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Dahms, Gary H.

Official Senate Web Page Sessions Served

Other Information

Senate 2011-2012 (District 21); Senate 2013-2022 (District 16); 2023-Present (District 15)

Party when first elected: Republican

Counties Served: Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, Renville, Watonwan, Yellow Medicine

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 1/14/1947

Birth Place: Clements, Minnesota

Birth County:

Birth Country: United States

Date of Death:

Gender: Male

Religion: United Methodist

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names:

City of Residence (when first elected): Redwood Falls

Occupation (when first elected): Insurance Agent, Dahms Insurance Agency

EDUCATION

Redwood Falls High School; Secondary;
University of Minnesota; B.S.; Agricultural Business Administration

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

County Board/Commissioner: Redwood County, Minnesota (Soil and Water Conservation District); [Dates Unknown]

County Board/Commissioner: Redwood County, Minnesota (County Commissioner); ? to 12/2010

County Board/Commissioner: Redwood County, Minnesota (Agricultural Society); [Dates Unknown]

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Barb
Children: Two children: Michelle (daughter), Michael (son)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

Special Legislative Concerns: budget, taxes, jobs, economic development.

He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Redwood Falls, Minnesota.

Religion provided by his 2010 campaign Website.

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Total Days Served: 5195

SESSIONS SERVED

94th Legislative Session (2025-2026)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 15

Elected: 11/5/2024

Residence: Redwood Falls

Term of Office: 1/2/2023 to 1/3/2027

Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, Yellow Medicine

Occupation: Retired insurance agent

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development
Commerce and Consumer Protection [He was co-chair from 1/14/2025 to 2/3/2025.]
Finance
Rules and Administration [He served on this committee from 1/14/2025 to 2/3/2025.]

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93rd Legislative Session (2023-2024)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 15

Elected: 11/8/2022

Residence: Redwood Falls

Term of Office: 1/2/2023 to 1/3/2027

Counties Represented: Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, Yellow Medicine

Occupation: Former County Commissioner, Retired Insurance Agent

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture, Broadband and Rural Development
Commerce and Consumer Protection
Finance

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92nd Legislative Session (2021-2022)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 16

Elected: 11/3/2020

Residence: Redwood Falls

Term of Office: 1/4/2021 to 1/1/2023

Counties Represented: Brown, Lac Qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, Renville, Yellow Medicine

Occupation: Retired insurance agent, former county commissioner

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2021 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author 2021 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Agriculture and Rural Development Finance and Policy
Capital Investment
Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy (Chair)
Housing Finance and Policy

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91st Legislative Session (2019-2020) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 16

Elected: 11/8/2016

Residence: Redwood Falls

Term of Office: 1/2/2017 to 1/3/2021

Counties Represented: Brown, Lac Qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, Renville, Yellow Medicine

Occupation: Retired insurance agent, former county commissioner

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2019 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2019 1st Sp.S. - Author
2020 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2020 1st Sp.S. - Author
2020 2nd Sp.S. - Chief Author    2020 2nd Sp.S. - Author
2020 4th Sp.S. - Chief Author    2020 4th Sp.S. - Author
2020 5th Sp.S. - Chief Author    2020 5th Sp.S. - Author
2020 7th Sp.S. - Chief Author    2020 7th Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Agriculture, Rural Development, and Housing Policy
Capital Investment
Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy (Chair)
E-12 Finance and Policy
Rules and Administration

Leadership Position: Assistant Majority Leader

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90th Legislative Session (2017-2018)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 16

Elected: 11/8/2016

Residence: Redwood Falls

Term of Office: 1/2/2017 to 1/3/2021

Counties Represented: Brown, Lac Qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, Renville, Yellow Medicine

Occupation: Retired Insurance Agent, Former County Commissioner

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Capital Investment
Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy (Chair)
E-12 Finance
E-12 Policy
Rules and Administration

Leadership Position: Assistant Majority Leader

Leadership Position: Majority Whip

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89th Legislative Session (2015-2016) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 16

Elected: 11/6/2012

Residence: Redwood Falls

Term of Office: 1/7/2013 to 1/1/2017

Counties Represented: Brown, Lac Qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, Renville, Yellow Medicine

Occupation: Retired Insurance Agent, Former County Commissioner

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Commerce
Education
Finance: E-12 Policy and Budget Division
Finance: State Departments and Veterans Budget Division
Jobs, Agriculture and Rural Development

Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

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88th Legislative Session (2013-2014)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 16

Elected: 11/6/2012

Residence: Redwood Falls

Term of Office: 1/7/2013 to 1/1/2017

Counties Represented: Brown, Lac Qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, Renville, Yellow Medicine

Occupation: Insurance Agent, Dahms Insurance Agency; Former County Commissioner

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2013 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Commerce
Finance: E-12 Division
Finance: State Departments and Veterans Division
Jobs, Agriculture, and Rural Development

Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader
Leadership Notes: He was named Assistant Minority Leader on February 24, 2014.

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87th Legislative Session (2011-2012)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 21

Elected: 11/2/2010

Residence: Redwood Falls

Term of Office: 1/3/2011 to 1/6/2013

Counties Represented: Brown, Lyon, Redwood, Watonwan

Occupation: Insurance Agent, Dahms Insurance Agency

Party: Republican

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2011 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Agriculture and Rural Economies
Commerce and Consumer Protection
Environment and Natural Resources

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OTHER INFORMATION

These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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.

Photographs

Gary Dahms and Jordan Rasmusson on the Minnesota Senate floor, St. Paul, Minnesota 4/11/2023. Gary Dahms and Jordan Rasmusson converse during a floor session. Gary Dahms is a Republican from Redwood Falls and Jordan Rasmusson is a Republican from Fergus Falls. Photo credit: A.J. Olmscheid, Senate Media Services.

John Jasinski, Gary Dahms, John Hoffman, and David Tomassoni on the Minnesota Senate floor, St. Paul, Minnesota 3/1/2018. John Jasinski, Gary Dahms, John Hoffman, and David Tomassoni converse on the Senate Floor. John Jasinski is a Republican from Faribault, Gary Dahms is a Republican from Redwood Falls, John Hoffman is a Democrat from Champlin, and David Tomassoni is a Democrat from Chisholm. Photo credit: David Oakes, Senate Media Services.

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