Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature
Skip Navigation Links
  • LRL Home
    • >
  • Legislators Past & Present
    • >
  • Member Record
    • Legislators Past & Present Home

    Lanning, Morris L. "Morrie"

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 2003-2012 (District 9A)

    Party when first elected:  Republican

    Counties Served:  Clay

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 8/27/1944
    Birth Place: Portland, Oregon
    Birth County:
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Lutheran
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names: Morrie
    City of Residence (when first elected): Moorhead
    Occupation (when first elected): Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Concordia College, Moorhead

    EDUCATION

    Grade School; Elementary School; About 36 Different Schools in Ohio, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota
    Moorhead High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1962
    Concordia College, Moorhead; B.A.; Psychology and History-Political Science, 1966
    North Dakota State University; M.S.; Guidance and Counseling, 1968

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Municipal Council/Aldermen: Moorhead, Minnesota (City Council); 01/1974 to 1979 [Elected]
    Municipal Mayor: Moorhead, Minnesota (City Mayor); 01/01/1980 to 2001 [Elected]
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Statehood Sesquicentennial Commission; 2006 to 12/31/2008 [Appointed]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Ruthie
    Children: Two children
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was of Norwegian, German, and Dutch ancestry.

    His father was in the grain elevator construction business so the family moved frequently. He first came to Moorhead, Minnesota in 1954. He moved there permanently in November 1956.

    Religion provided by Politics in Minnesota the Directory, 2005-2006.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 3654

    SESSIONS SERVED

    87th Legislative Session (2011-2012)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 09A
    Elected: 11/2/2010
    Residence: Moorhead
    Term of Office: 1/4/2011 to 1/7/2013
    Counties Represented: Clay
    Occupation: Retired College Administrator
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:  2011 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2011 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    Leadership Position: Speaker Pro Tempore
    term photo
    Click to view

    86th Legislative Session (2009-2010)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 09A
    Elected: 11/4/2008
    Residence: Moorhead
    Term of Office: 1/6/2009 to 1/3/2011
    Counties Represented: Clay
    Occupation: Retired College Administrator
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Finance: Capital Investment Finance Division Minutes
    • State and Local Government Operations Reform, Technology and Elections Minutes
    • State and Local Government Operations Reform, Technology and Elections: Local Government Division Minutes
    • Taxes Minutes
    • Taxes: Property and Local Sales Tax Division Minutes
    term photo
    Click to view

    85th Legislative Session (2007-2008)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 09A
    Elected: 11/7/2006
    Residence: Moorhead
    Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/5/2009
    Counties Represented: Clay
    Occupation: Retired College Administrator
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Finance: Capital Investment Finance Division Minutes
    • Health and Human Services: Mental Health Division Minutes
    • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Minutes
    • Taxes Minutes
    • Taxes: Property Tax Relief and Local Sales Tax Division Minutes
    term photo
    Click to view

    84th Legislative Session (2005-2006)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 09A
    Elected: 11/2/2004
    Residence: Moorhead
    Term of Office: 1/4/2005 to 1/2/2007
    Counties Represented: Clay
    Occupation: Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:     2005 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    term photo
    Click to view

    83rd Legislative Session (2003-2004)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 09A
    Elected: 11/5/2002
    Residence: Moorhead
    Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/3/2005
    Counties Represented: Clay
    Occupation: Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Concordia College, Moorhead
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:     2003 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    • Commerce, Jobs, and Economic Development Minutes
    • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Minutes
    • Taxes Minutes
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About
    Cook, Mike. "Past to Present: Lanning Brings Decades of Local Government and Higher Education Experience to St. Paul." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, January 10, 2003, p. 18.



    The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.

    Legislators Past & Present Home