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    Reding, Leo John

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1975-82 (District 31B); House 1987-92 (District 31B); House 1993-94 (District 27B)

    Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

    Counties Served:  Freeborn, Mower

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 6/6/1924
    Birth Place: , Minnesota
    Birth County: Mower
    Birth Country:
    Date of Death: 10/12/2015
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Catholic
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Austin
    Occupation (when first elected): Meat Cutter, Hormel Plant

    EDUCATION

    Rose Creek, Minnesota; Secondary;
    St. Thomas College; B.S.; Physical Education

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Municipal Council/Aldermen: 1st Ward, Austin, Minnesota (City Alderman); 1968 to 1970
    Municipal Mayor: Austin, Minnesota (City Mayor, 2 terms); 1970 to 1974

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Marian
    Children: Five children: Colleen, Maureen, Terry, Laurie, and Tom
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    "Leo was a staunch conservationist, working tirelessly to improve the lot of nature and its inhabitants." Austin Daily Herald, October 14, 2015.

    "He wore bright, colorful sportcoats and ties at the Capitol that made him stand out. ...'He was known as the technicolor lawmaker,' said Al Layman, who worked with Reding as a committee administrator for the Minnesota House." Rochester Post-Bulletin, October 16, 2015.

    Religion provided by the Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975 and the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1987-88.

    His funeral was held at St. Augustine Catholic Church. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 5838

    SESSIONS SERVED

    78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1993
    Body: House
    District: 27B
    Elected: 11/3/1992
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/1/1995
    Oath Date: 1/5/1993
    Counties Represented: Mower
    Occupation: Retired
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Capital Investment
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance (Chair)
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Banking
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Insurance
    • Governmental Operations and Gambling
    • Governmental Operations and Gambling: Administrative Rules

    77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1991
    Body: House
    District: 31B
    Elected: 11/6/1990
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/7/1991 to 1/3/1993
    Oath Date: 1/8/1991
    Counties Represented: Freeborn, Mower
    Occupation: Retired
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Game and Fish
    • Ethics
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Banking Division
    • Governmental Operations (Chair)
    • Governmental Operations: Government Structures Division
    • Governmental Operations: Pensions
    • Governmental Operations: Personnel
    • Regulated Industries
    term photo
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    76th Legislative Session (1989-1990)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1989
    Body: House
    District: 31B
    Elected: 11/8/1988
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/2/1989 to 1/6/1991
    Oath Date: 1/3/1989
    Counties Represented: Freeborn, Mower
    Occupation: Retired
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Economic Development
    • Economic Development: International Trade and Technology Division (Chair)
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Game and Fish
    • Ethics
    • Governmental Operations (Chair) [He became Chair on November 1, 1989.]
    • Governmental Operations: Pensions
    • Insurance
    • Rules and Legislative Administration

    75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1987
    Body: House
    District: 31B
    Elected: 11/4/1986
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/5/1987 to 1/1/1989
    Oath Date: 1/6/1987
    Counties Represented: Freeborn, Mower
    Occupation: Retired Teacher and Packinghouse Worker, Hormel Plant
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Future and Technology (Chair)
    • Future and Technology: Software
    • Future and Technology: Telecommunication
    • General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Gaming
    • General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Gaming: Gaming
    • General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Gaming: Veterans Affairs and Miscellaneous Legislation
    • Governmental Operations
    • Governmental Operations: Pensions (Chair)
    • Higher Education
    • Rules and Legislative Administration

    72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1981
    Body: House
    District: 31B
    Elected: 11/4/1980
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
    Oath Date: 1/6/1981
    Counties Represented: Mower
    Occupation: Meat Cutter, Hormel Plant
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Energy
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Game and Fish
    • Governmental Operations
    • Governmental Operations: Pensions and Investments (Chair)
    • Regulated Industries
    term photo
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    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
    Body: House
    District: 31B
    Elected: 11/7/1978
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/3/1979
    Counties Represented: Mower
    Occupation: Meat Cutter, Hormel Plant
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Commerce, Economic Development and Housing
    • Commerce, Economic Development and Housing: Business and Job Development
    • Energy and Utilities
    • Energy and Utilities: Alternative Energy Systems
    • Governmental Operations
    • Governmental Operations: Administration and Structures

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1977
    Body: House
    District: 31B
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 12/31/1978
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: Mower
    Occupation: Meat Cutter, Hormel Plant
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Commerce and Economic Development
    • Governmental Operations
    • Transportation
    term photo
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    69th Legislative Session (1975-1976)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1975
    Body: House
    District: 31B
    Elected: 11/5/1974
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/6/1975 to 1/2/1977
    Oath Date: 1/7/1975
    Counties Represented: Mower
    Occupation: Meat Cutter, Hormel Plant
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Governmental Operations
    • Local and Urban Affairs

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About

    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.

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