Lessard, Bob B.
Senate 1977-2002 (District 3)
Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Counties Served:
Aitkin, Beltrami, Itasca, Koochiching, St. Louis
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
5/18/1931
Birth Place:
,
Birth County:
Birth Country:
Date of Death:
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected):
International Falls
Occupation (when first elected):
Operator, Viking Cruises (Hunting, Fishing and Scenic Cruise Operation on Rainy Lake)
EDUCATION
International Falls High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1949
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Iron Range Resoures and Rehabilitation Board (Vice-Chair);
19?? to ?
Military:
United States Army Intelligence, Security Agency (Korean War/Conflict);
1951 to 1954
State Agency:
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Community Outreach);
02/2011 to 20??
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Married: Toni Lynn (no longer listed in 1994)
Children:
Five children: Shawn, Wendy, Brett, Sean, Kelly
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
Special Legislative Concerns: environment and natural resources, human services, transportation and infrastructure, labor and small business, elderly/senior citizens, rules, highways, energy, veterans affairs.
He was raised in International Falls, Minnesota.
He was an unsuccessful write-in candidate for the Minnesota House of Representatives in the 1974 election.
In 2018, he ran for attorney general but he lost the primary.
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/7/2000
Residence: International Falls
Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003
Counties Represented:
Aitkin, Itasca, Koochiching, St. Louis
Occupation: Small Business, Fishing/Hunting/Tourist Outfitter
Party:
Independence
Party Notes: He ran as an Independent, but joined the Independence Party on Jan. 3, 2001. He did not caucus with either the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party or the Republican party.
Committees:
-
Commerce
-
Commerce: Banking
-
Commerce: Consumer Protection and Regulated Industries
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Income and Sales Tax Budget Division
-
Telecommunications, Energy and Utilities
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: International Falls
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented:
Aitkin, Itasca, Koochiching, St. Louis
Occupation: Small Business, Fishing/Hunting/Tourist Outfitter
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Party Notes: He switched to Independent status on July 18, 2000. After his party status switch he did not caucus with either the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party or the Republican party.
Committees:
-
Agriculture and Rural Development
-
Environment and Natural Resources (Chair)
-
Environment and Natural Resources/Agriculture and Rural Development/State Government Finance: Environment and Agriculture Budget Division
-
Local and Metropolitan Government
-
Rules and Administration
-
State Government Finance
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: International Falls
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented:
Aitkin, Itasca, Koochiching, St. Louis
Occupation: Small Business, Fishing/Hunting/Tourist Outfitter
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Agriculture and Rural Development
-
Environment and Natural Resources (Chair)
-
Environment and Natural Resources/Agriculture and Rural Development/State Government Finance: Environment and Agriculture Budget Division
-
Local and Metropolitan Government
-
Rules and Administration
-
State Government Finance
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: International Falls
Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/6/1997
Counties Represented:
Aitkin, Itasca, Koochiching, St. Louis
Occupation: Small Business, Fishing/Hunting/Tourist Outfitter
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources (Chair)
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
-
Gaming Regulation
-
Metropolitan and Local Government
-
Metropolitan and Local Government: Intergovernmental Relations
-
Rules and Administration
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: International Falls
Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/6/1997
Counties Represented:
Aitkin, Itasca, Koochiching, St. Louis
Occupation: Small Business: Fishing/Hunting/Tourist Outfitter
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources (Chair)
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
-
Metropolitan and Local Government
-
Metropolitan and Local Government: Intergovernmental Relations
-
Metropolitan and Local Government: Metropolitan and Local Government Tax Division
-
Rules and Administration
-
Veterans and General Legislation
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/6/1990
Residence: International Falls
Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 1/4/1993
Counties Represented:
Itasca, Koochiching
Occupation: Small Business: Fishing/Hunting/Tourist Outfitter
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Agriculture and Rural Development: Joint Agriculture and Rural Development/Environment and Natural Resources Ad Hoc
-
Environment and Natural Resources (Chair)
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
-
Finance
-
Finance: Environment and Natural Resources Division
-
Local Government
-
Rules and Administration
-
Veterans and General Legislation
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/4/1986
Residence: International Falls
Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/7/1991
Counties Represented:
Itasca, Koochiching
Occupation: Fishing Outfitter
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources (Chair)
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
- Ex Officio Member
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
- Ex Officio Member
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
- Ex Officio Member
-
Finance
-
Finance: State Departments Division
-
Local and Urban Government
-
Local and Urban Government: Land Use, Zoning and Planning
-
Rules and Administration
-
Veterans and Military Affairs
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/4/1986
Residence: International Falls
Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/7/1991
Counties Represented:
Itasca, Koochiching
Occupation: Tourist Outfitter, Hunting and Fishing
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
-
Finance
-
Finance: Agriculture/Transportation and Semi-States Division
-
General Legislation and Public Gaming
-
Rules and Administration
-
Veterans
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/2/1982
Residence: International Falls
Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/5/1987
Counties Represented:
Itasca, Koochiching
Occupation: Tourist Outfitter
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Agriculture and Natural Resources
-
Agriculture and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
-
Finance
-
Finance: Agriculture/Transportation/Semi-States
-
Rules and Administration
-
Veterans and General Legislation (Chair)
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/2/1982
Residence: International Falls
Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/5/1987
Counties Represented:
Itasca, Koochiching
Occupation: Tourist Outfitter
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Agriculture and Natural Resources
-
Agriculture and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
-
Finance
-
Finance: Agriculture/Transportation/Semi-States
-
Rules and Administration
-
Veterans and General Legislation (Chair)
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/4/1980
Residence: International Falls
Term of Office: 1/6/1981 to 1/3/1983
Counties Represented:
Beltrami, Itasca, Koochiching
Occupation: Operator, Viking Cruises (a Hunting, Fishing and Scenic Cruise Operation on Rainy Lake)
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Agriculture and Natural Resources
-
Agriculture and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
-
Agriculture and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Criminal Law
-
Judiciary: Judicial Administration (Chair)
-
Local Government and Urban Affairs
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Rural and Commercial
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/2/1976
Residence: International Falls
Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/5/1981
Counties Represented:
Beltrami, Itasca, Koochiching
Occupation: Operator, Viking Cruises (a Hunting-Fishing and Scenic Operation on Rainy Lake)
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Agriculture and Natural Resources
-
Agriculture and Natural Resources: Fish and Wild Life
-
General Legislation and Administrative Rules
-
General Legislation and Administrative Rules: General Legislation (Chair)
[He became the Chair after Ed Schrom died.]
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Law Reform
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Highways and Bridges
-
Transportation: Pipelines-1979
-
Transportation: Rural and Commercial Transportation
-
Veterans' Affairs
Body: Senate
District: 03
Elected: 11/2/1976
Residence: International Falls
Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/5/1981
Counties Represented:
Beltrami, Itasca, Koochiching
Occupation: Operator, Viking Cruises (Hunting, Fishing and Scenic Cruise Operation on Rainy Lake)
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Agriculture and Natural Resources
-
Agriculture and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
-
General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Law Reform
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Public Transportation
-
Transportation: Transit
Senate Photos
The photos in this collection were scanned from the files of the Minnesota Senate Photographer
with the generous help of the Minnesota
Digital Library.
Articles & Books About
Anderson, Dennis. "Like a Fox." Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 12, 2009, p. C1, C10.
Archive Collections
Bob Lessard Papers, 1970s-2002
- Available in the Minnesota Historical Society's Collections.
District Files
District File - 2000 District 03
District File - 2002 District 03
District File - 2001 District 03
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.
The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.