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    Nelsen, Bruce G.

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1974-82 (District 12A)

    Party when first elected:  Republican

    Counties Served:  Morrison, Todd

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 3/22/1935
    Birth Place: ,
    Birth County:
    Birth Country:
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Lutheran
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Staples
    Occupation (when first elected): Instructor, Machine Shop-Staples Area Vocational Technical Institute

    EDUCATION

    Staples Area Vocational-Technical Institute; Vocational-Technical School;
    University of Maryland; Attended College;
    University of Minnesota; Attended College;

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Military: United States Army (2 years); 19?? to 19??

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Beverly
    Children: Five children: Dean, Jerel, Matthew, and Karl (sons); Sarah (daughter)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
    Ancher Nelsen  - Father

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was a member of Faith Lutheran Church.

    He ran unsuccessfully for the Minnesota House of Representatives in the 1974 election, but later won the seat in a special election the same year.

    Religion provided by the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1979-80 and Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 2919

    SESSIONS SERVED

    72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1981
    Body: House
    District: 12A
    Elected: 11/4/1980
    Residence: Staples
    Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
    Oath Date: 1/6/1981
    Counties Represented: Morrison, Todd
    Occupation: Vocational Instructor, Staples Area Vocational-Technical Institute
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agriculture Products and Marketing
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: General Transportation
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader
    term photo
    Click to view

    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
    Body: House
    District: 12A
    Elected: 11/7/1978
    Residence: Staples
    Term of Office: 1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/3/1979
    Counties Represented: Morrison, Todd
    Occupation: Vocational Instructor, Staples Area Vocational Technical Institute
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agriculture Products and Marketing
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    • Rules and Legislative Administration: Rules
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: Safety and General Transportation
    Leadership Position: Assistant IR Caucus Leader-1979 - The House was evenly split along party lines after the November 1978 election. Thus neither party had majority nor minority status going into the 71st Legislative Session. In May 1979 the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party gained majority status.
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader - He became Assistant Minority Leader in May 1979.

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1977
    Body: House
    District: 12A
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Staples
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 12/31/1978
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: Morrison, Todd
    Occupation: Instructor Vocational School, Staples Area Vocational-Technical Institute (AVTI)
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Education
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    term photo
    Click to view

    69th Legislative Session (1975-1976)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1975
    Body: House
    District: 12A
    Elected: 12/23/1974
    Residence: Staples
    Term of Office: 1/6/1975 to 1/2/1977 (Special Election)
    Oath Date: 1/7/1975
    Counties Represented: Morrison, Todd
    Occupation: Instructor, Machine Shop-Staples Area Vocational Technical Institute
    Party: Republican
    Committees:
    • Deinstitutionalization
    • Health and Welfare
    • Higher Education
    • Transportation
    Session Notes: He won the seat vacated by the death of Melvin Miller. He was sworn in on the first day of session in 1975.

    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.
    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.
    No other information has been entered for this legislator.

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