Former legislator Kloucek with a tribute to dedicated Legislative Research Council staffer Reuben Bezpaletz
Reuben Bezpaletz passed away on Aug. 11. Reuben was one of the main staffers for the Legislative Research Council (its logo is seen above) in our state Capitol for 42 years.
He was very kind and fair to all legislators, including Democrats. He strived hard to keep legislation between staff and the legislator. There was no disclosure of proposed legislation to Republican or Democratic leadership under his watch. His respect for the Legislature and the legislative process was as big as his heart.
One example of this is when he drafted the bill requested by Scotland teacher Gary Pepper that changed the Constitution to allow a 21-year-old to become governor. It was approved by an overwhelming vote of South Dakotans. Before this change anyone could become governor once they were a resident for two years. So in fact, a person could be 2 years old and become governor.
Reuben knew the state Constitution and rules of the Legislature inside and out. Over Reuben’s 42-year career, he helped many committee chairs run the committee hearing process correctly.
Reuben was a Czech from the Woonsocket area. Reuben loved state, national and international history, his Czech heritage, poppyseed kolaches, or as he spelled it, kolaces.
He tried to help legislators any way he could. He was married to Teri, was a bit eccentric and was a brilliant Legislative Research Council staffer who went the extra mile for legislators. He explained current laws, proposed laws, rules and their impact. Reuben paid attention to the fine details of draftsmanship of legislation. He was a perfectionist who went over and above to help legislators.
Former Custer County State’s Attorney Lynn Moran was a classmate of Reuben’s at Woonsocket High School and USD. She told Reuben he was an accomplished artist already at 5 years old. He was Woonsocket’s Class of 1965 valedictorian.
He graduated from USD and went on to work with distinction for 42 years at the South Dakota Legislative Research Council.
Linda Stensland told of his excellent work on environmental bills, which are still on the books today. Many legislators can attest to Reuben’s integrity and honesty.
Many of the bills he drafted for me became law or were copied by Republican legislators word-for-word and also became the law of the land. He was not afraid to stand up for the little guy or the minority when they were getting trampled on.
Reuben helped longtime state Sen. Paul Symens and the landowners with flooding and property rights issues concerning water rights and hunting access in northeast South Dakota. He helped many Democratic and Republican legislators over the years.
Reuben was fair and honest in the game of life. He went the extra mile for legislators, especially those who did not always get a fair shake. He made a positive difference in many legislators’ lives, including mine.
One of Reuben’s finest hours was taking a group of legislators to the Klas Czech restaurant in Cicero, Ill., which he loved very much. As a connoisseur of fine Czech food and a history buff, he would delight in the fine food and rich history of the Klas restaurant. Their roast duck was his favorite. They cooked it similar to how his mother cooked it.
Reuben knew his Czech heritage very well and always beamed proudly when describing the Czech Republic breaking away from Russia to become an independent country. Reuben Bezpaletz was a great man with a heart as big as the great state of South Dakota. He will be missed.
Frank Kloucek of Scotland, S.D., was a Democratic state senator for 16 years and a state representative for six years who prided himself on helping people. A 1974 Scotland High School graduate and 1978 SDSU graduate, he and his wife Joanie farm in Bon Homme County. They have four children and eight grandchildren.
