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Bishop, David Tyre "Dave"

House 1983-92 (District 33B); House 1993-2002 (District 30B)

Party when first elected:  Independent Republican

Counties Served:  Olmsted

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 3/9/1929
Birth Place: Syracuse, New York
Birth County: Onondaga
Birth Country: United States
Date of Death: 8/3/2020
Gender: Male
Religion: United Methodist
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names: Dave
City of Residence (when first elected): Rochester
Occupation (when first elected): Retired Attorney

EDUCATION

Nottingham High School, Syracuse, New York; Secondary; Graduate, 1948
Hamilton College, New York; B.A.; Political Science, 1951
Harvard University; M.P.A.; Kennedy School of Government: Public Administration, 1991
Cornell University, Law School; J.D.; International Law, 1954

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Beatrice "Bea" Habberstad (married on July 24, 1954)
Children: Five children: Kathy, Marnie, Lucy, and Laura (daughters); Tom (son)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

He was of German, French, and English ancestry.

Bishop called himself a member of the "bridge-building caucus."

He retired from his law practice in 1976.

Birth data, family data, and graduation dates provided by his daughter.

He was a member of Spider Lake United Methodist Church in Hayward, Wisconsin. Although this was the church he attended, he was very open-minded in his religious beliefs. He greatly admired the Dalai Lama.

Religion provided by his daughter.

Total Days Served: 7308

SESSIONS SERVED

82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 30B
Elected: 11/7/2000
Residence: Rochester
Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003
Counties Represented: Olmsted
Occupation: Retired Attorney/Legislator
Party: Republican
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Special Session Bills Authored:  2001 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2001 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
  • Agriculture and Rural Development Finance Minutes - Ex Officio Member
  • Capital Investment Minutes
  • Crime Prevention Minutes
  • Environment and Natural Resources Finance Minutes - Ex Officio Member
  • Family and Early Childhood Education Finance Minutes - Ex Officio Member
  • Health and Human Services Finance Minutes - Ex Officio Member
  • Higher Education Finance Minutes - Ex Officio Member
  • Jobs and Economic Development Finance Minutes - Ex Officio Member
  • Judiciary Finance Minutes
  • K-12 Education Finance Minutes - Ex Officio Member
  • State Government Finance - Ex Officio Member
  • Transportation Finance Minutes - Ex Officio Member
  • Ways and Means (Chair) Minutes

81st Legislative Session (1999-2000)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 30B
Elected: 11/3/1998
Residence: Rochester
Term of Office: 1/5/1999 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented: Olmsted
Occupation: Retired Attorney/Legislator
Party: Republican
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Capital Investment Minutes
  • Civil Law
  • Crime Prevention
  • Ways and Means (Chair) Minutes

80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 30B
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Rochester
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/4/1999
Counties Represented: Olmsted
Occupation: Retired Attorney/Legislator
Party: Republican
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Capital Investment
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Civil and Family Law Division
  • Ways and Means

79th Legislative Session (1995-1996)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 30B
Elected: 11/8/1994
Residence: Rochester
Term of Office: 1/3/1995 to 1/6/1997
Counties Represented: Olmsted
Occupation: Retired Attorney/Legislator
Party: Independent Republican
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Capital Investment
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary Finance
  • Ways and Means

78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 30B
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Rochester
Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/2/1995
Counties Represented: Olmsted
Occupation: Retired Attorney/Legislator
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • Capital Investment
  • Commerce and Economic Development
  • Commerce and Economic Development: Controversial Bills
  • Commerce and Economic Development: Economic Equality
  • Commerce and Economic Development: International Trade, Technology and Economic Development Division
  • Ethics
  • Ethics: Member Conduct Division
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Criminal Justice and Family Law
  • Judiciary: Judiciary Finance Division
  • Ways and Means

77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 33B
Elected: 11/6/1990
Residence: Rochester
Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 1/4/1993
Counties Represented: Olmsted
Occupation: Retired Attorney/Legislator
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • Appropriations
  • Appropriations: State Government Division
  • Commerce
  • Ethics
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Criminal Justice Division
  • Ways and Means

76th Legislative Session (1989-1990)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 33B
Elected: 11/8/1988
Residence: Rochester
Term of Office: 1/3/1989 to 1/7/1991
Counties Represented: Olmsted
Occupation: Retired Attorney/Legislator
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • Appropriations
  • Appropriations: State Departments Division
  • Commerce
  • Commerce: Small Business, Energy and Real Estate
  • Ethics
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Criminal Justice Division
  • Judiciary: Facilities Assessment

75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 33B
Elected: 11/4/1986
Residence: Rochester
Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/2/1989
Counties Represented: Olmsted
Occupation: Retired Attorney
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • Appropriations
  • Appropriations: State Departments Division
  • Commerce
  • Commerce: Energy and Real Estate
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Civil Law
  • Judiciary: Crime and Family Law Division
  • Judiciary: Revisor's

74th Legislative Session (1985-1986)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 33B
Elected: 11/6/1984
Residence: Rochester
Term of Office: 1/8/1985 to 1/5/1987
Counties Represented: Olmsted
Occupation: Retired Attorney
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • Appropriations
  • Appropriations: State Departments Division
  • Crime and Family Law
  • Crime and Family Law: Family Law
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Civil Laws and Administration
  • Regulated Industries and Energy
  • Regulated Industries and Energy: Energy (Chair)
  • Regulated Industries and Energy: Utilities

73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 33B
Elected: 11/2/1982
Residence: Rochester
Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/7/1985
Counties Represented: Olmsted
Occupation: Retired Attorney
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • Appropriations
  • Appropriations: State Departments Division
  • Energy
  • Energy: Housing
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Criminal Justice Division
Articles & Books By
Bishop, Dave. Finding Common Ground: The Art of Legislating in an Age of Gridlock, 2015.


Articles & Books About
"Bishop, David T." Star Tribune, August 16, 2020, p. B8.

McKenzie, Sarah. "Getting His Release: Called a 'Master Legislator,' Bishop to End His Two-Decade Obsession that Saw the Passage of More Than 200 Laws." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, May 17, 2002, p. 16.


Other Media
Index of Bills Authored in 1991-1992. - Provides a brief description and lists any actions taken on the bills.

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