Steve Smith (politician)
Encyclopedia
Steven "Steve" Smith is a Minnesota
politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
representing District 33A, which includes portions of Hennepin
and Wright
counties in the western Twin Cities
metropolitan area. A Republican
, he is an attorney by profession.
Smith was first elected in 1990, and has been re-elected every two years since then. Prior to the 1992 legislative redistricting
, he represented the old District 43A, and prior to the 2002 redistricting, he represented the old District 34A. His top legislative priorities include tax cuts and government reform.
Smith is currently vice chair of the House Ethics Committee, and a member of the Finance Committee and the Finance subcommittee for the Public Safety Finance Division. He currently serves as deputy minority leader
. He was chair of the Civil Law Committee from 1999–2002, the Judiciary Policy and Finance Committee during the 2003-2004 biennium, and the Public Safety Policy and Finance Committee during the 2005-2006 biennium.
Smith graduated from Lester Prairie High School in Lester Prairie
, then went on to the University of Minnesota
in Minneapolis
, graduating with a B.A.
in political science. He then attended Oklahoma City University School of Law
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
, earning his J.D.
. He served on the Mound
City Council from 1984–1986, and as mayor
of Mound from 1987-1990.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
representing District 33A, which includes portions of Hennepin
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live...
and Wright
Wright County, Minnesota
Wright County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, founded in 1855. As of 2010, the population was 124,700. Its county seat is Buffalo.-History:...
counties in the western Twin Cities
Twin cities
Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres which are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time...
metropolitan area. A Republican
Republican Party of Minnesota
The Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee in June 2009, its chairman is Tony Sutton, and its deputy-chairman is Michael Brodkorb.-Early history:...
, he is an attorney by profession.
Smith was first elected in 1990, and has been re-elected every two years since then. Prior to the 1992 legislative redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
, he represented the old District 43A, and prior to the 2002 redistricting, he represented the old District 34A. His top legislative priorities include tax cuts and government reform.
Smith is currently vice chair of the House Ethics Committee, and a member of the Finance Committee and the Finance subcommittee for the Public Safety Finance Division. He currently serves as deputy minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
. He was chair of the Civil Law Committee from 1999–2002, the Judiciary Policy and Finance Committee during the 2003-2004 biennium, and the Public Safety Policy and Finance Committee during the 2005-2006 biennium.
Smith graduated from Lester Prairie High School in Lester Prairie
Lester Prairie, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,377 people, 516 households, and 379 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,910.4 people per square mile . There were 531 housing units at an average density of 736.7 per square mile...
, then went on to the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, graduating with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in political science. He then attended Oklahoma City University School of Law
Oklahoma City University School of Law
Oklahoma City University School of Law, also known as OCU Law, is one of the professional graduate schools of Oklahoma City University. OCU Law is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and was founded in 1907...
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
, earning his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
. He served on the Mound
Mound, Minnesota
Mound is a settlement in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. ZIP code: 55364. The population was 9,052 at the 2010 census. Mound is the birthplace of the Tonka truck, named after Lake Minnetonka. Mound is also the birthplace of actor Kevin Sorbo, who portrayed Hercules on the television...
City Council from 1984–1986, and as mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Mound from 1987-1990.