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    Dille, Stephen E. "Steve"

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1987-92 (District 21A); Senate 1993-2002 (District 20): Senate 2003-2010 (District 18)

    Party when first elected:  Independent Republican

    Counties Served:  Carver, McLeod, Meeker, Stearns, Wright

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 3/16/1945
    Birth Place: Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Birth County: Hennepin
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 3/25/2020
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Covenant
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names: Steve
    City of Residence (when first elected): Dassel
    Occupation (when first elected): Farmer/Veterinarian/Former Faculty University of Minnesota, 2 years

    EDUCATION

    Litchfield High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1963
    University of Minnesota; B.S.; 1967
    University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine; D.V.M.; 1969

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    U.S. Executive Branch: United States State Department (Vietnam War, Civilian Veterinary Advisor, 3.5 years); 19?? to 19??
    Municipal Board/Commission: Dassel, Minnesota (Township Supervisor); 1977 to 1984
    County Board/Commissioner: Meeker County, Minnesota (County Commissioner); 1985 to 1986

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Pamela Johnson Dille (married on July 5, 1975)
    Children: Four children: Nicholas, Kaisa, Spencer, and Mitchell
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
    John R. Blomquist  - Grandfather-in-Law
    Edward Harrison Hutchins  - Great Great Grandfather
    Peter E. Hanson  - Great Uncle
    Janet H. Clark  - Other - See Notes
    Ripley Bernard Brower  - Other - See Notes

    GENERAL NOTES

    Special Legislative Concerns: agriculture, environment, business climate, education, rural development, environmental protection, health care, transportation.

    He had at least some Swedish ancestry.

    He was a rodeo cowboy, and state champion calf roper, steer wrestler, and bull rider. In high school he won the Minnesota All Around Cowboy title twice and placed fourth in the nation in steer wrestling.

    He served as a veterinarian in South Vietnam with USAID.

    His wife's cousin is Rep. Janet Clark.

    His grandmother's first cousin is Sen. Ripley Bernard Brower.

    A memorial service was held Saturday, May 29, 2021 at the Dassel Covenant Church, in Dassel, Minnesota.

    Religion provided by the 2006 WCCO TV Voters' Guide.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 8764

    SESSIONS SERVED

    86th Legislative Session (2009-2010) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/2009
    Body: Senate
    District: 18
    Elected: 11/7/2006
    Residence: Dassel
    Term of Office: 1/1/2007 to 1/2/2011
    Oath Date: 1/3/2007
    Counties Represented: McLeod, Meeker, Wright
    Occupation: Farmer/Veterinarian
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Veterans
    • Capital Investment
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Finance
    • Finance: Agriculture and Veterans Budget and Policy Division
    • Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division
    • Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division: Clean Water Legacy
    • Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division: Energy Subdivision
    term photo
    Click to view

    85th Legislative Session (2007-2008)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/2007
    Body: Senate
    District: 18
    Elected: 11/7/2006
    Residence: Dassel
    Term of Office: 1/1/2007 to 1/2/2011
    Oath Date: 1/3/2007
    Counties Represented: McLeod, Meeker, Wright
    Occupation: Farmer, 640 Acre Crop and Livestock Farm/Veterinarian
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Veterans
    • Capital Investment
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Finance
    • Finance: Agriculture and Veterans Budget and Policy Division
    • Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division
    • Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division: Energy Subdivision
    term photo
    Click to view

    84th Legislative Session (2005-2006) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/2005
    Body: Senate
    District: 18
    Elected: 11/5/2002
    Residence: Dassel
    Term of Office: 1/6/2003 to 12/31/2006
    Oath Date: 1/7/2003
    Counties Represented: McLeod, Meeker, Wright
    Occupation: Farmer/Veterinarian
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:     2005 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture, Veterans and Gaming
    • Finance
    • Finance: Environment, Agriculture and Economic Development Budget Division
    • Rules and Administration
    term photo
    Click to view

    83rd Legislative Session (2003-2004)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/2003
    Body: Senate
    District: 18
    Elected: 11/5/2002
    Residence: Dassel
    Term of Office: 1/6/2003 to 12/31/2006
    Oath Date: 1/7/2003
    Counties Represented: McLeod, Meeker, Wright
    Occupation: Farmer/Veterinarian
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:  2003 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2003 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture, General Legislation and Veterans Affairs-2003/Agriculture, Veterans and Gaming-2004
    • Finance
    • Finance: Environment, Agriculture and Economic Development Budget Division
    • Rules and Administration
    term photo
    Click to view

    82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/2001
    Body: Senate
    District: 20
    Elected: 11/7/2000
    Residence: Dassel
    Term of Office: 1/1/2001 to 1/5/2003
    Oath Date: 1/3/2001
    Counties Represented: Carver, McLeod, Meeker, Stearns, Wright
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:     2001 1st Sp.S. - Author
       2002 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture, General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • Capital Investment
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection
    • Finance
    • Finance: Environment and Agriculture Budget Division
    term photo
    Click to view

    81st Legislative Session (1999-2000) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1999
    Body: Senate
    District: 20
    Elected: 11/5/1996
    Residence: Dassel
    Term of Office: 1/6/1997 to 12/31/2000
    Oath Date: 1/7/1997
    Counties Represented: Carver, McLeod, Meeker, Stearns, Wright
    Occupation: Farmer/Veterinarian/Former Faculty Member, University of Minnesota
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Rural Development
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources/Agriculture and Rural Development/State Government Finance: Environment and Agriculture Budget Division
    • Health and Family Security
    • Health and Family Security/Human Resources Finance: Health and Family Security Budget Division
    • State Government Finance

    80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1997
    Body: Senate
    District: 20
    Elected: 11/5/1996
    Residence: Dassel
    Term of Office: 1/6/1997 to 12/31/2000
    Oath Date: 1/7/1997
    Counties Represented: Carver, McLeod, Meeker, Stearns, Wright
    Occupation: Farmer/Veterinarian
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Rural Development
    • Agriculture and Rural Development: Joint House/Senate Special Select Subcommittee on Agricultural Education
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources/Agriculture and Rural Development/State Government Finance: Environment and Agriculture Budget Division
    • Health and Family Security
    • Health and Family Security/Human Resources Finance: Health and Family Security Budget Division
    • State Government Finance
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader
    term photo
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    79th Legislative Session (1995-1996) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1995
    Body: Senate
    District: 20
    Elected: 11/3/1992
    Residence: Dassel
    Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/5/1997
    Oath Date: 1/5/1993
    Counties Represented: Carver, McLeod, Meeker, Stearns, Wright
    Occupation: Farmer/Veterinarian
    Party: Independent Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Rural Development
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
    • Jobs, Energy and Community Development
    • Jobs, Energy and Community Development: Energy and Public Utilities
    • Jobs, Energy and Community Development: Jobs, Energy and Community Development Finance Division
    • Taxes and Tax Laws
    • Taxes and Tax Laws: Property Tax
    term photo
    Click to view

    78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1993
    Body: Senate
    District: 20
    Elected: 11/3/1992
    Residence: Dassel
    Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/5/1997
    Oath Date: 1/5/1993
    Counties Represented: Carver, McLeod, Meeker, Stearns, Wright
    Occupation: Farmer/Veterinarian
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Rural Development
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
    • Jobs, Energy and Community Development
    • Jobs, Energy and Community Development: Energy and Public Utilities
    • Transportation and Public Transit
    • Transportation and Public Transit: Transportation and Public Transit Finance Division
    term photo
    Click to view

    77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1991
    Body: House
    District: 21A
    Elected: 11/6/1990
    Residence: Dassel
    Term of Office: 1/7/1991 to 1/3/1993
    Oath Date: 1/8/1991
    Counties Represented: McLeod, Meeker, Stearns
    Occupation: Farmer/Veterinarian
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agriculture Finance and Farm Programs
    • Agriculture: Dairy and Livestock
    • Agriculture: Rural Development, Marketing, and International Trade
    • Education
    • Education: Higher Education Division
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Labor-Management Relations
    • Labor-Management Relations: Worker's Compensation and Unemployment Insurance
    term photo
    Click to view

    76th Legislative Session (1989-1990)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1989
    Body: House
    District: 21A
    Elected: 11/8/1988
    Residence: Dassel
    Term of Office: 1/2/1989 to 1/6/1991
    Oath Date: 1/3/1989
    Counties Represented: McLeod, Meeker, Stearns
    Occupation: Farmer/Veterinarian
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agriculture Finance and Farm Programs
    • Economic Development
    • Economic Development: Job Training and Retraining
    • Economic Development: Rural Resource Development Division
    • Governmental Operations
    • Governmental Operations: Personnel
    • Labor-Management Relations
    • Labor-Management Relations: Unemployment Insurance and Workers' Compensation

    75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1987
    Body: House
    District: 21A
    Elected: 11/4/1986
    Residence: Dassel
    Term of Office: 1/5/1987 to 1/1/1989
    Oath Date: 1/6/1987
    Counties Represented: McLeod, Meeker, Stearns
    Occupation: Farmer/Veterinarian/Former Faculty University of Minnesota, 2 years
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Farm Programs and Policies
    • Economic Development and Housing
    • Economic Development and Housing: Housing and Community Development
    • Governmental Operations
    • Governmental Operations: Government Structures
    • Labor-Management Relations

    OTHER INFORMATION

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    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.

    District News Files

    2000 (20)
    2001 (20)
    2002 (20)
    2003 (18)
    2004 (18)
    2005 (18)
    2006 (18)
    2007 (18)
    2008 (18)
    2009 (18)
    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

    Photographs

    Senator Steve Dille listens to testimony during a committee hearing, St. Paul, Minnesota. c. 1998. Photo credit: This image was scanned from the files of the Minnesota Senate Photographer with the generous help of the Minnesota Digital Library.

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