# 81st Minnesota Legislature

The eighty-first Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 5, 1999. The 67 members of the Minnesota Senate were elected during the general election of November 5, 1996, and the 134 members of the Minnesota House of Representatives were elected during the general election of November 3, 1998.

## Sessions

The legislature met in a regular session from January 5, 1999, to May 17, 1999. A continuation of the regular session was held between February 1, 2000, and May 17, 2000. There were no special sessions of the 81st Legislature, and the Legislature met for a total of 118 regular legislative days.

## 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) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | Vacant |
| | DFL | IPM | Ind | Rep | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 42 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 67 | 0 |
| Begin | 42 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 67 | 0 |
| February 26, 1999 | 41 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 66 | 1 |
| March 15, 1999 | 40 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 65 | 2 |
| April 6, 1999 | 40 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 66 | 1 |
| April 21, 1999 | 40 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 67 | 0 |
| August 21, 1999 | 39 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 66 | 1 |
| October 27, 1999 | 38 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 65 | 2 |
| December 23, 1999 | 40 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 67 | 0 |
| January 12, 2000 | 41 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 67 | 0 |
| June 15, 2000 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 67 | 0 |
| July 18, 2000 | 40 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 67 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 60% | 0% | 1% | 39% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 39 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 67 | 0 |

### House of Representatives

| | 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 | 70 | 0 | 64 | 134 | 0 |
| Begin | 63 | 0 | 71 | 134 | 0 |
| May 18, 1999 | 63 | 1 | 70 | 134 | 0 |
| July 11, 1999 | 62 | 1 | 70 | 133 | 1 |
| November 12, 1999 | 63 | 1 | 70 | 134 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 47% | 1% | 52% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 64 | 0 | 69 | 134 | 0 |

## Leadership
### Senate
#### President of the Senate

    Allan Spear (DFL-Minneapolis)

#### Senate Majority Leader

    Roger Moe (DFL-Erskine)

#### Senate Minority Leader

    Dick Day (R-Owatonna)

### House of Representatives
#### Speaker of the House

    Steve Sviggum (R-Kenyon)

#### House Majority Leader

    Tim Pawlenty (R-Eagen)

#### House Minority Leader

    Tom Pugh (DFL-South St. Paul)

## 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 | Rep |
| 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 | DFL |
| Johnson, Doug | 06 | Tower | DFL |
| Johnson, Janet | 18 | North Branch | DFL |
| Kelley, Steve | 44 | Hopkins | DFL |
| Kelly, Randy | 67 | St. Paul | DFL |
| Kierlin, Bob | 32 | Winona | Rep |
| Kinkel, Tony | 04 | Park Rapids | 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 | Ind |
| 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 | St. Paul | 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 |
| Ring, Twyla | 18 | North Branch | 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 |
| Ziegler, Donald | 26 | Blue Earth | Rep |

### House of Representatives

| Name | District | City | Party |
| Abeler, Jim | 49A | Anoka | Rep |
| Abrams, Ron | 45A | Minnetonka | Rep |
| Anderson, Bruce | 19B | Buffalo | Rep |
| Anderson, Irv | 03A | International Falls | DFL |
| Bakk, Tom | 06A | Cook | DFL |
| Biernat, Len | 59A | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Bishop, Dave | 30B | Rochester | Rep |
| Boudreau, Lynda | 25B | Faribault | Rep |
| Bradley, Fran | 30A | Rochester | Rep |
| Broecker, Sherry | 53B | White Bear Lake | Rep |
| Buesgens, Mark | 35B | Jordan | Rep |
| Carlson, Lyndon | 46B | Crystal | DFL |
| Carruthers, Phil | 47B | Brooklyn Center | DFL |
| Cassell, George | 10B | Alexandria | Rep |
| Chaudhary, Satveer | 52A | Fridley | DFL |
| Clark, James | 23A | Springfield | Rep |
| Clark, Karen | 61A | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Daggett, Roxann | 11A | Frazee | Rep |
| Davids, Gregory | 31B | Preston | Rep |
| Dawkins, Andy | 65A | St. Paul | DFL |
| Dehler, Steve | 14A | St. Joseph | Rep |
| Dempsey, Jerry | 29A | Hastings | Rep |
| Dorman, Dan | 27A | Albert Lea | Rep |
| Dorn, John | 24A | Mankato | DFL |
| Entenza, Matt | 64A | St. Paul | DFL |
| Erhardt, Ron | 42A | Edina | Rep |
| Erickson, Sondra | 17A | Princeton | Rep |
| Finseth, Tim | 01B | Angus | Rep |
| Folliard, Betty | 44A | Hopkins | DFL |
| Fuller, Doug | 04A | Bemidji | Rep |
| Gerlach, Chris | 36A | Apple Valley | Rep |
| Gleason, Mark | 63B | Richfield | DFL |
| Goodno, Kevin | 09A | Moorhead | Rep |
| Gray, Gregory | 58B | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Greenfield, Lee | 62A | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Greiling, Mindy | 54B | Roseville | DFL |
| Gunther, Bob | 26A | Fairmont | Rep |
| Haake, Barb | 52B | Mounds View | Rep |
| Haas, Bill | 48A | Champlin | Rep |
| Hackbarth, Tom | 50A | Cedar | Rep |
| Harder, Elaine | 22B | Jackson | Rep |
| Hasskamp, Kris | 12A | Crosby | DFL |
| Hausman, Alice | 66B | St. Paul | DFL |
| Hilty, Bill | 08B | Finlayson | DFL |
| Holberg, Mary Liz | 37B | Lakeville | Rep |
| Holsten, Mark | 56A | Stillwater | Rep |
| Howes, Larry | 04B | Hackensack | Rep |
| Huntley, Thomas | 06B | Duluth | DFL |
| Jaros, Mike | 07B | Duluth | DFL |
| Jennings, Loren Geo | 18B | Rush City | DFL |
| Johnson, Alice | 48B | Spring Lake Park | DFL |
| Juhnke, Al | 15A | Willmar | DFL |
| Kahn, Phyllis | 59B | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Kalis, Henry | 26B | Walters | DFL |
| Kelliher, Margaret Anderson | 60A | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Kielkucki, Tony | 20B | Lester Prairie | Rep |
| Knoblach, Jim | 16B | St. Cloud | Rep |
| Koskinen, Luanne | 49B | Coon Rapids | DFL |
| Krinkie, Philip | 53A | Shoreview | Rep |
| Kubly, Gary | 15B | Granite Falls | DFL |
| Kuisle, Bill | 31A | Rochester | Rep |
| Larsen, Peg | 56B | Lakeland | Rep |
| Larson, Dan | 40A | Bloomington | DFL |
| Leighton, Rob | 27B | Austin | DFL |
| Lenczewski, Ann | 40B | Bloomington | DFL |
| Leppik, Peggy | 45B | Golden Valley | Rep |
| Lieder, Bernard | 02A | Crookston | DFL |
| Lindner, Arlon | 33A | Corcoran | Rep |
| Luther, Darlene | 47A | Brooklyn Park | DFL |
| Mahoney, Tim | 67A | St. Paul | DFL |
| Mares, Harry | 55A | White Bear Lake | Rep |
| Mariani, Carlos | 65B | St. Paul | DFL |
| Marko, Sharon | 57B | Cottage Grove | 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, 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, 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 | Ind |
| 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 | 41A | Bloomington | Rep |
| Seifert, Jim | 57A | Woodbury | Rep |
| Seifert, Marty | 21A | Marshall | Rep |
| Skoe, Rod | 02B | Clearbrook | DFL |
| Skoglund, Wes | 62B | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Smith, Steve | 34A | Mound | Rep |
| Solberg, Loren | 03B | Bovey | DFL |
| Stanek, Rich | 33B | Maple Grove | Rep |
| Stang, Doug | 14B | Cold Spring | Rep |
| Storm, Julie | 24B | St. Peter | Rep |
| Sviggum, Steve | 28B | Kenyon | Rep |
| Swapinski, Dale | 07A | Duluth | DFL |
| Swenson, Howard | 23B | Nicollet | Rep |
| Sykora, Barb | 43B | Excelsior | Rep |
| Tingelstad, Kathy | 50B | Andover | Rep |
| Tomassoni, Dave | 05B | Chisholm | DFL |
| 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 |
| Wagenius, Jean | 63A | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Wejcman, Linda | 61B | Minneapolis | DFL |
| Wenzel, Steve | 12B | Little Falls | DFL |
| Westerberg, Andy | 51A | Blaine | Rep |
| Westfall, Bob | 09B | Rothsay | Rep |
| Westrom, Torrey | 13A | Elbow Lake | Rep |
| Wilkin, Tim | 38A | Eagan | Rep |
| Winter, Ted | 22A | Fulda | DFL |
| Wolf, Ken | 41B | Burnsville | Rep |
| Workman, Tom | 43A | Chanhassen | Rep |

## Membership changes
### Senate

| District | Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date successor seated |
| 26 | Tracy Beckman (DFL) | Resigned February 26, 1999, to accept appointment as the Minnesota State Director of the USDA's Farm Service Agency. | Donald Ziegler (R) | April 6, 1999 |
| 32 | Steven Morse (DFL) | Resigned March 15, 1999, to accept appointment as a Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. | Bob Kierlin (R) | April 21, 1999 |
| 18 | Janet Johnson (DFL) | Died of a malignant brain tumor on August 21, 1999. | Twyla Ring (DFL) | December 23, 1999 |
| 04 | David Ten Eyck (DFL) | Resigned October 27, 1999, to accept appointment to a judgeship. | Tony Kinkel (DFL) | December 23, 1999 |

### House of Representatives

| District | Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date successor seated |
| 07A | Willard Munger (DFL) | Died of liver cancer on July 11, 1999, at the hospice unit at St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth. | Dale Swapinski (DFL) | November 12, 1999 |