85th Minnesota Legislature explained

Eighty-fifth Minnesota Legislature
Membership1:67 Senators
Membership2:134 Representatives

The eighty-fifth Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 3, 2007. The 67 members of the Minnesota Senate and the 134 members of the Minnesota House of Representatives were all elected during the General Election on November 7, 2006.

Sessions

The legislature met in regular session beginning January 3, 2007 and ending May 21, 2007. A bill passed on February 22 required the state to generate a significant amount of its energy needs from renewable sources.[1]

A special session was convened September 11, 2007 to pass legislature relating to floods in southeast Minnesota and the I-35W Mississippi River bridge.[2]

The legislature re-convened for regular session on February 12, 2008 and adjourned in May.

Party summary

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

Senate

Party

(Shading indicates majority caucus)

TotalVacant
DFLR
End of previous Legislature3829670
Begin4423670
January 1, 2008 <--Neuville resigns-->22661
January 3, 2008 <--Kevin Dahle elected to replace Neuville-->45670
July 28, 2008 <--Wergin appointed to Public Utilities Commission-->21661
November 5, 2008 <--Larson resigns-->44652
Latest voting share
Beginning of the next Legislature4621670

House of Representatives

Party

(Shading indicates majority caucus)

TotalVacant
DFLIRR
End of previous Legislature660671331
Begin850491340
July 17, 2007 <--Sviggum resigns-->481331
August 7, 2007 <--Steve Drazkowski elected to replace Sviggum-->491340
December 1, 2007 <--Mark Olson expelled from Republican Caucus-->1481340
Latest voting share
Beginning of the next Legislature870471340

Leadership

Senate

President of the Senate
  • James Metzen (DFL-South St. Paul)
    Senate Majority Leader
  • Lawrence Pogemiller (DFL-Minneapolis)
    Senate Minority Leader
  • David Senjem (R-Rochester)

    House of Representatives

    Speaker of the House
  • Margaret Anderson Kelliher (DFL-Minneapolis)
    House Majority Leader
  • Anthony Sertich (DFL-Chisholm)
    House Minority Leader
  • Marty Seifert (R-Marshall)

    Members

    Senate

    NameDistrictCityParty
    Anderson, Ellen66St. PaulDFL
    Bakk, Thomas M.06CookDFL
    Berglin, Linda61MinneapolisDFL
    Betzold, Don51FridleyDFL
    Bonoff, Terri43MinnetonkaDFL
    Carlson, Jim38EaganDFL
    Chaudhary, Satveer S.50FridleyDFL
    Clark, Tarryl15St. CloudDFL
    Cohen, Dick64St. PaulDFL
    Dahle, Kevin[3] 25NorthfieldDFL
    Day, Dick26OwatonnaRep
    Dibble, D. Scott60MinneapolisDFL
    Dille, Steve18DasselRep
    Doll, John P.40BurnsvilleDFL
    Erickson Ropes, Sharon31WinonaDFL
    Fischbach, Michelle14PaynesvilleRep
    Foley, Leo47Coon RapidsDFL
    Frederickson, Dennis21New UlmRep
    Gerlach, Chris37Apple ValleyRep
    Gimse, Joe13WillmarRep
    Hann, David42Eden PrairieRep
    Higgins, Linda58MinneapolisDFL
    Ingebrigtsen, Bill11AlexandriaRep
    Johnson, Debbie49Ham LakeRep
    Jungbauer, Mike48East BethelRep
    Koch, Amy T.19BuffaloRep
    Koering, Paul12Fort RipleyRep
    Kubly, Gary W.20Granite FallsDFL
    Langseth, Keith09GlyndonDFL
    Larson, Dan63BloomingtonDFL
    Latz, Ron44St. Louis ParkDFL
    Limmer, Warren32Maple GroveRep
    Lourey, Tony08KerrickDFL
    Lynch, Ann30RochesterDFL
    Marty, John54RosevilleDFL
    Metzen, James P.39South St. PaulDFL
    Michel, Geoff41EdinaRep
    Moua, Mee67St. PaulDFL
    Murphy, Steve28Red WingDFL
    Neuville, Tom[4] 25NorthfieldRep
    Olseen, Rick17HarrisDFL
    Olson, Gen33MinnetristaRep
    Olson, Mary04BemidjiDFL
    Ortman, Julianne E.34ChanhassenRep
    Pappas, Sandy65St. PaulDFL
    Pariseau, Patricia36FarmingtonRep
    Pogemiller, Lawrence J.59MinneapolisDFL
    Solon, Yvonne Prettner07DuluthDFL
    Rest, Ann H.45New HopeDFL
    Robling, Claire35JordanRep
    Rosen, Julie A.24 FairmontRep
    Rummel, Sandy53White Bear LakeDFL
    Saltzman, Kathy56WoodburyDFL
    Saxhaug, Tom03Grand RapidsDFL
    Scheid, Linda46Brooklyn ParkDFL
    Senjem, David H.29RochesterRep
    Sheran, Kathy23MankatoDFL
    Sieben, Katie57NewportDFL
    Skoe, Rod02ClearbrookDFL
    Skogen, Dan10HewittDFL
    Sparks, Dan27AustinDFL
    Stumpf, LeRoy01PlummerDFL
    Tomassoni, David J.05ChisholmDFL
    Torres Ray, Patricia62MinneapolisDFL
    Vandeveer, Ray52Forest LakeRep
    Vickerman, Jim22TracyDFL
    Wergin, Betsy16PrincetonRep
    Wiger, Chuck55North St. PaulDFL

    House of Representatives

    NameDistrictCityParty
    Abeler, Jim48BAnokaRep
    Anderson, Bruce19ABuffalo TownshipRep
    Anderson, Sarah43APlymouthRep
    Anzelc, Tom03ABalsam TownshipDFL
    Atkins, Joe39BInver Grove HeightsDFL
    Beard, Michael35AShakopeeRep
    Benson, John43BMinnetonkaDFL
    Berns, John33BWayzataRep
    Bigham, Karla57ACottage GroveDFL
    Bly, David25BNorthfieldDFL
    Brod, Laura25ANew PragueRep
    Brown, Robin27AAustinDFL
    Brynaert, Kathy23BMankatoDFL
    Buesgens, Mark35BJordanRep
    Bunn, Julie56ALake ElmoDFL
    Carlson, Lyndon45BCrystalDFL
    Clark, Karen61AMinneapolisDFL
    Cornish, Tony24BGood ThunderRep
    Davnie, Jim62AMinneapolisDFL
    Dean, Matt52BDellwoodRep
    DeLaForest, Chris49AAndoverRep
    Demmer, Randy29AHayfieldRep
    Dettmer, Bob52AForest LakeRep
    Dill, David06ACrane LakeDFL
    Dittrich, Denise47AChamplinDFL
    Dominguez, Augustine "Willie"58BMinneapolisDFL
    Doty, Al12BRoyaltonDFL
    Drazkowski, Steve[5] 28BWabashaRep
    Eastlund, Rob17AIsantiRep
    Eken, Kent02ATwin ValleyDFL
    Emmer, Tom19BDelanoRep
    Erhardt, Ron[6] 41AEdinaRep
    Erickson, Sondra16APrincetonRep
    Faust, Tim08BMoraDFL
    Finstad, Brad21BComfreyRep
    Fritz, Patti26BFaribaultDFL
    Gardner, Paul53AShoreviewDFL
    Garofalo, Pat36BFarmingtonRep
    Gottwalt, Steve15ASt. CloudRep
    Greiling, Mindy54ARosevilleDFL
    Gunther, Bob24AFairmontRep
    Hackbarth, Tom48ACedarRep
    Hamilton, Rod22BMountain LakeRep
    Hansen, Rick39ASouth St. PaulDFL
    Hausman, Alice66BSt. PaulDFL
    Haws, Larry15BSt. CloudDFL
    Heidgerken, Bud13AFreeportRep
    Hilstrom, Debra46BBrooklyn CenterDFL
    Hilty, Bill08AFinlaysonDFL
    Holberg, Mary Liz36ALakevilleRep
    Hoppe, Joe34BChaskaRep
    Hornstein, Frank60BMinneapolisDFL
    Hortman, Melissa47BBrooklyn ParkDFL
    Hosch, Larry14BSt. JosephDFL
    Howes, Larry04BWalkerRep
    Huntley, Thomas07ADuluthDFL
    Jaros, Mike07BDuluthDFL
    Johnson, Sheldon67BSt. PaulDFL
    Juhnke, Al13BWillmarDFL
    Kahn, Phyllis59BMinneapolisDFL
    Kalin, Jeremy17BLindstromDFL
    Kelliher, Margaret Anderson60AMinneapolisDFL
    Knuth, Kate50BNew BrightonDFL
    Koenen, Lyle20BClara CityDFL
    Kohls, Paul34AVictoriaRep
    Kranz, Scott51ABlaineDFL
    Laine, Carolyn50AColumbia HeightsDFL
    Lanning, Morrie09AMoorheadRep
    Lenczewski, Ann40BBloomingtonDFL
    Lesch, John66ASt. PaulDFL
    Liebling, Tina30ARochesterDFL
    Lieder, Bernard01BCrookstonDFL
    Lillie, Leon55ANorth St. PaulDFL
    Loeffler, Diane59AMinneapolisDFL
    Madore, Shelley37AApple ValleyDFL
    Magnus, Doug22ASlaytonRep
    Mahoney, Tim67ASt. PaulDFL
    Mariani, Carlos65BSt. PaulDFL
    Marquart, Paul09BDilworthDFL
    Masin, Sandra38AEaganDFL
    McFarlane, Carol53BWhite Bear LakeRep
    McNamara, Denny57BHastingsRep
    Moe, Frank04ABemidjiDFL
    Morgan, Will40ABurnsvilleDFL
    Morrow, Terry23ASt. PeterDFL
    Mullery, Joe58AMinneapolisDFL
    Murphy, Erin64ASt. PaulDFL
    Murphy, Mary06BHermantownDFL
    Nelson, Michael46ABrooklyn ParkDFL
    Nornes, Bud10AFergus FallsRep
    Norton, Kim29BRochesterDFL
    Olin, Dave01AThief River FallsDFL
    Olson, Mark[7] 16BBig LakeIR
    Otremba, Mary Ellen11BLong PrairieDFL
    Ozment, Dennis37BRosemountRep
    Paulsen, Erik42BEden PrairieRep
    Paymar, Michael64BSt. PaulDFL
    Pelowski, Gene31AWinonaDFL
    Peppin, Joyce32ARogersRep
    Peterson, Aaron20AAppletonDFL
    Peterson, Neil W.41BBloomingtonRep
    Peterson, Sandra45ANew HopeDFL
    Poppe, Jeanne27BAustinDFL
    Rukavina, Tom05AVirginiaDFL
    Ruth, Connie26AOwatonnaRep
    Ruud, Maria42AMinnetonkaDFL
    Sailer, Brita02BPark RapidsDFL
    Scalze, Bev54BLittle CanadaDFL
    Seifert, Marty21AMarshallRep
    Sertich, Tony05BChisholmDFL
    Severson, Dan14ASauk RapidsRep
    Shimanski, Ron18ASilver LakeRep
    Simon, Steve44ASt. Louis ParkDFL
    Simpson, Dean10BPerhamRep
    Slawik, Nora55BMaplewoodRep
    Slocum, Linda63BRichfieldDFL
    Smith, Steve33AMoundRep
    Solberg, Loren03BGrand RapidsDFL
    Sviggum, Steve[8] 28BKenyonRep
    Swails, Marsha56BWoodburyDFL
    Thao, Cy65ASt. PaulDFL
    Thissen, Paul63AMinneapolisDFL
    Tillberry, Tom51BFridleyDFL
    Tingelstad, Kathy49BAndoverRep
    Tschumper, Ken31BLa CrescentDFL
    Urdahl, Dean18BGrove CityRep
    Wagenius, Jean62BMinneapolisDFL
    Walker, Neva61BMinneapolisDFL
    Ward, John12ABrainerdDFL
    Wardlow, Lynn38BEaganRep
    Welti, Andy30BPlainviewDFL
    Westrom, Torrey11AElbow LakeRep
    Winkler, Ryan44BGolden ValleyDFL
    Wollschlager, Sandy28ACannon FallsDFL
    Zellers, Kurt32BMaple GroveRep

    Membership changes

    Senate

    DistrictVacated byReason for changeSuccessorDate successor
    elected
    25nowrap Tom Neuville
    (R)
    Resigned effective January 1, 2008 to accept appointment as Third Judicial District trial court judge.nowrap Kevin Dahle
    (DFL)
    January 3, 2008
    16nowrap Betsy Wergin
    (R)
    Resigned July 28, 2008 to accept appointment to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Successor elected November 4, 2008, but did not assume office until the convention of the 86th Minnesota Legislature.nowrap Lisa Fobbe
    (DFL)
    November 4, 2008
    63nowrap Dan Larson
    (DFL)
    Resigned effective November 5, 2008. Successor elected November 4, 2008, but did not assume office until the convention of the 86th Minnesota Legislature.nowrap Ken Kelash
    (DFL)
    November 4, 2008

    House of Representatives

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. [n:Minnesota to require 25% renewable energy production|Minnesota to require 25% renewable energy production]
    2. http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/bills/billnum.asp?Billnumber=HF1&ls_year=85&session_year=2007&session_number=1 Bill Number Search- Minnesota House of Representatives
    3. Kevin Dahle was elected in January 2008 to replace Tom Neuville.
    4. Tom Neuville resigned in December 2007 accept a District Court appointment.
    5. Steve Drazkowski was elected via special election held August 7, 2007 to succeed resigned representative Steve Sviggum.
    6. Ron Erhardt lost the Republican endorsement for re-election in 2008 and ran as an Independent. Erhardt lost the election.
    7. Mark Olson was suspended from the Republican Caucus and declared himself as an Independent-Republican.
    8. On July 17, 2007, Steve Sviggum resigned his seat to become Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce and Industry; a special election held on August 7, 2007 named Steve Drazkowski as his successor.