Steve Holland (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steve Holland
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| Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from the 16th district |
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| In office January 1985 – January 2020 |
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| Preceded by | A.C. "Butch" Lambert, Sr. |
| Succeeded by | Rickey W. Thompson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 5, 1955 Tupelo, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Political party | Independent (since 2020) Democratic (until 2020) |
| Residences | Plantersville, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Mississippi State University |
Daniel Stephen Holland (born November 5, 1955) is an American politician. He served as a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1985 to 2020. This means he was a lawmaker for his home state of Mississippi for many years. He represented the 16th district.
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About Steve Holland
Early Life and Education
Steve Holland was born on November 5, 1955. His father was a farmer. His mother, Sadie Holland, was very involved in local politics. She even served as an elected county judge.
In 2013, his mother was targeted in an incident involving letters that contained a dangerous substance. Luckily, she was not harmed. The person responsible for sending the letters was caught and admitted to the crime.
Steve Holland went to Mississippi State University for his education.
Career as a Funeral Director
Because his father partly owned a local funeral home, Steve was able to get a job there when he was young. He worked as a funeral director for over 40 years. A funeral director helps families plan and carry out funeral services for loved ones who have passed away.
Steve saw his work as a way to help people in his community. He felt it was a type of public service, especially for families who didn't have a lot of money. For these families, he sometimes offered services at a lower cost. He also believed that helping families during difficult times helped him connect with many people, which was useful in his political career.
Time in the Mississippi House
Making Laws for Mississippi
Early in his career, Steve Holland helped pass laws that supported organ donations in Mississippi. Organ donation is when a person allows their organs to be used to save the lives of others after they die.
Steve Holland was known for his unique sense of humor. In 2012, he suggested a bill to change the official name of the Gulf of Mexico within Mississippi to the "Gulf of America." This was his way of showing his opinion on what he saw as unusual priorities from other lawmakers. Similarly, in 2017, he supported a bill to donate money for a border wall. This was at a time when Mississippi's state budget was short on funds, which highlighted his point about priorities.
End of His Time in Office
In March 2017, Steve Holland shared that he had been diagnosed with dementia, a health condition that affects memory and thinking. He announced that he would not run for re-election at the end of his term in 2019.
However, in 2019, Holland decided to run for his 10th term in the State Legislature. This time, he ran as an Independent candidate, not as a Democrat. He was defeated by the Democratic candidate, Rickey W. Thompson.
Some people thought his change in political party was an effort to avoid losing to Thompson in the Democratic primary election. Even as an Independent, it was expected that he would still work with the Democratic party if he had won.
