Minnesota Legislature

Legislators Past & Present Home

Name Search:

Kiel, Debra "Deb"

Sessions Served

Other Information

House 2011-2012 (District 1B); House 2013-2022 (District 1B); House 2023-2024 (District 1B)

Party when first elected: Republican

Counties Served: Clay, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 8/31/1957 (uncertain)

Birth Place: , Minnesota

Birth County: Polk

Birth Country: United States

Date of Death:

Gender: Female

Religion: Lutheran

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names: Deb

City of Residence (when first elected): Crookston

Occupation (when first elected): Farmer/Homemaker

EDUCATION

Crookston Public Schools; Elementary School;
Crookston High School; Secondary; Graduate
Concordia College, Moorhead; Attended College; 2 Years

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

School Board/Administration: Crookston, Minnesota (Public School Board Treasurer and Chair; Initially Appointed, Then Elected; seven years); ? to 20?? [Appointed]

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Lonn (married around 1977)
Children: Four children: Christian (son), Katheryn, Stephanie, and Alexander
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
John T. Perry - Great Grandfather

GENERAL NOTES

She was born and raised on a farm, south of Crookston, Minnesota.

She was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church.

She announced she would not seek reelection in 2024.

Religion provided by her 2010 campaign website.

Click to view

Total Days Served: 5117

SESSIONS SERVED

93rd Legislative Session (2023-2024)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/2023

Body: House

District: 01B

Elected: 11/8/2022

Residence: Crookston

Term of Office: 1/2/2023 to 1/5/2025
Oath Date: 1/3/2023

Counties Represented: Clay, Norman, Polk, Red Lake

Occupation: Farmer/homemaker

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Ethics Minutes [Alternate member]
Health Finance and Policy Minutes
Human Services Policy Minutes

Click to view

92nd Legislative Session (2021-2022)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/5/2021

Body: House

District: 01B

Elected: 11/3/2020

Residence: Crookston

Term of Office: 1/4/2021 to 1/1/2023
Oath Date: 1/5/2021

Counties Represented: Pennington, Polk, Red Lake

Occupation: Farmer/homemaker

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Health Finance and Policy Minutes
Human Services Finance and Policy Minutes
Industrial Education and Economic Development Finance and Policy Minutes

Click to view

91st Legislative Session (2019-2020)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/8/2019

Body: House

District: 01B

Elected: 11/6/2018

Residence: Crookston

Term of Office: 1/7/2019 to 1/3/2021
Oath Date: 1/8/2019

Counties Represented: Pennington, Polk, Red Lake

Occupation: Farmer/homemaker

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2020 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2020 1st Sp.S. - Author
2020 3rd Sp.S. - Chief Author    2020 3rd Sp.S. - Author
2020 7th Sp.S. - Chief Author    2020 7th Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Ethics Minutes
Health and Human Services Policy Minutes
Ways & Means: Agriculture and Food Finance & Policy Division Minutes
Ways & Means: Long-Term Care Division Minutes
Ways & Means: State Government Finance Division Minutes

Click to view

90th Legislative Session (2017-2018)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/2017

Body: House

District: 01B

Elected: 11/8/2016

Residence: Crookston

Term of Office: 1/2/2017 to 1/6/2019
Oath Date: 1/3/2017

Counties Represented: Pennington, Polk, Red Lake

Occupation: Farmer/Homemaker

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture Finance Minutes
Health & Human Services Reform Minutes
Health & Human Services Reform: Subcommittee on Aging & Long-Term Care (Chair) Minutes
Rules & Legislative Administration Minutes
Rules & Legislative Administration: Subcommittee on Workplace Safety and Respect Minutes
Transportation Finance Minutes

Click to view

89th Legislative Session (2015-2016)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/6/2015

Body: House

District: 01B

Elected: 11/4/2014

Residence: Crookston

Term of Office: 1/5/2015 to 1/1/2017
Oath Date: 1/6/2015

Counties Represented: Pennington, Polk, Red Lake

Occupation: Farmer/Homemaker

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Aging & Long-Term Care Policy Minutes
Agriculture Finance Minutes
Greater Minnesota Economic & Workforce Development Policy Minutes
Mining & Outdoor Recreation Policy Minutes

Leadership Position: Assistant Majority Leader

Click to view

88th Legislative Session (2013-2014)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/8/2013

Body: House

District: 01B

Elected: 11/6/2012

Residence: Crookston

Term of Office: 1/7/2013 to 1/4/2015
Oath Date: 1/8/2013

Counties Represented: Pennington, Polk, Red Lake

Occupation: Farmer/Homemaker

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture Policy Minutes
Education Policy Minutes
Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance Minutes
Taxes: Property and Local Tax Division Minutes

Click to view

87th Legislative Session (2011-2012)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/4/2011

Body: House

District: 01B

Elected: 11/2/2010

Residence: Crookston

Term of Office: 1/3/2011 to 1/6/2013
Oath Date: 1/4/2011

Counties Represented: Marshall, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake

Occupation: Farmer/Homemaker

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture and Rural Development Policy and Finance Minutes
Education Reform Minutes
Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance: Legacy Funding Division Minutes
Transportation Policy and Finance Minutes

Session Notes: Her margin of victory over Bernie Lieder was only 131 votes. Bernie Lieder declined to seek a recount.

Click to view

OTHER INFORMATION

Articles & Books About

Hegarty, Sue. "The 'Beet' Goes On." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, February 4, 2011, p. 19.

Session Interviews

House Interview 2014 (Video)
House Interview 2011 (Video)

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.

Photographs

Rep. Debra Kiel shares a laugh with Rep. Joe Schomacker during a May 13 floor session. 5/13/2024. Photo credit: Michele Jokinen, House Public Information Services.

Legislators Past & Present Home

Name Search:

Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, 321 State Capitol, Saint Paul, MN 55155