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    Laidig, Gary W.

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1973-82 (District 57A): Senate 1983-92 (District 55); Senate 1993-2000 (District 56)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus

    Counties Served:  Washington

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 8/15/1948
    Birth Place: York, Pennsylvania
    Birth County:
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Methodist
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Bayport
    Occupation (when first elected): Student

    EDUCATION

    Minnetonka High School; Secondary; Graduate
    University of Minnesota; Attended College;
    Morningside College; Attended College;
    University of Wisconsin, River Falls; Attended College; Pre-Law

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    County Board/Commissioner: Washington County, Minnesota (County Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee); 19?? to 19??
    Military: United States Marine Corps (South Vietnam); 1968 to 1970

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Paula
    Children: Two children: Meghan and Sean
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    Special Legislative Concerns: taxes, environment, economic development, small business.

    He was a member of the Republican Party.

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

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 10227

    SESSIONS SERVED

    81st Legislative Session (1999-2000) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1999
    Body: Senate
    District: 56
    Elected: 11/5/1996
    Residence: Stillwater
    Term of Office: 1/6/1997 to 12/31/2000
    Oath Date: 1/7/1997
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Crime Prevention
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources/Agriculture and Rural Development/State Government Finance: Environment and Agriculture Budget Division
    • Judiciary/Crime Prevention/Human Resources Finance: Crime Prevention and Judiciary Budget Division
    • Rules and Administration
    • State Government Finance
    • Transportation

    80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1997
    Body: Senate
    District: 56
    Elected: 11/5/1996
    Residence: Stillwater
    Term of Office: 1/6/1997 to 12/31/2000
    Oath Date: 1/7/1997
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Crime Prevention
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources/Agriculture and Rural Development/State Government Finance: Environment and Agriculture Budget Division
    • Judiciary/Crime Prevention/Human Resources Finance: Crime Prevention and Judiciary Budget Division
    • Rules and Administration
    • State Government Finance
    • Transportation
    term photo
    Click to view

    79th Legislative Session (1995-1996) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1995
    Body: Senate
    District: 56
    Elected: 11/3/1992
    Residence: Stillwater
    Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/5/1997
    Oath Date: 1/5/1993
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Independent Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Crime Prevention
    • Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention Finance Division
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
    • Ethics and Campaign Reform
    • Finance
    • Finance: Capital Budget
    • Rules and Administration
    term photo
    Click to view

    78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1993
    Body: Senate
    District: 56
    Elected: 11/3/1992
    Residence: Stillwater
    Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/5/1997
    Oath Date: 1/5/1993
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Crime Prevention
    • Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention Finance Division
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
    • Ethics and Campaign Reform
    • Finance
    • Rules and Administration

    77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1991
    Body: Senate
    District: 55
    Elected: 11/6/1990
    Residence: Stillwater
    Term of Office: 1/7/1991 to 1/3/1993
    Oath Date: 1/8/1991
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Elections and Ethics
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
    • Finance
    • Finance: Environment and Natural Resources Division
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Criminal Justice System Oversight
    • Judiciary: Criminal Law Division
    • Metropolitan Affairs
    • Rules and Administration
    term photo
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    76th Legislative Session (1989-1990) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1989
    Body: Senate
    District: 55
    Elected: 11/4/1986
    Residence: Stillwater
    Term of Office: 1/5/1987 to 1/6/1991
    Oath Date: 1/6/1987
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Elections and Ethics
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Civil Law Division
    • Rules and Administration
    • Taxes and Tax Laws
    • Taxes and Tax Laws: Property Taxes and Local Government Aids Division
    • Veterans and Military Affairs

    75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1987
    Body: Senate
    District: 55
    Elected: 11/4/1986
    Residence: Stillwater
    Term of Office: 1/5/1987 to 1/6/1991
    Oath Date: 1/6/1987
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Elections and Ethics
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Criminal Law Division
    • Rules and Administration
    • Taxes and Tax Laws
    • Taxes and Tax Laws: Property Taxes and Local Government Aids
    • Veterans

    74th Legislative Session (1985-1986) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1985
    Body: Senate
    District: 55
    Elected: 11/2/1982
    Residence: Stillwater
    Term of Office: 1/3/1983 to 1/4/1987
    Oath Date: 1/4/1983
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
    • Economic Development and Commerce
    • Economic Development and Commerce: Consumer Protection
    • Economic Development and Commerce: Insurance
    • Rules and Administration
    • Taxes and Tax Laws
    • Taxes and Tax Laws: Economic Development
    • Taxes and Tax Laws: Property Taxes and Local Government Aids
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: Transit
    Leadership Position: Minority Whip
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader
    term photo
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    73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1983
    Body: Senate
    District: 55
    Elected: 11/2/1982
    Residence: Stillwater
    Term of Office: 1/3/1983 to 1/4/1987
    Oath Date: 1/4/1983
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
    • Economic Development and Commerce
    • Economic Development and Commerce: Consumer Protection
    • Economic Development and Commerce: Insurance
    • Taxes and Tax Laws
    • Taxes and Tax Laws: Economic Development
    • Taxes and Tax Laws: Property Taxes and Local Government Aids
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: Transit

    72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1981
    Body: House
    District: 51A
    Elected: 11/4/1980
    Residence: Stillwater
    Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
    Oath Date: 1/6/1981
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: State Departments Division
    • Local and Urban Affairs
    • Local and Urban Affairs: Economic Development
    • Local and Urban Affairs: Local Government Financing
    • Reapportionment and Elections
    • Reapportionment and Elections: Election Laws
    term photo
    Click to view

    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
    Body: House
    District: 51A
    Elected: 11/7/1978
    Residence: Stillwater
    Term of Office: 1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/3/1979
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Semi-State Division
    • Appropriations: State Departments Division
    • Criminal Justice
    • Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement and Corrections (Chair)
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Elections and Campaign Practices
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs: General Law and Veterans Affairs
    • Rules and Legislative Administration

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1977
    Body: House
    District: 51A
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Stillwater
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 12/31/1978
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Student
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: State Departments Division
    • Criminal Justice
    • Higher Education
    term photo
    Click to view

    69th Legislative Session (1975-1976)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1975
    Body: House
    District: 51A
    Elected: 11/5/1974
    Residence: Bayport
    Term of Office: 1/6/1975 to 1/2/1977
    Oath Date: 1/7/1975
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Pre-Law Student
    Party: Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Crime Prevention and Corrections
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs

    68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/2/1973
    Body: House
    District: 51A
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Bayport
    Term of Office: 1/1/1973 to 1/5/1975
    Oath Date: 1/2/1973
    Counties Represented: Washington
    Occupation: Student
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Crime Prevention and Corrections
    • Education
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • Health and Welfare
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    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.

    District News Files

    2000 (56)
    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

    Archive Collections

    Photographs

    Senator Gary Laidig, Senator Donald Storm, and Senator Dean Johnson confer during a committee hearing, St. Paul, Minnesota. c. 1987-1990. Photo credit: This image was scanned from the files of the Minnesota Senate Photographer with the generous help of the Minnesota Digital Library.
    Portrait of Gary W. Laidig. c. 1985. Photo credit: Minnesota Senate.

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