The seventy-eighth Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 5, 1993. 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 3, 1992.

Sessions

The legislature met in a regular session from January 5, 1993, to May 17, 1993. A special session was convened on May 27, 1993, to consider the state budget, health and human services finance, higher education finance, financial disclosure of election campaign contributions, contingency airplane replacement funding, sentencing for repeat domestic abusers, and a revisor's bill to correct technical errors.

A continuation of the regular session was held between February 22, 1994, and May 6, 1994. An additional special session was convened on August 31, 1994, to strengthen legislation regarding sexual predators.

Under this session, in 1994, a record of 6 special elections in one year were held for the Minnesota Legislature. The record was tied in 2025.

Party summary

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

Senate

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalVacant
DFLIR
End of previous Legislature4620661
Begin4522670
September 19, 199421661
December 4, 199422670
January 1, 19954324670
Latest voting share64%36%
Beginning of the next Legislature4324670

House of Representatives

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalVacant
DFLIR
End of previous Legislature78531313
Begin86471331
January 15, 1993481340
May 18, 1993851331
July 22, 1993491340
January 4, 1994841331
February 16, 1994501340
Latest voting share63%37%
Beginning of the next Legislature71631340

Leadership

Senate

President of the Senate

Allan Spear (DFL-Minneapolis)

Senate Majority Leader

Roger Moe (DFL-Erskine)

Senate Minority Leader

Dean Johnson (R-Willmar)

House of Representatives

Speaker of the House

Until September 15, 1993 Dee Long (DFL-Minneapolis)

After September 15, 1993 Irv Anderson (DFL-International Falls)

House Majority Leader

Until March 23, 1993 Alan Welle (DFL-Willmar)

From March 25, 1993, to September 15, 1993 Irv Anderson (DFL-International Falls)

After September 15, 1993 Phil Carruthers (DFL-Brooklyn Center)

House Minority Leader

Steve Sviggum (R-Kenyon)

Members

Senate

NameDistrictCityParty
Adkins, Betty19St. MichaelDFL
Anderson, Ellen66St. PaulDFL
Beckman, Tracy26BricelynDFL
Belanger, William41BloomingtonIR
Benson, Duane31LanesboroIR
Benson, Joanne16St. CloudIR
Berg, Charlie13ChokioDFL
Berglin, Linda61MinneapolisDFL
Bertram, Joe14PaynesvilleDFL
Betzold, Don48FridleyDFL
Chandler, Kevin M.55White Bear LakeDFL
Chmielewski, Florian08Sturgeon LakeDFL
Cohen, Dick64St. PaulDFL
Day, Dick28OwatonnaIR
Dille, Steve20DasselIR
Finn, Skip04Cass LakeDFL
Flynn, Carol62MinneapolisDFL
Frederickson, Dennis23New UlmIR
Hanson, Paula50Ham LakeDFL
Hottinger, John24MankatoDFL
Janezich, Jerry05ChisholmDFL
Johnson, Dean15WillmarIR
Johnson, Doug06TowerDFL
Johnson, Janet18North BranchDFL
Johnston, Terry35Prior LakeIR
Kelly, Randy67St. PaulDFL
Kiscaden, Sheila30RochesterIR
Kleis, Dave16St. CloudIR
Knutson, David36BurnsvilleIR
Kramer, Don47Brooklyn CenterIR
Krentz, Jane51May TownshipDFL
Kroening, Carl58MinneapolisDFL
Laidig, Gary56StillwaterIR
Langseth, Keith09GlyndonDFL
Larson, Cal10Fergus FallsIR
Lesewski, Arlene21MarshallIR
Lessard, Bob03International FallsDFL
Luther, Bill47Brooklyn ParkDFL
Marty, John54RosevilleDFL
McGowan, Pat33Maple GroveIR
Merriam, Gene49Coon RapidsDFL
Metzen, James39South St. PaulDFL
Moe, Roger02ErskineDFL
Mondale, Ted44Saint Louis ParkDFL
Morse, Steven32DakotaDFL
Murphy, Steve29Red WingDFL
Neuville, Thomas25NorthfieldIR
Novak, Steve52New BrightonDFL
Oliver, Edward43DeephavenIR
Olson, Gen34MinnetristaIR
Ourada, Mark19BuffaloIR
Pappas, Sandra65St. PaulDFL
Pariseau, Pat37FarmingtonIR
Piper, Pat27AustinDFL
Pogemiller, Larry59MinneapolisDFL
Price, Leonard57WoodburyDFL
Ranum, Jane63MinneapolisDFL
Reichgott Junge, Ember46New HopeDFL
Riveness, Phil40BloomingtonDFL
Robertson, Martha45MinnetonkaIR
Runbeck, Linda53Circle PinesIR
Sams, Dallas11StaplesDFL
Samuelson, Don12BrainerdDFL
Scheevel, Kenric31PrestonIR
Solon, Sam07DuluthDFL
Spear, Allan60MinneapolisDFL
Stevens, Dan17MoraIR
Stumpf, LeRoy01Thief River FallsDFL
Terwilliger, Roy42EdinaIR
Vickerman, Jim22TracyDFL
Wiener, Deanna38EaganDFL

House of Representatives

NameDistrictCityParty
Abrams, Ron45AMinnetonkaIR
Anderson, Bob10AOttertailDFL
Anderson, Irv03AInternational FallsDFL
Asch, Marc53BNorth OaksDFL
Battaglia, David Peter06ATwo HarborsDFL
Bauerly, Jerry17BSauk RapidsDFL
Beard, Pat57BCottage GroveDFL
Bergson, Brian Merritt48AOsseoDFL
Bertram, Jeff14BPaynesvilleDFL
Bettermann, Hilda10BBrandonIR
Bishop, Dave30BRochesterIR
Blatz, Kathleen40BBloomingtonIR
Brown, Chuck13AAppletonDFL
Brown, Kay25ANorthfieldDFL
Carlson, Lyndon46BCrystalDFL
Carruthers, Phil47BBrooklyn CenterDFL
Clark, Karen61AMinneapolisDFL
Commers, Tim38AEaganIR
Cooper, Roger15BBird IslandDFL
Dauner, Marvin09BHawleyDFL
Davids, Gregory31BPrestonIR
Dawkins, Andy65ASt. PaulDFL
Dehler, Steve14ASt. JosephIR
Delmont, Mike51ALexingtonDFL
Dempsey, Jerry29AHastingsIR
Dorn, John24AMankatoDFL
Erhardt, Ron42AEdinaIR
Evans, Geri52BNew BrightonDFL
Farrell, Jim67ASt. PaulDFL
Finseth, Tim01BAngus TownshipIR
Frerichs, Don31ARochesterIR
Garcia, Edwina63BRichfieldDFL
Girard, Jim21ALyndIR
Goodno, Kevin09AMoorheadIR
Greenfield, Lee62AMinneapolisDFL
Greiling, Mindy54BRosevilleDFL
Gruenes, Dave16BSt. CloudIR
Gutknecht, Gil30ARochesterIR
Hasskamp, Kris12ACrosbyDFL
Haukoos, Bob27AAlbert LeaIR
Hausman, Alice66BSt. PaulDFL
Holsten, Mark56AStillwaterIR
Hugoson, Gene26AGranadaIR
Huntley, Thomas06BDuluthDFL
Jacobs, Joel49BCoon RapidsDFL
Jaros, Mike07BDuluthDFL
Jefferson, Jeff58BMinneapolisDFL
Jennings, Loren Geo18BHarrisDFL
Johnson, Alice48BSpring Lake ParkDFL
Johnson, Bob04ABemidjiDFL
Johnson, Virgil32BCaledoniaIR
Kahn, Phyllis59BMinneapolisDFL
Kalis, Henry26BWaltersDFL
Kelley, Steve44AHopkinsDFL
Kelso, Becky35BShakopeeDFL
Kinkel, Tony04BPark RapidsDFL
Klinzing, Stephanie19BElk RiverDFL
Knickerbocker, Jerry43BMinnetonkaIR
Knight, Kevin40BBloomingtonIR
Koppendrayer, LeRoy17APrincetonIR
Krinkie, Philip53AShoreviewIR
Krueger, Rick11BStaplesDFL
Lasley, Harold18ACambridgeDFL
Leppik, Peggy45BGolden ValleyIR
Lieder, Bernard02ACrookstonDFL
Limmer, Warren33BMaple GroveIR
Lindner, Arlon33ACorcoranIR
Long, Dee60AMinneapolisDFL
Lourey, Becky08BKerrickDFL
Luther, Darlene47ABrooklyn ParkDFL
Lynch, Teresa50BAndoverIR
Macklin, Bill37BLakevilleIR
Mahon, Mark40ABloomingtonDFL
Mariani, Carlos65BSt. PaulDFL
McCollum, Betty55BNorth St. PaulDFL
McGuire, Mary Jo54AFalcon HeightsDFL
Milbert, Bob39BSouth St. PaulDFL
Molnau, Carol35AChaskaIR
Morrison, Connie36BBurnsvilleIR
Mosel, Darrel23BGaylordDFL
Munger, Willard07ADuluthDFL
Murphy, Mary08AHermantownDFL
Neary, Pamela56BAftonDFL
Nelson, Syd11ASebekaDFL
Ness, Bob20ADasselIR
Olson, Edgar02BFosstonDFL
Olson, Katy22BSherburnDFL
Olson, Mark19ABig LakeIR
Onnen, Tony20BCokatoIR
Opatz, Joe16ASt. CloudDFL
Orenstein, Howard64BSt. PaulDFL
Orfield, Myron60BMinneapolisDFL
Osthoff, Tom66ASt. PaulDFL
Ostrom, Don24BSt. PeterDFL
Ozment, Dennis37ARosemountIR
Pauly, Sidney42BEden PrairieIR
Pawlenty, Tim38BEaganIR
Pelowski, Gene32AWinonaDFL
Perlt, Walt57AWoodburyDFL
Petersen, Doug13BMadisonDFL
Pugh, Tom39ASouth St. PaulDFL
Reding, Leo27BAustinDFL
Rest, Ann46ANew HopeDFL
Rhodes, Jim44BSt. Louis ParkIR
Rice, Jim58AMinneapolisDFL
Rodosovich, Peter25BFaribaultDFL
Rukavina, Tom05AVirginiaDFL
Sarna, John59AMinneapolisDFL
Seagren, Alice41ABloomingtonIR
Sekhon, Kathleen50ABurns TownshipDFL
Simoneau, Wayne52AFridleyDFL
Skoglund, Wes62BMinneapolisDFL
Smith, Steve34AMoundIR
Solberg, Loren03BBoveyDFL
Sparby, Wally01BThief River FallsDFL
Stanius, Brad55AWhite Bear LakeIR
Steensma, Andy21BLuverneDFL
Sviggum, Steve28BKenyonIR
Swenson, Doug51BForest LakeIR
Tomassoni, Dave05BChisholmDFL
Tompkins, Eileen36AApple ValleyIR
Trimble, Steve67BSt. PaulDFL
Tunheim, Jim01AKennedyDFL
Van Dellen, H. Todd34BPlymouthIR
Van Engen, Tom15ASpicerIR
Vellenga, Kathleen64ASt. PaulDFL
Vickerman, Barb23ARedwood FallsIR
Wagenius, Jean63AMinneapolisDFL
Waltman, Bobby Joe29BElginIR
Weaver, Charlie49AAnokaIR
Wejcman, Linda61BMinneapolisDFL
Welle, Alan15AWillmarDFL
Wenzel, Steve12BLittle FallsDFL
Winter, Ted22AFuldaDFL
Wolf, Ken41BBurnsvilleIR
Worke, Gary28AWasecaIR
Workman, Tom43AChanhassenIR

Membership changes

Senate

DistrictVacated byReason for changeSuccessorDate successor seated
31Duane Benson (IR)Resigned September 19, 1994, to become Director of the Minnesota Business Partnership.Kenric Scheevel (IR)December 8, 1994
19Betty Adkins (DFL)Announced retirement in June 1994, effective January 1, 1995.Mark Ourada (IR)January 3, 1995
47Bill Luther (DFL)Resigned January 1, 1995, to take office as the United States representative from Minnesota's 6th congressional district on January 3, 1995, pursuant to winning election to that office in the General Election of 1994.Don Kramer (IR)January 9, 1995
16Joanne Benson (IR)Became Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota on January 3, 1995, pursuant to winning election to that office in the General Election of 1994.Dave Kleis (IR)January 9, 1995

House of Representatives

DistrictVacated byReason for changeSuccessorDate successor seated
44BGloria Segal (DFL)Resigned December 14, 1992, for health reasons related to a cancerous tumor. Was reelected, but resigned before the 78th Legislature convened.Jim Rhodes (IR)January 15, 1993
01BWally Sparby (DFL)Resigned May 18, 1993, to accept appointment as the State Director of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service.Tim Finseth (IR)July 22, 1993
15AAlan Welle (DFL)Resigned January 4, 1994, as part of a plea agreement related to abuse of telephone privileges in the "phonegate" scandal.Tom Van Engen (IR)February 16, 1994
40BKathleen Blatz (IR)Resigned effective January 24, 1994, to accept appointment as a Hennepin County District Court Judge.Kevin Knight (IR)January 24, 1994