80th Minnesota Legislature
# 80th Minnesota Legislature

The eightieth Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 7, 1997. 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 5, 1996.

## Sessions

The legislature met in a regular session from January 7, 1997, to May 15, 1997. A special session convened on June 26, 1997, to consider funding for K–12 schools, DWI measures, and government data practices. A second special session was convened on August 19, 1997, to provide flood relief and consider commissioners' pay and the minimum wage. A third special session was held from October 23, 1997, to November 14, 1997, to consider providing funding for a baseball stadium.

A continuation of the regular session was held between January 20, 1998, and April 9, 1998. An additional special session met from April 20, 1998, to April 22, 1998, to clarify legislation to allow for fraud recovery, and consider economic development issues and issues relevant to early childhood and family education.

## Party summary

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

### Senate

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | Vacant |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | DFL | Ind | Rep | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 40 | 1 | 25 | 66 | 1 |
| Begin | 42 | 1 | 24 | 67 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 63% | 1% | 36% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 42 | 1 | 24 | 67 | 0 |

### House of Representatives

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | Vacant |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | DFL | Rep | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 68 | 65 | 133 | 1 |
| Begin | 70 | 64 | 134 | 0 |
| September 4, 1997 | 69 | 64 | 133 | 1 |
| November 13, 1997 | 70 | 64 | 134 | 0 |
| December 6, 1997 | 70 | 63 | 133 | 1 |
| December 22, 1997 | 70 | 62 | 132 | 2 |
| January 15, 1998 | 70 | 61 | 131 | 3 |
| January 20, 1998 | 70 | 62 | 132 | 2 |
| January 29, 1998 | 70 | 63 | 133 | 1 |
| February 5, 1998 | 70 | 64 | 134 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 52% | 48% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 63 | 71 | 134 | 0 |

## Leadership

### Senate

**President of the Senate**


    Allan Spear (DFL-Minneapolis)

**Senate Majority Leader**


    Roger Moe (DFL-Erskine)

**Senate Minority Leader**


    Until July 9, 1997 Dean Johnson (R-Willmar)
    After July 9, 1997 Dick Day (R-Owatonna)

### House of Representatives

**Speaker of the House**


    Phil Carruthers (DFL-Brooklyn Center)

**House Majority Leader**


    Ted Winter (DFL-Fulda)

**House Minority Leader**


    Steve Sviggum (R-Kenyon)

## Members

### Senate

| Name | District | City | Party |
| - | - | - | - |
| Anderson, Ellen | 66 | St. Paul | DFL |
| Beckman, Tracy | 26 | Bricelyn | DFL |
| Belanger, William | 41 | Bloomington | Rep |
| Berg, Charlie | 13 | Chokio | Ind |
| Berglin, Linda | 61 | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Betzold, Don | 48 | Fridley | DFL |
| Cohen, Dick | 64 | St. Paul | DFL |
| Day, Dick | 28 | Owatonna | Rep |
| Dille, Steve | 20 | Dassel | Rep |
| Fischbach, Michelle | 14 | Paynesville | Rep |
| Flynn, Carol | 62 | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Foley, Leo | 49 | Coon Rapids | DFL |
| Frederickson, Dennis | 23 | New Ulm | Rep |
| Hanson, Paula | 50 | Ham Lake | DFL |
| Higgins, Linda | 58 | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Hottinger, John | 24 | Mankato | DFL |
| Janezich, Jerry | 05 | Chisholm | DFL |
| Johnson, Dave | 40 | Bloomington | DFL |
| Johnson, Dean | 15 | Willmar | Rep |
| Johnson, Doug | 06 | Tower | DFL |
| Johnson, Janet | 18 | North Branch | DFL |
| Kelley, Steve | 44 | Hopkins | DFL |
| Kelly, Randy | 67 | St. Paul | DFL |
| Kiscaden, Sheila | 30 | Rochester | Rep |
| Kleis, Dave | 16 | St. Cloud | Rep |
| Knutson, David | 36 | Burnsville | Rep |
| Krentz, Jane | 51 | May Township | DFL |
| Laidig, Gary | 56 | Stillwater | Rep |
| Langseth, Keith | 09 | Glyndon | DFL |
| Larson, Cal | 10 | Fergus Falls | Rep |
| Lesewski, Arlene | 21 | Marshall | Rep |
| Lessard, Bob | 03 | International Falls | DFL |
| Limmer, Warren | 33 | Maple Grove | Rep |
| Lourey, Becky | 08 | Kerrick | DFL |
| Marty, John | 54 | Roseville | DFL |
| Metzen, James | 39 | South St. Paul | DFL |
| Moe, Roger | 02 | Erskine | DFL |
| Morse, Steven | 32 | Dakota | DFL |
| Murphy, Steve | 29 | Red Wing | DFL |
| Neuville, Thomas | 25 | Northfield | Rep |
| Novak, Steve | 52 | New Brighton | DFL |
| Oliver, Edward | 43 | Deephaven | Rep |
| Olson, Gen | 34 | Minnetrista | Rep |
| Ourada, Mark | 19 | Buffalo | Rep |
| Pappas, Sandra | 65 | St. Paul | DFL |
| Pariseau, Pat | 37 | Farmington | Rep |
| Piper, Pat | 27 | Austin | DFL |
| Pogemiller, Larry | 59 | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Price, Leonard | 57 | Woodbury | DFL |
| Ranum, Jane | 63 | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Reichgott Junge, Ember | 46 | New Hope | DFL |
| Robertson, Martha | 45 | Minnetonka | Rep |
| Robling, Claire | 35 | Prior Lake | Rep |
| Runbeck, Linda | 53 | Circle Pines | Rep |
| Sams, Dallas | 11 | Staples | DFL |
| Samuelson, Don | 12 | Brainerd | DFL |
| Scheevel, Kenric | 31 | Preston | Rep |
| Scheid, Linda | 47 | Brooklyn Park | DFL |
| Solon, Sam | 07 | Duluth | DFL |
| Spear, Allan | 60 | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Stevens, Dan | 17 | Mora | Rep |
| Stumpf, LeRoy | 01 | Thief River Falls | DFL |
| Ten Eyck, David | 04 | East Gull Lake | DFL |
| Terwilliger, Roy | 42 | Edina | Rep |
| Vickerman, Jim | 22 | Tracy | DFL |
| Wiener, Deanna | 38 | Eagan | DFL |
| Wiger, Chuck | 55 | North St. Paul | DFL |

### House of Representatives

| Name | District | City | Party |
| - | - | - | - |
| Abrams, Ron | 45A | Minnetonka | Rep |
| Anderson, Bruce | 19B | Buffalo | Rep |
| Anderson, Irv | 03A | International Falls | DFL |
| Bakk, Tom | 06A | Cook | DFL |
| Bettermann, Hilda | 10B | Brandon | Rep |
| Biernat, Len | 59A | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Bishop, Dave | 30B | Rochester | Rep |
| Boudreau, Lynda | 25B | Faribault | Rep |
| Bradley, Fran | 30A | Rochester | Rep |
| Broecker, Sherry | 53B | Vadnais Heights | Rep |
| Carlson, Lyndon | 46B | Crystal | DFL |
| Carruthers, Phil | 47B | Brooklyn Center | DFL |
| Chaudhary, Satveer | 52A | Fridley | DFL |
| Clark, James | 23A | Springfield | Rep |
| Clark, Karen | 61A | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Commers, Tim | 38A | Eagan | Rep |
| Daggett, Roxann | 11A | Frazee | Rep |
| Davids, Gregory | 31B | Preston | Rep |
| Dawkins, Andy | 65A | St. Paul | DFL |
| Dehler, Steve | 14A | St. Joseph | Rep |
| Delmont, Mike | 51A | Lexington | DFL |
| Dempsey, Jerry | 29A | Hastings | Rep |
| Dorn, John | 24A | Mankato | DFL |
| Entenza, Matt | 64A | St. Paul | DFL |
| Erhardt, Ron | 42A | Edina | Rep |
| Erickson, Sondra | 17A | Princeton | Rep |
| Evans, Geri | 52B | New Brighton | DFL |
| Farrell, Jim | 67A | St. Paul | DFL |
| Finseth, Tim | 01B | Angus | Rep |
| Folliard, Betty | 44A | Hopkins | DFL |
| Garcia, Edwina | 63B | Richfield | DFL |
| Goodno, Kevin | 09A | Moorhead | Rep |
| Greenfield, Lee | 62A | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Greiling, Mindy | 54B | Roseville | DFL |
| Gunther, Bob | 26A | Fairmont | Rep |
| Haas, Bill | 48A | Champlin | Rep |
| Harder, Elaine | 22B | Jackson | Rep |
| Hasskamp, Kris | 12A | Crosby | DFL |
| Hausman, Alice | 66B | St. Paul | DFL |
| Hilty, Bill | 08B | Finlayson | DFL |
| Holsten, Mark | 56A | Stillwater | Rep |
| Huntley, Thomas | 06B | Duluth | DFL |
| Jaros, Mike | 07B | Duluth | DFL |
| Jefferson, Jeff | 58B | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Jennings, Loren Geo | 18B | Harris | DFL |
| Johnson, Alice | 48B | Spring Lake Park | DFL |
| Johnson, Ruth | 24B | St. Peter | DFL |
| Juhnke, Al | 15A | Willmar | DFL |
| Kahn, Phyllis | 59B | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Kalis, Henry | 26B | Walters | DFL |
| Kelso, Becky | 35B | Shakopee | DFL |
| Kielkucki, Tony | 20B | Lester Prairie | Rep |
| Kinkel, Tony | 04B | Park Rapids | DFL |
| Knight, Kevin | 40B | Bloomington | Rep |
| Knoblach, Jim | 16B | St. Cloud | Rep |
| Koppendrayer, LeRoy | 17A | Princeton | Rep |
| Koskinen, Luanne | 49B | Coon Rapids | DFL |
| Kraus, Ron | 27A | Albert Lea | Rep |
| Krinkie, Philip | 53A | Shoreview | Rep |
| Kubly, Gary | 15B | Granite Falls | DFL |
| Kuisle, Bill | 31A | Rochester | Rep |
| Larsen, Peg | 56B | Lakeland | Rep |
| Leighton, Rob | 27B | Austin | DFL |
| Leppik, Peggy | 45B | Golden Valley | Rep |
| Lieder, Bernard | 02A | Crookston | DFL |
| Lindner, Arlon | 33A | Corcoran | Rep |
| Long, Dee | 60A | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Luther, Darlene | 47A | Brooklyn Park | DFL |
| Macklin, Bill | 37B | Lakeville | Rep |
| Mahon, Mark | 40A | Bloomington | DFL |
| Mares, Harry | 55A | White Bear Lake | Rep |
| Mariani, Carlos | 65B | St. Paul | DFL |
| Marko, Sharon | 57B | Newport | DFL |
| McCollum, Betty | 55B | North St. Paul | DFL |
| McElroy, Dan | 36B | Burnsville | Rep |
| McGuire, Mary Jo | 54A | Falcon Heights | DFL |
| Milbert, Bob | 39B | South St. Paul | DFL |
| Molnau, Carol | 35A | Chaska | Rep |
| Mulder, Richard | 21B | Ivanhoe | Rep |
| Mullery, Joe | 58A | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Munger, Willard | 07A | Duluth | DFL |
| Murphy, Mary | 08A | Hermantown | DFL |
| Ness, Bob | 20A | Dassel | Rep |
| Nornes, Bud | 10A | Fergus Falls | Rep |
| Olson, Edgar | 02B | Fosston | DFL |
| Olson, Mark | 19A | Big Lake | Rep |
| Opatz, Joe | 16A | St. Cloud | DFL |
| Orfield, Myron | 60B | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Osskopp, Mike | 29B | Lake City | Rep |
| Osthoff, Tom | 66A | St. Paul | DFL |
| Otremba, Ken | 11B | Long Prairie | DFL |
| Otremba, Mary Ellen | 11B | Long Prairie | DFL |
| Ozment, Dennis | 37A | Rosemount | Rep |
| Paulsen, Erik | 42B | Eden Prairie | Rep |
| Pawlenty, Tim | 38B | Eagan | Rep |
| Paymar, Michael | 64B | St. Paul | DFL |
| Pelowski, Gene | 32A | Winona | DFL |
| Petersen, Doug | 13B | Madison | DFL |
| Pugh, Tom | 39A | South St. Paul | DFL |
| Rest, Ann | 46A | New Hope | DFL |
| Reuter, Doug | 28A | Owatonna | Rep |
| Rhodes, Jim | 44B | St. Louis Park | Rep |
| Rifenberg, Michelle | 32B | La Crescent | Rep |
| Rostberg, Jim | 18A | Isanti | Rep |
| Rukavina, Tom | 05A | Virginia | DFL |
| Schumacher, Leslie | 17B | Princeton | DFL |
| Seagren, Alice | 41B | Bloomington | Rep |
| Seifert, Marty | 21A | Marshall | Rep |
| Sekhon, Kathleen | 50A | Burns Township | DFL |
| Skare, Gail | 04A | Bemidji | DFL |
| Skoglund, Wes | 62B | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Slawik, Nora | 57A | Maplewood | DFL |
| Smith, Steve | 34A | Mound | Rep |
| Solberg, Loren | 03B | Bovey | DFL |
| Stanek, Rich | 33B | Maple Grove | Rep |
| Stang, Doug | 14B | Cold Spring | Rep |
| Sviggum, Steve | 28B | Kenyon | Rep |
| Swenson, Doug | 51B | Forest Lake | Rep |
| Swenson, Howard | 23B | Nicollet | Rep |
| Sykora, Barb | 43B | Excelsior | Rep |
| Tingelstad, Kathy | 50B | Andover | Rep |
| Tomassoni, Dave | 05B | Chisholm | DFL |
| Tompkins, Eileen | 36A | Apple Valley | Rep |
| Trimble, Steve | 67B | St. Paul | DFL |
| Tuma, John | 25A | Northfield | Rep |
| Tunheim, Jim | 01A | Kennedy | DFL |
| Van Dellen, H. Todd | 34B | Plymouth | Rep |
| Vandeveer, Ray | 51B | Forest Lake | Rep |
| Vickerman, Barb | 23A | Redwood Falls | Rep |
| Wagenius, Jean | 63A | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Weaver, Charlie | 49A | Anoka | Rep |
| Wejcman, Linda | 61B | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Wenzel, Steve | 12B | Little Falls | DFL |
| Westfall, Bob | 09B | Rothsay | Rep |
| Westrom, Torrey | 13A | Elbow Lake | Rep |
| Winter, Ted | 22A | Fulda | DFL |
| Wolf, Ken | 41B | Burnsville | Rep |
| Workman, Tom | 43A | Chanhassen | Rep |

## Membership changes

### House of Representatives

| District | Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date successor seated |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 11B | Ken Otremba (DFL) | Died of liver cancer on September 4, 1997. | Mary Ellen Otremba (DFL) | November 13, 1997 |
| 17A | LeRoy Koppendrayer (R) | Resigned December 8, 1997, to accept appointment by Governor Arne Carlson to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. | Sondra Erickson (R) | January 20, 1998 |
| 23A | Barbara Vickerman (R) | Died of liver cancer on December 22, 1997. | James Clark (R) | January 29, 1998 |
| 51B | Doug Swenson (R) | Resigned January 15, 1998, to accept appointment to district judgeship. | Ray Vandeveer (R) | February 5, 1998 |
