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Sams, Dallas C.

Senate 1991-92 (District 12); Senate 1993-2006 (District 11)

Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Counties Served:  Becker, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Stearns, Stevens, Todd, Wadena

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 8/30/1952
Birth Place:
Birth County:
Birth Country:
Date of Death: 3/5/2007
Gender: Male
Religion: Protestant
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected): Staples
Occupation (when first elected): Farmer/Farm Business Management Instructor

EDUCATION

Staples High School; Secondary;
Brainerd Community College; Junior College/Community College;
University of Minnesota; B.S.; Agricultural Education

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

State Agency: Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Marketing Services Division (Contractor); 01/2007 to 03/05/2007

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Elaine (listed when first elected, no longer listed in 1997); Mary Beth Davidson (listed in 1999)
Children: Five children: Seth, Stacia, Jordan, Mitchell and Michael
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

Special Legislative Concerns: agriculture, health care, education, transportation.

He died, from brain cancer, at St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. His funeral was held at the gymnasium of Staples High School in Minnesota.

Religion provided by Politics in Minnesota the Directory, 2005-2006.

Total Days Served: 5838

SESSIONS SERVED

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

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 11
Elected: 11/5/2002
Residence: Staples
Term of Office: 1/6/2003 to 12/31/2006
Counties Represented: Douglas, Grant, Stevens, Todd
Occupation: Dairy Farmer/Legislator
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Special Session Bills Authored:     2005 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
  • Agriculture, Veterans and Gaming
  • Capital Investment
  • Commerce
  • Commerce: Liquor
  • Commerce: No Fault Insurance
  • Finance
  • Finance: Environment, Agriculture and Economic Development Budget Division (Chair)
  • Rules and Administration
Ran in next election? Yes. Defeated in general election

83rd Legislative Session (2003-2004)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 11
Elected: 11/5/2002
Residence: Staples
Term of Office: 1/6/2003 to 12/31/2006
Counties Represented: Douglas, Grant, Stevens, Todd
Occupation: Farmer/Legislator
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
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
  • Commerce and Utilities-2003/Commerce-2004
  • Commerce and Utilities-2003/Commerce-2004: Telecommunications and Technology
  • Finance
  • Finance: Environment, Agriculture and Economic Development Budget Division (Chair)
  • Jobs, Housing and Community Development-2003/Jobs, Energy and Community Development-2004 [He was a member in 2003 only.]
  • Rules and Administration

82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 11
Elected: 11/7/2000
Residence: Staples
Term of Office: 1/1/2001 to 1/5/2003
Counties Represented: Becker, Douglas, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, Wadena
Occupation: Farmer/Legislator
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
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
  • Finance
  • Finance: Health, Human Services and Corrections Budget Division
  • Health and Family Security (Chair)
  • Rules and Administration: Elections
  • Telecommunications, Energy and Utilities

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

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 11
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Staples
Term of Office: 1/6/1997 to 12/31/2000
Counties Represented: Becker, Douglas, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, Wadena
Occupation: Farmer/Legislator
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Agriculture and Rural Development (Chair)
  • Election Laws
  • Health and Family Security
  • Health and Family Security/Human Resources Finance: Health and Family Security Budget Division
  • Transportation
  • Transportation/State Government Finance: Transportation Budget Division

80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 11
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Staples
Term of Office: 1/6/1997 to 12/31/2000
Counties Represented: Becker, Douglas, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, Wadena
Occupation: Farmer/Legislator
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Agriculture and Rural Development (Chair)
  • Agriculture and Rural Development: Joint House/Senate Special Select Subcommittee on Agricultural Education (Chair)
  • Election Laws
  • Health and Family Security
  • Health and Family Security/Human Resources Finance: Health and Family Security Budget Division
  • Human Resources Finance
  • Transportation
  • Transportation/State Government Finance: Transportation Budget Division

79th Legislative Session (1995-1996) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 11
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Staples
Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/5/1997
Counties Represented: Becker, Douglas, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, Wadena
Occupation: Farmer/Farm Business Management Instructor
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Agriculture and Rural Development
  • Ethics and Campaign Reform
  • Health Care
  • Health Care: Health Care and Family Services Finance Division
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Taxes and Tax Laws: Property Tax

78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 11
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Staples
Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/5/1997
Counties Represented: Becker, Douglas, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, Wadena
Occupation: Farmer/Farm Business Management Instructor
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Agriculture and Rural Development
  • Governmental Operations and Reform
  • Governmental Operations and Reform: Reform and Innovation
  • Health Care
  • Health Care: Health Care and Family Services Finance Division
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Taxes and Tax Laws: Property Tax

77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 12
Elected: 11/6/1990
Residence: Staples
Term of Office: 1/7/1991 to 1/3/1993
Counties Represented: Douglas, Otter Tail, Todd, Wadena
Occupation: Farmer/Farm Business Management Instructor
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Agriculture and Rural Development
  • Agriculture and Rural Development: Joint Agriculture and Rural Development/Environment and Natural Resources Ad Hoc
  • Agriculture and Rural Development: Rural Development
  • Economic Development and Housing
  • Health and Human Services
  • Health and Human Services: Health Care Access Division
  • Veterans and General Legislation

Articles & Books About

District Files

2000 (11)
2001 (11)
2002 (11)
2003 (11)
2003 (11)
2004 (11)
2005 (11)
2006 (11)
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

Senator Dallas Sams speaks in committee, St. Paul, Minnesota. 1/1/1998. Photo credit: , Senate Media Services.