70th Minnesota Legislature

1977 to 1978 legislative session

Seventieth Minnesota Legislature

| ←| 69th Minnesota Legislature | 71st Minnesota Legislature| →

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Overview
Legislative body| Minnesota Legislature
Jurisdiction| Minnesota, United States
Meeting place| Minnesota State Capitol
Term| January 4, 1977 (1977-01-04) – January 2, 1979 (1979-01-02)
Website| www.leg.state.mn.us
Minnesota State Senate
Members| 67 Senators
President| Edward J. Gearty
Majority Leader| Nick Coleman
Minority Leader| Robert O. Ashbach
Party control| Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Minnesota House of Representatives
Members| 134 Representatives
Speaker| Martin O. Sabo
Majority Leader| Irv Anderson
Minority Leader| Henry J. Savelkoul
Party control| Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party

The seventieth Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 4, 1977. 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 2, 1976. It was the first Minnesota Legislature since the thirty-eighth Minnesota Legislature whose members of the Minnesota Senate were chosen in partisan elections.

## Sessions

[edit]

The legislature met in a regular session from January 4, 1977 to May 23, 1977. A continuation of the regular session was held between January 17, 1978 and March 24, 1978. There were no special sessions of the 70th Legislature.[1]

## Party summary

[edit]

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

### Senate

[edit]

| Party[2]

(Shading indicates majority caucus)

| Total  | Vacant

|
|
|

|  |
DFL | Ind. | IR
End of previous Legislature | 37  | 1  | 28  | 66  | 1
Begin  | 48  | 0  | 18  | 66  | 1
February 15, 1977  | 49  | 67  | 0
November 1, 1977  | 48  | 66  | 1
December 9, 1977  | 19  | 67  | 0
December 1, 1978  | 47  | 66  | 1
December 29, 1978  | 20  | 67  | 0
Latest voting share  | 70%  | 0%  | 30%  |
Beginning of the next Legislature | 47  | 0  | 20  | 67  | 0

### House of Representatives

[edit]

| Party[3]

(Shading indicates majority caucus)

| Total  | Vacant

|
|
|

DFL | IR
End of previous Legislature | 103  | 31  | 134  | 0
Begin  | 104  | 30  | 134  | 0
February 15, 1977  | 103  | 133  | 1
March 18, 1977  | 31  | 134  | 0
July 31, 1977  | 102  | 133  | 1
August 1977[nb 1] | 101  | 32
October 11, 1977  | 33  | 134  | 0
November 4, 1977  | 100  | 133  | 1
December 19, 1977  | 34  | 134  | 0
March 21, 1978[nb 2] | 99  | 35
Latest voting share  | 74%  | 26%  |
Beginning of the next Legislature | 67  | 67  | 134  | 0

## Leadership

[edit]

### Senate

[edit]

President of the Senate
Edward J. Gearty (DFL-Minneapolis)[6]

Senate Majority Leader
Nicholas D. Coleman (DFL-Saint Paul)[7]

Senate Minority Leader
Robert O. Ashbach (IR-St. Paul)[7]

### House of Representatives

[edit]

Speaker of the House
Martin O. Sabo (DFL-Minneapolis)[8]

House Majority Leader
Irvin N. Anderson (DFL-International Falls)[9]

House Minority Leader
Henry J. Savelkoul (IR-Albert Lea)[9]

## Members

[edit]

### Senate

[edit]

Name  | District  | City  | Party

|
|
|

Anderson, Jerald C. | 19  | North Branch | DFL
Ashbach, Robert O. | 48  | Saint Paul | IR
Bang, Jr., Otto T. | 39  | Edina | IR
Benedict, Robert M. | 38  | Bloomington | DFL
Bernhagen, John J. | 22  | Hutchinson | IR
Borden, Winston W. | 13  | Brainerd | DFL
Brataas, Nancy | 33  | Rochester | IR
Chenoweth, John C. | 66  | Saint Paul | DFL
Chmielewski, Sr., Florian W. | 14  | Sturgeon Lake | DFL
Coleman, Nicholas D. | 65  | Saint Paul | DFL
Davies, II, John Thomas | 60  | Minneapolis | DFL
Dieterich, Neil | 62  | Saint 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, Marvin B. | 01  | Hallock | DFL
Hughes, Jerome M. | 50  | Saint Paul | DFL
Humphrey, III, Hubert H. | 44  | New Hope | DFL
Jensen, Carl A. | 28  | Sleepy Eye | IR
Johnson, Douglas J. | 06  | Cook | DFL
Keefe, Sr., John B. | 40  | Hopkins | IR
Keefe, Stephen | 59  | Minneapolis | DFL
Kirchner, William G. | 37  | Richfield | IR
Kleinbaum, Jack I. | 17  | Saint 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 B. | 03  | International Falls | DFL
Lewis, Sr., B. Robert | 41  | Saint Louis Park | DFL
Luther, William Paul | 45  | Brooklyn Center | DFL
McCutcheon, William W. | 67  | Saint Paul | DFL
Menning, Marion O. | 26  | Edgerton | DFL
Merriam, Eugene R. | 47  | Coon Rapids | DFL
Milton, John Watson | 49  | White Bear Lake | DFL
Moe, Roger D. | 02  | Ada | DFL
Nelson, Tom A. | 31  | Austin | DFL
Nichols, James W. | 20  | Lake Benton | DFL
Ogdahl, Sr., Harmon T. | 58  | Minneapolis | IR
Olhoft, Wayne | 11  | Herman | DFL
Olson, Howard D. | 27  | Saint James | DFL
Penny, Timothy Joseph | 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 Mark | 24  | Faribault | DFL
Renneke, Earl W. | 23  | Le Sueur | 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, Ronald B. | 63  | Saint Paul | IR
Sikorski, Gerald Edward | 51  | Stillwater | DFL
Sillers, Douglas H. | 09  | Moorhead | IR
Solon, Sam George | 07  | Duluth | DFL
Spear, Allan H. | 57  | Minneapolis | DFL
Staples, Emily Anne | 43  | Plymouth | DFL
Stokowski, Eugene E. | 55  | Minneapolis | DFL
Strand, Roger Ernest | 15  | Cyrus | DFL
Stumpf, Jr., Peter P. | 64  | Saint Paul | DFL
Tennessen, Robert J. | 56  | Minneapolis | DFL
Ueland, Jr., Arnulf | 29  | Mankato | IR
Ulland, James E. | 08  | Duluth | IR
Vega, Conrado M. | 52  | South Saint Paul | DFL
Wegener, Myrton O. | 12  | Bertha | DFL
Willet, Gerald L. | 04  | Park Rapids | DFL

### House of Representatives

[edit]

Name  | District  | City  | Party

|
|
|

Abeln, Lyle G. | 38B  | Bloomington | DFL
Adams, Leo G. | 44B  | New Hope | DFL
Albrecht, Raymond John | 23A  | Brownton | 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
Anderson, Robert A. | 10B  | Ottertail | IR
Arlandson, John R. | 41A  | Golden Valley | DFL
Battaglia, David Peter | 06B  | Two Harbors | DFL
Beauchamp, David J. | 09A  | Moorhead | DFL
Begich, Joseph R. | 06A  | Eveleth | DFL
Berg, Thomas K. | 56B  | Minneapolis | DFL
Berglin, Linda Lee | 59A  | Minneapolis | DFL
Berkelman, Thomas R. | 08B  | Duluth | DFL
Biersdorf, John S. | 32A  | Owatonna | IR
Birnstihl, Orville E. | 24B  | Faribault | DFL
Brandl, John E. | 61A  | Minneapolis | DFL
Braun, Arthur Michael | 01A  | Greenbush | DFL
Brinkman, Bernard J. | 16B  | Richmond | DFL
Byrne, Margaret Mary | 64B  | Saint Paul | DFL
Carlson, Sr., Arne Helge | 58B  | Minneapolis | IR
Carlson, Douglas W. | 14A  | Sandstone | IR
Carlson, Sr., Lyndon R. | 44A  | Brooklyn Center | DFL
Casserly, James R. | 56A  | Minneapolis | DFL
Clark, Janet H. | 60A  | Minneapolis | DFL
Clawson, John T. | 19A  | Center City | DFL
Cohen, Richard J. | 63B  | Saint Paul | DFL
Corbid, John R. | 01B  | Oklee | DFL
Cummiskey, David R. | 29A  | Mankato | DFL
Dahl, Harold J. | 22B  | Howard Lake | DFL
Dean, William D. | 58A  | Minneapolis | IR
Den Ouden, Gaylin L.R. | 21B  | Prinsburg | IR
Eckstein, Anton Joseph | 28B  | New Ulm | DFL
Eken, Willis Roy | 02B  | Twin Valley | 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 | 40A  | Minnetonka | IR
Faricy, Ray W. | 63A  | Saint Paul | DFL
Fjoslien, David O. | 11B  | Brandon | IR
Forsythe, Mary M. | 39A  | Edina | IR
Friedrich, Donald L. | 32B  | Rochester | IR
Fudro, Stanley J. | 55A  | Minneapolis | DFL
Fugina, Peter X. | 05A  | Virginia | DFL
George, Michael J. | 50A  | Mahtomedi | DFL
Gunter, Clarence L. | 21A  | Raymond | DFL
Hanson, Walter R. | 62B  | Saint Paul | DFL
Haugerud, Neil Sherman | 35A  | Preston | DFL
Heinitz, Orlando Jacob | 43A  | Plymouth | IR
Hokanson, Shirley A. | 37A  | Richfield | DFL
Jacobs, Joel | 47A  | Coon Rapids | DFL
Jaros, Mike | 07B  | Duluth | DFL
Jensen, Robert C. | 53B  | Farmington | DFL
Johnson, Carl M. | 23B  | Saint Peter | DFL
Jude, Thaddeus | 42A  | Mound | DFL
Kahn, Phyllis L. | 57A  | Minneapolis | DFL
Kaley, John R. | 33A  | Rochester | IR
Kalis, Henry J. | 30A  | Walters | DFL
Kelly, Randy Cameron | 66B  | Saint Paul | DFL
Kelly, William Nelson | 02A  | East Grand Forks | DFL
Kempe, Arnold E. | 67A  | West Saint Paul | DFL
Kempe, Raymond J. | 53A  | West Saint Paul | DFL
King, Dwayne A. | 43B  | Golden Valley | DFL
Knickerbocker, Gerald C. | 40B  | Hopkins | IR
Kostohryz, Sr., Richard J. | 50B  | North Saint Paul | DFL
Kroening, Carl W. | 54A  | Minneapolis | DFL
Kvam, Adolph Leonard | 22A  | Litchfield | IR
Laidig, Gary W. | 51A  | Stillwater | IR
Langseth, Keith L. | 09B  | Glyndon | DFL
Lehto, Arlene Ione | 08A  | Duluth | DFL
Lemke, Richard R. | 34A  | Lake City | DFL
Mangan, Thomas J. | 19B  | Anoka | DFL
Mann, George L. | 27A  | Windom | DFL
McCarron, Paul | 46A  | Unknown  | DFL
McCollar, Maurice D. | 49B  | White Bear Lake | DFL
McDonald, Kenneth James | 36A  | Watertown | IR
McEachern, Robert O. | 18B  | Saint Michael | DFL
Metzen, James P. | 52A  | South Saint Paul | DFL
Moe, Donald M. | 65B  | Saint Paul | DFL
Munger, Sr., Willard M. | 07A  | Duluth | DFL
Murphy, Mary Catherine | 14B  | Hermantown | DFL
Neisen, Howard J. | 49A  | Mounds View | DFL
Nelsen, Bruce G. | 12A  | Staples | IR
Nelsen, Jr., Marlin B. | 13B  | Aitkin | DFL
Nelson, Ken G. | 59B  | Minneapolis | DFL
Niehaus, Sr., Joseph T. | 16A  | Sauk Centre | IR
Norton, Fred C. | 65A  | Saint Paul | DFL
Novak, Steven G. | 48A  | New Brighton | DFL
Onnen, Tony D. | 22B  | Cokato | IR
Osthoff, C. Thomas | 64A  | Saint Paul | DFL
Patton, Al W. | 17A  | Sartell | DFL
Pehler, James C. | 17B  | Saint Cloud | DFL
Peterson, Darrel L. | 27B  | Fairmont | IR
Petrafeso, Paul R. | 41B  | Saint Louis Park | DFL
Pleasant, Ray O. | 39B  | Bloomington | IR
Prahl, Norman Rudolph | 03B  | Grand Rapids | DFL
Redalen, Elton R. | 35A  | Fountain | IR
Reding, Leo John | 31B  | Austin | DFL
Rice, James Isaac | 54B  | Minneapolis | DFL
Rose, John T. | 48B  | Roseville | IR
Sabo, Martin Olav | 57B  | Minneapolis | DFL
Samuelson, Donald B. | 13A  | Brainerd | DFL
Sarna, John J. | 55B  | Minneapolis | DFL
Savelkoul, Henry J. | 31A  | Albert Lea | IR
Scheid, Linda J. | 45A  | Brooklyn Park | DFL
Schulz, Victor H. | 25B  | Goodhue | DFL
Searle, Sr., Rodney Newell | 30B  | Waseca | IR
Searles, Robert L. | 42B  | Wayzata | IR
Setzepfandt, A. O.H. | 21B  | Bird Island | DFL
Sherwood, Glen A. | 04B  | Pine River | IR[nb 2]
Sieben, Jr., Harry A. | 52B  | Hastings | DFL
Sieben, Michael R. | 51B  | Newport | DFL
Simoneau, Wayne A. | 46B  | Fridley | DFL
Skoglund, Wesley J. | 61B  | Minneapolis | DFL
Smogard, Ellsworth G. | 20A  | Madison | DFL
Spanish, John J. | 05B  | Hibbing | DFL
St. Onge, Doug J. | 04A  | Bemidji | DFL
Stanton, Russell P. | 20B  | Marshall | DFL
Stoa, Tom | 34B  | Winona | DFL
Suss, Ted L. | 36B  | New Prague | DFL
Swanson, James C. | 37B  | Richfield | DFL
Tomlinson, John D. | 67B  | Saint Paul | DFL
Vanasek, Robert E. | 24A  | New Prague | DFL
Voss, Gordon Owen | 47B  | Blaine | DFL
Waldorf, Eugene T. | 66A  | Saint Paul | DFL
Welch, Richard J. | 18A  | Cambridge | DFL
Wenstrom, Gene R. | 11A  | Elbow Lake | DFL
Wenzel, Stephen G. | 12B  | Little Falls | DFL
White, Jim F. | 25A  | Farmington | DFL
Wieser, Jr., Al W. | 35B  | La Crescent | IR[nb 1]
Wigley, Richard E. | 29B  | Lake Crystal | IR
Williamson, Bruce D. | 38A  | Bloomington | DFL
Wynia, Ann | 62A  | Saint Paul | DFL
Zubay, Kenneth Peter | 33B  | Rochester | IR

## Membership changes

[edit]

### Senate

[edit]

District  | Vacated by  | Reason for change  | Successor  | Date successor
seated

|
|
|
|

21  | None | Incumbent DFLer and then-Senate President Alec G. Olson had been reelected during the General Election of 1976. However, during the same election cycle, U.S. Senator Walter Mondale was elected Vice President of the United States, causing Mondale to resign from the U.S. Senate. Governor Wendell Anderson proceeded to appoint himself to Mondale's vacated seat, which caused Lieutenant Governor Rudy Perpich to succeed to the office of Governor, and hence created a vacancy in the office of Lieutenant Governor. As per the provisions of the Minnesota Constitution, Olson, as the last-elected President of the Senate, then succeeded to the office of Lieutenant Governor, causing him to automatically resign his seat in the Minnesota Senate effective December 29, 1976. Thus, this seat was already vacant when the 70th Legislature convened.  | A. O.H. Setzepfandt
(DFL)  | February 15, 1977[10]
49  | John Watson Milton
(DFL)  | Milton resigned effective November 1, 1977.[11] | Delores J. Knaak
(IR)  | December 9, 1977[12]
13  | Winston W. Borden
(DFL)  | Borden resigned to become the Executive Secretary of the Minnesota Association of Commerce and Industry.[13] | David E. Rued
(IR)  | December 29, 1978[14]

### House of Representatives

[edit]

District  | Vacated by  | Reason for change  | Successor  | Date successor
seated

|
|
|
|

21B  | A. O.H. Setzepfandt
(DFL)  | Setzepfandt resigned from the Minnesota House of Representatives after having won the special election to represent district 21 in the Minnesota Senate.[10] | Gaylin L.R. Den Ouden
(IR)  | March 18, 1977[15]
22B  | Harold J. Dahl
(DFL)  | Dahl resigned on July 31, 1977 to accept appointment as a judge.[16] | Tony Onnen
(IR)  | October 11, 1977[17]
35A  | Neil Sherman Haugerud
(DFL)  | Haugerud resigned on November 4, 1977, to accept appointment by President Jimmy Carter to serve on the Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission.[18] | Elton R. Redalen
(IR)  | December 19, 1977[19]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b Al Wieser disaffiliated from the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and joined the Independent-Republican Party of Minnesota in August 1977.[4]
2. ^ a b Glen Sherwood disaffiliated from the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and joined the Independent-Republican Party of Minnesota on March 21, 1978.[5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Sessions of the Minnesota State Legislature and the Minnesota Territorial Legislature, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
2. ^ "Party Control of the Minnesota Senate, 1951-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
3. ^ "Party Control of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1951-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
4. ^ "Wieser, Jr., Al W." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
5. ^ "Sherwood, Glen A." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
6. ^ "President and President Pro Tempore of the Minnesota Senate, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
7. ^ a b "Majority and Minority Leaders of the Minnesota Senate, 1933-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
8. ^ "Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
9. ^ a b "Majority and Minority Leaders of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1901-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
10. ^ a b "Setzepfandt, A. O.H. "Setze, Doc"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
11. ^ "Milton, John Watson". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
12. ^ "Knaak, Delores J. "Dee"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
13. ^ "Borden, Winston W. "Win"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
14. ^ "Rued, David E. "Dave"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
15. ^ "Den Ouden, Gaylin L.R." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
16. ^ "Dahl, Harold J. "Howard"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
17. ^ "Onnen, Tony D." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
18. ^ "Haugerud, Neil Sherman". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
19. ^ "Redalen, Elton R." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 9, 2017.

* Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 70, Senate)
* Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 70, House)

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