Minnesota Legislature

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Legislators Past & Present Home

Debra "Deb" Kiel

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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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 - Session Interview 2014 (Video)
House - Session 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

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