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Betzold, Don

Sessions Served

Other Information

Senate 1993-2002 (District 48): Senate 2003-2010 (District 51)

Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Counties Served: Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 8/27/1950

Birth Place: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Birth County: Hennepin

Birth Country: United States

Date of Death:

Gender: Male

Religion: Catholic

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names:

City of Residence (when first elected): Fridley

Occupation (when first elected): Attorney/Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Reserves

EDUCATION

De La Salle High School; Secondary;
University of Minnesota; B.A.; Journalism, Summa Cum Laude, 1972
Hamline University School of Law; J.D.; 1979

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Military: United States Army (Signal Corps Officer, Active Duty, 4 years); 19?? to ?

Military: United States Army Reserves, Judge Advocate General's Corps (Retired as Colonel); 19?? to ?

Municipal Board/Commission: Fridley, Minnesota (City Planning Commission, Chair; City Charter Commission); 19?? to ?

County Attorney: Hennepin County, Minnesota (Defense Attorney, Civil Commitment Cases); 1980 to 20??

State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Statehood Sesquicentennial Commission; 2006 to 12/31/2008 [Appointed]

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Leesa
Children: One child: Ben (son)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

Special Legislative Concerns: human services, environmental issues, local government operations, small business, civil law, mental health, military, data practices.

Religion provided by the Natural Resources Defense Council's State Directories 2005 and Politics in Minnesota the Directory, 2005-2006.

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Total Days Served: 6573

SESSIONS SERVED

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

Session Details Convened Date: 1/6/2009

Body: Senate

District: 51

Elected: 11/7/2006

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/1/2007 to 1/2/2011
Oath Date: 1/3/2007

Counties Represented: Anoka, Ramsey

Occupation: Lawyer/Colonel (Retired) Judge Advocate General's Corps, Army Reserves

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Finance
Finance: Judiciary Budget Division
Finance: State Government Budget Division (Chair)
Judiciary
Judiciary: Data Practices
Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules
State and Local Government Operations and Oversight
State and Local Government Operations and Oversight: Gaming

Ran in next election? Yes. Defeated in general election

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85th Legislative Session (2007-2008)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/2007

Body: Senate

District: 51

Elected: 11/7/2006

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/1/2007 to 1/2/2011
Oath Date: 1/3/2007

Counties Represented: Anoka, Ramsey

Occupation: Lawyer, Brooklyn Center/Colonel (Retired) Judge Advocate General's Corp.

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Finance
Finance: Judiciary Budget Division
Finance: State Government Budget Division (Chair)
Judiciary
Judiciary: Data Practices
Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules
State and Local Government Operations and Oversight
State and Local Government Operations and Oversight: Gaming

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

Session Details Convened Date: 1/4/2005

Body: Senate

District: 51

Elected: 11/5/2002

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/6/2003 to 12/31/2006
Oath Date: 1/7/2003

Counties Represented: Anoka, Ramsey

Occupation: Attorney, Brooklyn Center/Colonel (Retired), Judge Advocate General's Corps, Army Reserves

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2005 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author 2005 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Crime Prevention and Public Safety
Finance: Public Safety Budget Division
Judiciary (Chair)
Judiciary: Data Practices
Judiciary: Family Law
Rules and Administration: Litigation Expenses
Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules
Rules and Administration: Senate Audit
Taxes

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83rd Legislative Session (2003-2004)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/7/2003

Body: Senate

District: 51

Elected: 11/5/2002

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/6/2003 to 12/31/2006
Oath Date: 1/7/2003

Counties Represented: Anoka, Ramsey

Occupation: Attorney, Brooklyn Center/Colonel, Judge Advocate General's Corps, Army Reserves

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:

Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
Finance: Early Childhood Policy and Budget Division-2004
Judiciary (Chair)
Judiciary: Data Practices
Judiciary: Family Law
Rules and Administration: Litigation Expenses
Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules
Rules and Administration: Senate Audit
Taxes

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82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/2001

Body: Senate

District: 48

Elected: 11/7/2000

Residence: Brooklyn Center

Term of Office: 1/1/2001 to 1/5/2003
Oath Date: 1/3/2001

Counties Represented: Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey

Occupation: Attorney/Colonel, Judge Advocate General's Corps, Army Reserves

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2001 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author 2001 1st Sp.S. - Author
2002 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author 2002 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Crime Prevention
Judiciary
Judiciary: Data Privacy and Information Policy (Chair)
Rules and Administration: Audit
State and Local Government Operations
Taxes
Taxes: Income and Sales Tax Budget Division (Chair)

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

Session Details Convened Date: 1/5/1999

Body: Senate

District: 48

Elected: 11/5/1996

Residence: Brooklyn Center

Term of Office: 1/6/1997 to 12/31/2000
Oath Date: 1/7/1997

Counties Represented: Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey

Occupation: Attorney/Col., Army Reserves

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Governmental Operations and Veterans
Governmental Operations and Veterans: Rulemaking (Chair)
Governmental Operations and Veterans/Election Laws/State Gov't. Finance Comm.: Governmental Operations Budget Division
Health and Family Security
Judiciary
Judiciary: Data Privacy and Information Policy (Chair)
Judiciary: Family Law
Judiciary/Crime Prevention/Human Resources Finance: Crime Prevention and Judiciary Budget Division
Rules and Administration: Senate Audit
Taxes
Taxes: Income and Sales Tax

80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/7/1997

Body: Senate

District: 48

Elected: 11/5/1996

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/6/1997 to 12/31/2000
Oath Date: 1/7/1997

Counties Represented: Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey

Occupation: Attorney/Lt. Col (P) Army Reserves

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Governmental Operations and Veterans
Governmental Operations and Veterans: Rulemaking (Chair)
Governmental Operations and Veterans/Election Laws/State Gov't. Finance Comm.: Governmental Operations Budget Division
Health and Family Security
Judiciary
Judiciary: Data Privacy and Information Policy (Chair)
Judiciary: Family Law
Judiciary/Crime Prevention/Human Resources Finance: Crime Prevention and Judiciary Budget Division
Taxes
Taxes: Income and Sales Tax

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

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/1995

Body: Senate

District: 48

Elected: 11/3/1992

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/5/1997
Oath Date: 1/5/1993

Counties Represented: Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey

Occupation: Attorney/Lt. Colonel, U.S. Army Reserves

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Family Services
Health Care
Health Care: Health Care and Family Services Finance Division
Judiciary
Judiciary: Family Law (Chair)
Judiciary: Joint Crime Prevention and Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy
Metropolitan and Local Government
Metropolitan and Local Government: Metropolitan Affairs

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78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/5/1993

Body: Senate

District: 48

Elected: 11/3/1992

Residence: Fridley

Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/5/1997
Oath Date: 1/5/1993

Counties Represented: Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey

Occupation: Attorney/Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Reserves

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Family Services
Health Care
Health Care: Health Care and Family Services Finance Division
Judiciary
Judiciary: Family Law (Chair)
Judiciary: Joint Crime Prevention and Judiciary Privacy
Metropolitan and Local Government
Metropolitan and Local Government: Metropolitan Affairs

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OTHER INFORMATION

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 (48)

2001 (48)

2002 (48)

2003 (51)

2004 (51)

2005 (51)

2006 (51)

2007 (51)

2008 (51)

2009 (51)

These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

Photographs

Senator Don Betzold confers with Senator Sheila Kiscaden during a committee hearing, St. Paul, Minnesota. c. 1993. 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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