67th Minnesota Legislature

The sixty-seventh Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 5, 1971. 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, 1970. The session is considered notable for the passage of the "Minnesota Miracle",[1] a legislative package aimed at lowering local property taxes and eliminating wide fiscal disparities between school districts and local governments caused by differences in property wealth. This was achieved by raising state income, business, and sales taxes by $580 million (not inflation adjusted), while the share of school operating costs covered by the state increased from 43% to 65%.[2] The laws earned Minnesota's Governor a spot on the cover of Time Magazine,[3] while also serving as the start to a broader period of statewide reform and DFL dominance of state politics in the 1970s.[4]

Sixty-seventh Minnesota Legislature
66th Minnesota Legislature 68th Minnesota Legislature
Overview
Legislative bodyMinnesota Legislature
JurisdictionMinnesota, United States
Meeting placeMinnesota State Capitol
Websitewww.leg.state.mn.us
Minnesota State Senate
Members67 Senators
PresidentRudy Perpich
Majority LeaderStanley W. Holmquist
Minority LeaderNick Coleman (politician)
Party controlRepublican Party of Minnesota
Minnesota House of Representatives
Members134 Representatives
SpeakerAubrey W. Dirlam
Majority LeaderErnest A. Lindstrom
Minority LeaderMartin Olav Sabo
Party controlRepublican Party of Minnesota
Sessions
1971January 5, 1971 (1971-01-05) – May 24, 1971 (1971-05-24)
Special sessions
1971, 1stMay 25, 1971 (1971-05-25) – October 30, 1971 (1971-10-30)

Sessions

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The legislature met in a regular session from January 5, 1971, to May 24, 1971. After the DFL Governor and Republican legislature failed to reach an agreement on a tax bill, a special session was called. It was held from May 25 to October 30 of 1971 and is still the longest in Minnesota history.[5]

Major legislation

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Party summary

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

Senate

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Party[9]
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total Vacant
R DFL
End of previous Legislature 45 22 67 0
Begin 34 33 67 0
Latest voting share 51% 49%
Beginning of the next Legislature 30 37 67 0

House of Representatives

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Party[9]
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total Vacant
R DFL
End of previous Legislature 85 50 134 0
Begin 70 65 134 0
Latest voting share 52% 49%
Beginning of the next Legislature 57 77 134 0

Leadership

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Senate

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House of Representatives

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Members

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Senate

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House of Representatives

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See also

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Minnesota's Miracle: Learning from the Government that Worked – Tom Berg

References

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  1. ^ Haynes, John E. (18 July 2016). "Wendell Anderson and the Minnesota Miracle". StarTribune. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  2. ^ Dornfeld, Steven (2007). "The Minnesota Miracle" (PDF). Minnesota History. 60 (8). Minnesota Historical Society: 13.
  3. ^ "Time Magazine Vault". Time Magazine.
  4. ^ Kenney, Dave; Saylor, Thomas (2013). Minnesota in the '70s. Minnesota Historical Society Press. pp. 22–23. ISBN 978-0-87351-893-2.
  5. ^ "Sessions of the Minnesota State Legislature and the Minnesota Territorial Legislature, 1849–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  6. ^ Myron, Orfeld; Wallace, Nicholas (2007). "The Minnesota Fiscal Disparities Act of 1971: The Twin Cities Struggle and Blueprint for Regional Cooperation". University of Minnesota Press.
  7. ^ Hayes, John E. (18 July 2016). "Wendell Anderson and the Minnesota Miracle". StarTribune.
  8. ^ Dornfeld, Steven (2008). "The Minnesota Miracle" (PDF). Minnesota History. 60 (8). Minnesota Historical Society.
  9. ^ a b "Party Control of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1951–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  10. ^ "President and President Pro Tempore of the Minnesota Senate, 1849–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Majority and Minority Leaders of the Minnesota Senate, 1933–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1849–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Majority and Minority Leaders of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1901–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 31 January 2024.