Betzold, Don
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.
Body: Senate
District: 51
Elected: 11/7/2006
Residence: Fridley
Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/3/2011
Counties Represented:
Anoka, Ramsey
Occupation: Lawyer/Colonel (Retired) Judge Advocate General's Corps, Army Reserves
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
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
Body: Senate
District: 51
Elected: 11/7/2006
Residence: Fridley
Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/3/2011
Counties Represented:
Anoka, Ramsey
Occupation: Lawyer, Brooklyn Center/Colonel (Retired) Judge Advocate General's Corp.
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
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
Body: Senate
District: 51
Elected: 11/5/2002
Residence: Fridley
Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007
Counties Represented:
Anoka, Ramsey
Occupation: Attorney, Brooklyn Center/Colonel (Retired), Judge Advocate General's Corps, Army Reserves
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
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
Body: Senate
District: 51
Elected: 11/5/2002
Residence: Fridley
Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007
Counties Represented:
Anoka, Ramsey
Occupation: Attorney, Brooklyn Center/Colonel, Judge Advocate General's Corps, Army Reserves
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
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
Body: Senate
District: 48
Elected: 11/7/2000
Residence: Brooklyn Center
Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003
Counties Represented:
Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey
Occupation: Attorney/Colonel, Judge Advocate General's Corps, Army Reserves
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
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)
Body: Senate
District: 48
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Brooklyn Center
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented:
Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey
Occupation: Attorney/Col., Army Reserves
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
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
Body: Senate
District: 48
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Fridley
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented:
Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey
Occupation: Attorney/Lt. Col (P) Army Reserves
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
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
Body: Senate
District: 48
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Fridley
Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/6/1997
Counties Represented:
Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey
Occupation: Attorney/Lt. 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 Subcommittee on Privacy
-
Metropolitan and Local Government
-
Metropolitan and Local Government: Metropolitan Affairs
Body: Senate
District: 48
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Fridley
Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/6/1997
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
Senate Photos
The photos in this collection were scanned from the files of the Minnesota Senate Photographer
with the generous help of the Minnesota
Digital Library.
District Files
District File - 2000 District 48
District File - 2002 District 48
District File - 2001 District 48
District File - 2003 District 51
District File - 2004 District 51
District File - 2005 District 51
District File - 2006 District 51
District File - 2007 District 51
District File - 2008 District 51
District File - 2009 District 51
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.
The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.