72nd Minnesota Legislature

The seventy-second Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 6, 1981. 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 4, 1980.

Sessions
The legislature met in a regular session from January 6, 1981, to May 18, 1981. Three special sessions were also convened in 1981. The first of these special sessions was convened on June 6 to consider the state budget, appropriations, and a tax bill. The second of the special sessions was convened on July 1 and July 2 to consider a short-term borrowing law and to correct errors in the laws enacted during the regular session. The third special session of 1981 was convened from December 1, 1981, to January 18, 1982, to consider reducing appropriations.

A continuation of the regular session was held between January 12, 1982, and March 19, 1982. Three additional special sessions were also held in 1982. The first of these special sessions was convened on March 30 to consider changes to the state's unemployment and workers' compensation laws. The second was convened on July 9 to consider authorizing Albert Lea to spend federal revenue sharing funds, and to consider providing employment aid to the Iron Range from the Northeast Minnesota Economic Protection Fund. The final special session of the 72nd Minnesota Legislature met from December 7, 1982, to December 10, 1982, and considered reductions in appropriations, reducing employer and increasing employee contributions to various retirement funds, adding two members to the investment advisory board, and so forth.

Party summary

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

Senate

 * President of the Senate
 * John T. Davies (DFL-Minneapolis)


 * Senate Majority Leader
 * Roger Moe (DFL-Ada)


 * Senate Minority Leader
 * Robert O. Ashbach (IR-St. Paul)

House of Representatives

 * Speaker of the House
 * Harry A. Sieben (DFL-Hastings)


 * House Majority Leader
 * Willis Eken (DFL-Twin Valley)


 * House Minority Leader
 * Until February 1982 Glen Sherwood (IR-Pine River)
 * From February 1982 David M. Jennings (IR-Truman)