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Simoneau, Wayne A.

Sessions Served

Other Information

House 1975-82 (District 46B); House 1983-92 (District 51B); House 1993-95 (District 52A)

Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Counties Served: Anoka, Ramsey

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 1/17/1935

Birth Place: Washburn, Wisconsin

Birth County:

Birth Country: United States

Date of Death: 5/21/2017

Gender: Male

Religion: Catholic

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names:

City of Residence (when first elected): Fridley

Occupation (when first elected): Mechanic

EDUCATION

Anoka-Ramsey Vo-Tech; Vocational-Technical School;
University of Minnesota; Attended College;
University of Minnesota, Humphrey Institute; Attended College;
Dunwoody Institute; Vocational-Technical School; Auto Mechanics, Graduate
George Washington University; Attended College;

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Military: National Guard (8 years); 19?? to ?

Municipal Government: Fridley, Minnesota (Building Standards and Design Control); 19?? to 19??

County Auditor: Anoka County, Minnesota (Chief Deputy Auditor); 1989 to 1991

State Agency: Minnesota Department of Employee Relations (Deputy Commissioner, Labor Relations, Appointed by Governor Arne Carlson); 06/1995 to 10/1995 [Appointed]

State Agency: Minnesota Department of Employee Relations (Acting Commissioner, Appointed by Governor Arne Carlson); 10/1995 to 10/1996 [Appointed]

State Agency: Minnesota Department of Finance (Commissioner, Appointed by Governor Arne Carlson); 10/1996 to 01/1999 [Appointed]

State Agency: Minnesota Department of Employee Relations (Acting Commissioner, Appointed by Governor Jesse Ventura); 12/1999 to 2000 [Appointed]

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Jane (married around 1959)
Children: Six children: Lisa, Laura, Leslie, Tony, Paul, and Matt
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

He moved to Minneapolis at age 18 to learn auto mechanics at Dunwoody Institute (Star Tribune, 5/28/2017).

His interests included collective bargaining, pay equity, workers' compensation, and public employee pensions (Star Tribune, 5/28/2017).

He was instrumental in ending the metro bus strike and working to restore Minnesota's AAA bond rating (Arne Carlson, Star Tribune, 5/29/17).

Religion provided by the Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975.

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Total Days Served: 7469

SESSIONS SERVED

79th Legislative Session (1995-1996)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/1995

Body: House

District: 52A

Elected: 11/8/1994

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/2/1995 to 6/18/1995 (unfinished term)
Oath Date: 1/3/1995

Counties Represented: Anoka, Ramsey

Occupation: Consultant

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Capital Investment
Financial Institutions and Insurance (Chair)
General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Elections
General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Elections: Veterans Affairs
International Trade and Economic Development

Reason for unfinished term: Appointed to other office

Session Notes: He was appointed by Governor Arne Carlson as a Deputy Commissioner with the Minnesota Department of Employee Relations.

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78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/5/1993

Body: House

District: 52A

Elected: 11/3/1992

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/1/1995
Oath Date: 1/5/1993

Counties Represented: Anoka, Ramsey

Occupation: Consultant

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Capital Investment
Health and Human Services (Chair)
Health and Human Services: Health and Housing Finance Division
Health and Human Services: Human Services Finance Division
Rules and Legislative Administration
Ways and Means

77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/8/1991

Body: House

District: 51B

Elected: 11/6/1990

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/7/1991 to 1/3/1993
Oath Date: 1/8/1991

Counties Represented: Anoka

Occupation: Consultant

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Appropriations (Chair)
Appropriations: Economic Development, Infrastructure, and Regulation Division
Appropriations: Education Division
Appropriations: Environment and Natural Resources Division
Appropriations: Human Resources Division
Appropriations: State Government Division
Redistricting
Rules and Legislative Administration
Ways and Means

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76th Legislative Session (1989-1990)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/1989

Body: House

District: 51B

Elected: 11/8/1988

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/2/1989 to 1/6/1991
Oath Date: 1/3/1989

Counties Represented: Anoka

Occupation: Consultant

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Appropriations (Chair) [He became Chair of the Appropriations Committee effective November 1, 1989.]
Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources: Solid Waste
Governmental Operations (Chair) [He stopped being Chair on November 1, 1989.]
Governmental Operations: Government Structures
Governmental Operations: Pensions
Governmental Operations: Personnel
Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs
Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs: Local Government and Structures
Rules and Legislative Administration

75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/6/1987

Body: House

District: 51B

Elected: 11/4/1986

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/5/1987 to 1/1/1989
Oath Date: 1/6/1987

Counties Represented: Anoka

Occupation: Consultant/Mechanic

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Environment and Natural Resources
Governmental Operations (Chair)
Governmental Operations: Government Structures
Governmental Operations: Pensions
Governmental Operations: Personnel
Labor-Management Relations
Labor-Management Relations: Unemployment Insurance and Workers Compensation Division
Metropolitan Affairs
Metropolitan Affairs: Transportation
Rules and Legislative Administration

74th Legislative Session (1985-1986)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/8/1985

Body: House

District: 51B

Elected: 11/6/1984

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/7/1985 to 1/4/1987
Oath Date: 1/8/1985

Counties Represented: Anoka

Occupation: Consultant

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
General Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Firearms
General Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Veterans Affairs
Governmental Operations
Labor-Management Relations
Labor-Management Relations: Unemployment Insurance and Workers Compensation Division
Labor-Management Relations: Video Display Terminal

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73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/4/1983

Body: House

District: 51B

Elected: 11/2/1982

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/3/1983 to 1/6/1985
Oath Date: 1/4/1983

Counties Represented: Anoka

Occupation: Mechanic/Workers' Compensation Consultant

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources: Game and Fish
Governmental Operations
Governmental Operations: Pensions and Investments (Chair)
Labor-Management Relations
Labor-Management Relations: Workers' Compensation Division (Chair)

72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/6/1981

Body: House

District: 46B

Elected: 11/4/1980

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
Oath Date: 1/6/1981

Counties Represented: Anoka

Occupation: Mechanic

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Governmental Operations
Governmental Operations: Personnel (Chair)
Labor-Management Relations
Labor-Management Relations: Workers Compensation
Regulated Industries
Regulated Industries: Rates Under Bond-Interim Rates
Rules and Legislative Administration
Rules and Legislative Administration: Permanent Rules

Leadership Position: Assistant Majority Leader

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71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/1979

Body: House

District: 46B

Elected: 11/7/1978

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
Oath Date: 1/3/1979

Counties Represented: Anoka

Occupation: Mechanic

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Commerce, Economic Development and Housing
Commerce, Economic Development and Housing: Business and Job Development
Governmental Operations
Governmental Operations: Personnel
Labor-Management Relations
Labor-Management Relations: Worker's Compensation
Local and Urban Affairs [He served in 1980 only.]

70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/4/1977

Body: House

District: 46B

Elected: 11/2/1976

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 12/31/1978
Oath Date: 1/4/1977

Counties Represented: Anoka

Occupation: Mechanic

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Commerce and Economic Development
Governmental Operations
Labor-Management Relations

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69th Legislative Session (1975-1976)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/7/1975

Body: House

District: 46B

Elected: 11/5/1974

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/6/1975 to 1/2/1977
Oath Date: 1/7/1975

Counties Represented: Anoka

Occupation: Mechanic

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Commerce and Economic Development
Governmental Operations
Labor-Management Relations

OTHER INFORMATION

Articles & Books About

Carlson, Arne. "In Memoriam: He Brought Out the Best in All of Us; What Greater Gift is There?" Star Tribune, May 29, 2017.
Pheifer, Pat. "State Finance Commissioner was 'Splendid Public Servant.' Star Tribune, May 28, 2017.
"Simoneau, Wayne A." Star Tribune, May 23, 2017.
Wetzel, Matt. "Simoneau Says Being in Legislature Was Like Going to College Constantly." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, April 17, 1998, p. 4.
Cassidy, Jerry. "Simoneau Steps Down." Columbia Heights-Fridley Focus-News, June 13, 1995, p. 1, 8.

News Sources

The Library maintains newspaper clippings on individual legislators during their terms. Clippings are available from 1973 to the present in a variety of formats: 1973-1999, microfiche available at the Library; 2000-2009, scanned in yearly compilations and digitally available on the legislative network; 2009-present, archived in a searchable database maintained by the Library and available on the legislative network.

These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

Photographs

Portrait of Wayne A. Simoneau. c. 1985. Photo credit: Minnesota House of Representatives.

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