title: 76th Minnesota Legislature
text: # 76th Minnesota Legislature
  
  The 76th Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 3, 1989. The 67 members of the Minnesota Senate were elected during the General Election of November 4, 1986, and the 134 members of the Minnesota House of Representatives were elected during the General Election of November 8, 1988.
  
  ## Sessions
  
  The legislature met in a regular session from January 3, 1989, to May 22, 1989. A special session was convened from September 27, 1989, to September 29, 1989, to pass a tax bill to replace the one which was vetoed by Governor Rudy Perpich, as well as to consider property tax relief and the statewide solid waste recycling program.
  
  A continuation of the regular session was held between February 12, 1990, and April 25, 1990.
  
  ## 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) | Total | Vacant |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | DFL | IR | Total | Vacant |
  | End of previous Legislature | 45 | 21 | 66 | 1 |
  | Begin | 44 | 23 | 67 | 0 |
  | January 16, 1990 | 43 | 23 | 66 | 1 |
  | February 3, 1990 | 43 | 22 | 65 | 2 |
  | February 12, 1990 | 43 | 23 | 66 | 1 |
  | February 15, 1990 | 44 | 23 | 67 | 0 |
  | Latest voting share | 66% | 34% | | |
  | Beginning of the next Legislature | 46 | 21 | 67 | 0 |
  
  ### House of Representatives
  
  | | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | Vacant |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | DFL | IR | Total | Vacant |
  | End of previous Legislature | 81 | 51 | 132 | 2 |
  | Begin | 81 | 53 | 134 | 0 |
  | January 4, 1989 | 80 | 53 | 133 | 1 |
  | February 8, 1989 | 80 | 54 | 134 | 0 |
  | September 1, 1989 | 79 | 54 | 133 | 1 |
  | November 22, 1989 | 80 | 54 | 134 | 0 |
  | February 3, 1990 | 79 | 54 | 133 | 1 |
  | August 13, 1990 | 79 | 53 | 132 | 2 |
  | January 7, 1991 | 78 | 52 | 130 | 4 |
  | Latest voting share | 58% | 39% | | |
  | Beginning of the next Legislature | 79 | 53 | 132 | 2 |
  
  ## Leadership
  
  ### Senate
  
  **President of the Senate**
  
  
      Jerome M. Hughes (DFL-Maplewood)
  
  **Senate Majority Leader**
  
  
      Roger Moe (DFL-Erskine)
  
  **Senate Minority Leader**
  
  
      Duane Benson (IR-Lanesboro)
  
  ### House of Representatives
  
  **Speaker of the House**
  
  
      Robert Vanasek (DFL-New Prague)
  
  **House Majority Leader**
  
  
      Until June 21, 1989 Ann Wynia (DFL-St. Paul)
      After June 21, 1989 Dee Long (DFL-Minneapolis)
  
  **House Minority Leader**
  
  
      Bill Schreiber (IR-Brooklyn Park)
  
  ## Members
  
  ### Senate
  
  | Name | District | City | Party |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Adkins, Betty | 22 | St. Michael | DFL |
  | Anderson, Don A. | 12 | Wadena | IR |
  | Beckman, Tracy | 29 | Bricelyn | DFL |
  | Belanger, William | 41 | Bloomington | IR |
  | Benson, Duane | 32 | Lanesboro | IR |
  | Berg, Charlie | 11 | Chokio | DFL |
  | Berglin, Linda | 60 | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Bernhagen, John | 21 | Hutchinson | IR |
  | Bertram, Joe | 16 | Paynesville | DFL |
  | Brandl, John | 62 | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Brataas, Nancy | 33 | Rochester | IR |
  | Chmielewski, Florian | 14 | Sturgeon Lake | DFL |
  | Cohen, Dick | 64 | St. Paul | DFL |
  | Dahl, Gregory | 50 | Ham Lake | DFL |
  | Davis, Chuck | 18 | Princeton | DFL |
  | Decker, Bob | 04 | Bemidji | IR |
  | DeCramer, Gary | 27 | Ghent | DFL |
  | Dicklich, Ron | 05 | Hibbing | DFL |
  | Diessner, Bill | 56 | Afton | DFL |
  | Flynn, Carol | 61 | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Frank, Don | 51 | Spring Lake Park | DFL |
  | Frederick, Mel | 30 | Owatonna | IR |
  | Frederickson, Dave | 20 | Murdock | DFL |
  | Frederickson, Dennis | 23 | New Ulm | IR |
  | Freeman, Michael O. | 40 | Richfield | DFL |
  | Gustafson, Jim | 08 | Duluth | IR |
  | Hughes, Jerome M. | 54 | Maplewood | DFL |
  | Johnson, Dean | 15 | Willmar | IR |
  | Johnson, Doug | 06 | Tower | DFL |
  | Knaak, Fritz | 53 | White Bear Lake | IR |
  | Knutson, Howard A. | 38 | Burnsville | IR |
  | Kroening, Carl | 57 | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Laidig, Gary | 55 | Stillwater | IR |
  | Langseth, Keith | 09 | Glyndon | DFL |
  | Lantry, Marilyn | 67 | St. Paul | DFL |
  | Larson, Cal | 10 | Fergus Falls | IR |
  | Lessard, Bob | 03 | International Falls | DFL |
  | Luther, Bill | 47 | Brooklyn Park | DFL |
  | Marty, John | 63 | Roseville | DFL |
  | McGowan, Pat | 48 | Maple Grove | IR |
  | McQuaid, Phyllis W. | 44 | Saint Louis Park | IR |
  | Mehrkens, Lyle | 26 | Red Wing | IR |
  | Merriam, Gene | 49 | Coon Rapids | DFL |
  | Metzen, James | 39 | South St. Paul | DFL |
  | Moe, Donald | 65 | St. Paul | DFL |
  | Moe, Roger | 02 | Erskine | DFL |
  | Morse, Steven | 34 | Dakota | DFL |
  | Novak, Steve | 52 | New Brighton | DFL |
  | Olson, Gen | 43 | Minnetrista | IR |
  | Pariseau, Pat | 37 | Farmington | IR |
  | Pehler, Jim | 17 | St. Cloud | DFL |
  | Peterson, Donna C. | 61 | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Peterson, Randolph W. | 19 | Wyoming | DFL |
  | Piepho, Mark | 24 | Skyline | IR |
  | Piper, Pat | 31 | Austin | DFL |
  | Pogemiller, Larry | 58 | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Purfeerst, Clarence | 25 | Faribault | DFL |
  | Ramstad, Jim | 45 | Minnetonka | IR |
  | Reichgott Junge, Ember | 46 | New Hope | DFL |
  | Renneke, Earl | 35 | Le Sueur | IR |
  | Samuelson, Don | 13 | Brainerd | DFL |
  | Schmitz, Robert J. | 36 | Jordan | DFL |
  | Solon, Sam | 07 | Duluth | DFL |
  | Spear, Allan | 59 | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Storm, Don | 42 | Edina | IR |
  | Stumpf, LeRoy | 01 | Thief River Falls | DFL |
  | Taylor, Glen | 24 | Mankato | IR |
  | Vickerman, Jim | 28 | Tracy | DFL |
  | Waldorf, Gene | 66 | St. Paul | DFL |
  
  ### House of Representatives
  
  | Name | District | City | Party |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Abrams, Ron | 45A | Minnetonka | IR |
  | Anderson, Bob | 10B | Ottertail | IR |
  | Anderson, Glen H. | 20A | Bellingham | DFL |
  | Battaglia, David Peter | 06A | Two Harbors | DFL |
  | Bauerly, Jerry | 18B | Sauk Rapids | DFL |
  | Beard, Pat | 56B | Cottage Grove | DFL |
  | Begich, Joseph | 06B | Eveleth | DFL |
  | Bennett, Tony | 53A | Shoreview | IR |
  | Bertram, Jeff | 16B | Paynesville | DFL |
  | Bishop, Dave | 33B | Rochester | IR |
  | Blatz, Kathleen | 41B | Bloomington | IR |
  | Boo, Ben | 08B | Duluth | IR |
  | Brown, Chuck | 11A | Appleton | DFL |
  | Burger, John | 43A | Long Lake | IR |
  | Carlson, Doug | 14B | Sandstone | IR |
  | Carlson, Lyndon | 46B | Crystal | DFL |
  | Carruthers, Phil | 47B | Brooklyn Center | DFL |
  | Clark, Karen | 60A | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Conway, Jeff | 30B | Waseca | DFL |
  | Cooper, Roger | 21B | Bird Island | DFL |
  | Dauner, Marvin | 09B | Hawley | DFL |
  | Dawkins, Andy | 65A | St. Paul | DFL |
  | Dempsey, Terry | 23A | New Ulm | IR |
  | Dille, Steve | 21A | Dassel | IR |
  | Dorn, John | 24A | Mankato | DFL |
  | Forsythe, Mary | 42B | Edina | IR |
  | Frederick, Sal | 24B | Mankato | IR |
  | Frerichs, Don | 32A | Rochester | IR |
  | Girard, Jim | 27A | Lynd | IR |
  | Greenfield, Lee | 61A | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Gruenes, Dave | 17B | St. Cloud | IR |
  | Gutknecht, Gil | 33A | Rochester | IR |
  | Hartle, Dean | 30A | Owatonna | IR |
  | Hasskamp, Kris | 13A | Crosby | DFL |
  | Haukoos, Bob | 31A | Albert Lea | IR |
  | Hausman, Alice | 63B | St. Paul | DFL |
  | Heap, Jim | 45B | Plymouth | IR |
  | Henry, Joyce | 40B | Bloomington | IR |
  | Himle, John | 41A | Bloomington | IR |
  | Hugoson, Gene | 29A | Granada | IR |
  | Jacobs, Joel | 49B | Coon Rapids | DFL |
  | Janezich, Jerry | 05B | Chisholm | DFL |
  | Jaros, Mike | 07B | Duluth | DFL |
  | Jefferson, Jeff | 57B | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Jennings, Loren Geo | 19B | Harris | DFL |
  | Johnson, Alice | 51A | Spring Lake Park | DFL |
  | Johnson, Bob | 04A | Bemidji | DFL |
  | Johnson, Virgil | 34A | Caledonia | IR |
  | Kahn, Phyllis | 58B | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Kalis, Henry | 29B | Walters | DFL |
  | Kelly, Randy | 67A | St. Paul | DFL |
  | Kelso, Becky | 36A | Shakopee | DFL |
  | Kinkel, Tony | 04B | Park Rapids | DFL |
  | Knickerbocker, Jerry | 43B | Minnetonka | IR |
  | Kostohryz, Dick | 54B | North St. Paul | DFL |
  | Krueger, Rick | 12B | Staples | DFL |
  | Lasley, Harold | 19A | Cambridge | DFL |
  | Lieder, Bernard | 02A | Crookston | DFL |
  | Limmer, Warren | 48A | Maple Grove | IR |
  | Long, Dee | 59A | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Lynch, Teresa | 50A | Andover | IR |
  | Macklin, Bill | 36B | Lakeville | IR |
  | Marsh, Marcus M. | 17A | Sauk Rapids | IR |
  | McEachern, Robert O. | 22A | Maple Lake | DFL |
  | McDonald, K. J. | 35B | Watertown | IR |
  | McGuire, Mary Jo | 63A | Falcon Heights | DFL |
  | McLaughlin, Peter | 60B | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | McPherson, Harriet | 55B | Stillwater | IR |
  | Milbert, Bob | 39B | South St. Paul | DFL |
  | Miller, Howard G. | 20B | Redwood Falls | IR |
  | Morrison, Connie | 38A | Burnsville | IR |
  | Munger, Willard | 07A | Duluth | DFL |
  | Murphy, Mary | 08A | Hermantown | DFL |
  | Nelson, Clair | 11B | Barrett | DFL |
  | Nelson, Ken | 62A | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Neuenschwander, Bob | 03A | International Falls | DFL |
  | O'Connor, Rich | 66B | St. Paul | DFL |
  | Ogren, Paul Anders | 14A | Aitkin | DFL |
  | Olsen, Sally | 44A | Saint Louis Park | IR |
  | Olson, Edgar | 02B | Fosston | DFL |
  | Olson, Katy | 28B | Sherburn | DFL |
  | Omann, Bernie | 16A | St. Joseph | IR |
  | Onnen, Tony | 22B | Cokato | IR |
  | Orenstein, Howard | 64B | St. Paul | DFL |
  | Osthoff, Tom | 66A | St. Paul | DFL |
  | Ostrom, Don | 23B | St. Peter | DFL |
  | Otis, Todd | 59B | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Ozment, Dennis | 37B | Rosemount | IR |
  | Pappas, Sandy | 65B | St. Paul | DFL |
  | Pauly, Sidney | 42A | Eden Prairie | IR |
  | Pellow, Dick | 52B | New Brighton | IR |
  | Pelowski, Gene | 34B | Winona | DFL |
  | Peterson, J.P. | 18A | Princeton | DFL |
  | Poppenhagen, Dennis | 10A | Detroit Lakes | IR |
  | Price, Leonard | 56A | Woodbury | DFL |
  | Pugh, Tom | 39A | South St. Paul | DFL |
  | Quinn, Joe | 50B | Coon Rapids | DFL |
  | Redalen, Elton | 32B | Fountain | IR |
  | Reding, Leo | 31B | Austin | DFL |
  | Rest, Ann | 46A | New Hope | DFL |
  | Rice, Jim | 57A | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Richter, Don | 12A | Wadena | IR |
  | Rodosovich, Peter | 25B | Faribault | DFL |
  | Rukavina, Tom | 05A | Virginia | DFL |
  | Runbeck, Linda | 52A | Circle Pines | IR |
  | Sarna, John | 58A | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Schafer, Gary | 35A | Gibbon | IR |
  | Scheid, Linda | 47A | Brooklyn Park | DFL |
  | Schreiber, Bill | 48B | Brooklyn Park | IR |
  | Seaberg, Art | 38B | Eagan | IR |
  | Segal, Gloria | 44B | St. Louis Park | DFL |
  | Simoneau, Wayne | 51B | Fridley | DFL |
  | Skoglund, Wes | 61B | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Solberg, Loren | 03B | Bovey | DFL |
  | Sparby, Wally | 01B | Thief River Falls | DFL |
  | Stanius, Brad | 53B | White Bear Lake | IR |
  | Steensma, Andy | 27B | Luverne | DFL |
  | Sviggum, Steve | 26A | Kenyon | IR |
  | Swenson, Doug | 55A | Forest Lake | IR |
  | Tjornhom, Chris | 40A | Richfield | IR |
  | Tompkins, Eileen | 37A | Apple Valley | IR |
  | Trimble, Steve | 67B | St. Paul | DFL |
  | Tunheim, Jim | 01A | Kennedy | DFL |
  | Uphus, Sylvester | 15A | Sauk Centre | IR |
  | Valento, Don | 54A | Little Canada | IR |
  | Vanasek, Robert | 25A | New Prague | DFL |
  | Vellenga, Kathleen | 64A | St. Paul | DFL |
  | Voss, Gordon | 52A | Blaine | DFL |
  | Wagenius, Jean | 62B | Minneapolis | DFL |
  | Waltman, Bobby Joe | 26B | Elgin | IR |
  | Weaver, Charlie | 49A | Anoka | IR |
  | Welle, Alan | 15B | Willmar | DFL |
  | Wenzel, Steve | 13B | Little Falls | DFL |
  | Williams, Diane Wray | 09A | Moorhead | DFL |
  | Winter, Ted | 28A | Fulda | DFL |
  | Wynia, Ann | 63B | St. Paul | DFL |
  
  ## Membership changes
  
  ### Senate
  
  | District | Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date successor seated |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 37 | Darril Wegscheid (DFL) | Resigned January 1, 1989, in order to devote more time to his career. | Pat Pariseau (IR) | January 3, 1989 |
  | 48 | Tad Jude (DFL) | Resigned January 3, 1989, to take office as a Hennepin County Commissioner, subsequent to having been elected to that office in the general election of 1988. | Pat McGowan (IR) | January 3, 1989 |
  | 61 | Donna C. Peterson (DFL) | Resigned January 16, 1990, to accept a position as a lobbyist for the University of Minnesota. | Carol Flynn (DFL) | February 15, 1990 |
  | 24 | Glen Taylor (IR) | Resigned February 3, 1990, to devote more time to his business interests. | Mark Piepho (IR) | February 12, 1990 |
  
  ### House of Representatives
  
  | District | Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date successor seated |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 52A | Gordon Voss (DFL) | Resigned January 4, 1989, to accept appointment to the position of Chief Administrator of the Minnesota Metropolitan Waste Control Commission. | Linda Runbeck (IR) | February 8, 1989 |
  | 63B | Ann Wynia (DFL) | Resigned September 1, 1989, to accept appointment to the position of Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services. | Alice Hausman (DFL) | November 22, 1989 |
  | 30B | Jeff Conway (DFL) | Resigned March 13, 1990, amidst criminal felony charges. | Remained vacant | Remained vacant |
  | 53A | Tony Bennett (IR) | Resigned August 13, 1990, to accept appointment to the position of United States Marshal for the District of Minnesota. | Remained vacant | Remained vacant |
  | 32B | Elton Redalen (IR) | Resigned January 7, 1991, to accept appointment as the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. | Remained vacant | Remained vacant |
  | 50B | Joe Quinn (DFL) | Resigned January 7, 1991, to accept appointment as a Minnesota Judicial District Court Judge. | Remained vacant | Remained vacant |
  