DFL Bernhagen, John 22 Hutchinson IR Bertram, Joe 16 Paynesville DFL Brataas, Nancy 33 Rochester IR Chmielewski, Florian 14 Sturgeon Lake DFL Dahl, Gregory 49 White Bear Lake DFL Davies, John T. 60 Minneapolis DFL Davis, Chuck 18 Princeton DFL Dicklich, Ron 05 Hibbing DFL Dieterich, Neil 62 St. Paul DFL Engler, Steven 25 Randolph IR Frank, Don 46 Spring Lake Park DFL Frederick, Mel 32 West Concord IR Frederickson, Dennis 28 New Ulm IR Hanson, Marv 01 Hallock DFL Hughes, Jerome M. 50 Maplewood DFL Humphrey, Skip 44 New Hope DFL Johnson, Doug 06 Tower DFL Kamrath, Randy P. 20 Canby IR Keefe, John B. 40 Hopkins IR Knoll, Franklin J. 61 Minneapolis DFL Knutson, Howard A. 53 Burnsville IR Kroening, Carl 54 Minneapolis DFL Kronebusch, Patricia Louise 34 Rollingstone IR Langseth, Keith 09 Glyndon DFL Lantry, Marilyn 67 St. Paul DFL Lessard, Bob 03 International Falls DFL Lindgren, Steven O. 37 Richfield IR Luther, Bill 45 Brooklyn Park DFL Menning, Mike 26 Edgerton DFL Merriam, Gene 47 Coon Rapids DFL Moe, Donald 65 St. Paul DFL Moe, Roger 02 Ada DFL Nelson, Tom A. 31 Austin DFL Nichols, James W. 20 Lake Benton DFL Olhoft, Wayne 11 Herman DFL Pehler, Jim 17 St. Cloud DFL Penny, Tim 30 New Richland DFL Peterson, Collin Clark 10 Detroit Lakes DFL Peterson, Darrel L. 27 Fairmont IR Peterson, Randolph W. 19 Wyoming DFL Petty, Eric D. 58 Minneapolis DFL Pillsbury, George Sturgis 42 Wayzata IR Purfeerst, Clarence 24 Faribault DFL Ramstad, Jim 43 Plymouth IR Renneke, Earl 23 Le Sueur IR Rued, David E. 13 Aitkin IR Schmitz, Robert J. 36 Jordan DFL Setzepfandt, A. O.H. 21 Bird Island DFL Sieloff, Ron 63 St. Paul IR Sikorski, Gerry 51 Stillwater DFL Solon, Sam 07 Duluth DFL Spear, Allan 57 Minneapolis DFL Stern, Irving M. 41 St. Louis Park DFL Stokowski, Anne K. 55 Minneapolis DFL Stumpf, Jr., Peter P. 64 St. Paul DFL Taylor, Glen 29 Mankato IR Tennessen, Robert J. 56 Minneapolis DFL Ulland, James E. 08 Duluth IR Vega, Conrad 52 South St. Paul DFL Waldorf, Gene 66 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 Ainley, Jr., John A. 04A Park Rapids IR Anderson, Bob 10B Ottertail IR Anderson, Bruce W. 26A Slayton DFL 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 Berkelman, Thomas R. 08B Duluth DFL Blatz, Kathleen 38A Bloomington IR Brandl, John 61A Minneapolis DFL Brinkman, Bernard J. 16B Richmond DFL Byrne, Margaret Mary 64B St. Paul DFL Carlson, Doug 14A Sandstone IR Carlson, Lyndon 44A Crystal DFL Clark, Janet H. 60A Minneapolis DFL Clark, Karen 59A Minneapolis DFL Clawson, John T. 19A Center City DFL Dahlvang, George C. 54A Minneapolis DFL 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 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 Fjoslien, David O. 11B Brandon IR Forsythe, Mary 39A Edina IR Frerichs, Don 32B Rochester IR Friedrich, Donald L. 32B Rochester IR Greenfield, Lee 57B Minneapolis DFL Gruenes, Dave 17B St. Cloud IR Gustafson, Ben E. 07B Duluth DFL Halberg, Chuck 53B Burnsville IR Hanson, Walter R. 62B St. Paul DFL Harens, Thomas J. 65B St. Paul DFL Hauge, Earl 15A Glenwood DFL Haukoos, Bob 31A Albert Lea IR Heap, Jim 43B Robbinsdale IR Heinitz, Orlando Jacob 43A Plymouth IR Himle, John 39B Bloomington IR Hoberg, Dwaine 09A Moorhead IR Hokanson, Shirley A. 37A Richfield DFL Hokr, Dorothy 44B New Hope IR Jacobs, Joel 47A Coon Rapids 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 Knickerbocker, Jerry 40B Minnetonka IR Kostohryz, Dick 50B North St. Paul DFL Laidig, Gary 51A Stillwater IR Lehto, Arlene Ione 08A Duluth DFL Lemen, Robert N. 03B Grand Rapids IR 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 Marsh, Marcus M. 17A Sauk Rapids IR 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 Munger, Willard 07A Duluth DFL Murphy, Mary 14B Hermantown DFL Nelsen, Bruce G. 12A Staples IR Nelson, Ken 59B Minneapolis DFL Niehaus, Sr., Joseph T. 16A Sauk Centre IR Norton, Fred C. 65A St. Paul DFL Novak, Steve 48A New Brighton DFL Nysether, Myron E. 01A Roseau IR O'Connor, Rich 66A St. Paul DFL Ogren, Paul Anders 13B Aitkin DFL Olsen, Sally 41A Saint Louis Park IR Onnen, Tony 22B Cokato IR Osthoff, Tom 64A St. Paul DFL Otis, Todd 58B Minneapolis DFL Peterson, Bill 38B Bloomington IR Peterson, Donna C. 60B Minneapolis DFL Piepho, Mark J. 29A Mankato IR Pogemiller, Larry 55A Minneapolis 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, Carolyn Jane 53A Apple Valley DFL Rodriguez, Frank J. 67A St. Paul DFL Rose, John 48B Roseville IR Rothenberg, Elliot C. 41B St. Louis Park IR Samuelson, Donald B. 13A Brainerd DFL Sarna, John 55B Minneapolis DFL Schafer, Gary 23A Gibbon IR Schoenfeld, Jerry E. 30B Waseca DFL Schreiber, Bill 45A Brooklyn Park IR Searles, Robert L. 42B Wayzata IR Shea, Tom J. 32A Owatonna DFL Sherman, Tim 34B Winona 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 Skoglund, Wes 61B Minneapolis DFL Stadum, Tony 02A Ada IR Staten, Sr., Randolph Wilbert 56A Minneapolis DFL Stowell, Warren 34A Lewiston IR Stumpf, LeRoy A. 01B Plummer DFL Sviggum, Steve 25A Kenyon IR Swanson, James C. 37B Richfield DFL 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 Vellenga, Kathleen 63A St. Paul DFL Voss, Gordon 47B Blaine 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 successorseated 20 James W. Nichols(DFL) Resigned April 10, 1981, citing the needs of his family and farm. Randy P. Kamrath(IR) May 15, 1981

House of Representatives District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date successorseated 32B Donald L. Friedrich(IR) Appointed to other office circa June 1, 1981. Don Frerichs(IR) July 17, 1981

Notes

References

Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 72, Senate) Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 72, House)