From Capitol Hill

House Report by Scott Moore

As we finish week six in Pierre, we are also seeing some work/legislation that is getting completed. The atmosphere is positive in the caucus and there is good debate both in caucus and on the floor of the House Representatives. Wednesday Feb. 22 is “Crossover Day”, last day to pass bills or joint resolutions by the house of origin.

It is interesting in some bills and debates about what is the legal age for a person to make their own decisions. Being on both the Health and Human Services and Education Committee this seems to be a moving target. A sixteen-year-old can consent to sex but needs parental consent to obtain medical treatment. A person needs to stay in school until they are eighteen but then at eighteen can vote, enlist in the military, buy lottery tickets, and make their own medical choices, but still need to wait until twenty-one years of age to buy alcohol and play video lottery. Last of all a young adult can stay on their parents insurance until age twenty-six. To sum this up I know of some sixteen-year-old individuals that have the capability to make some good life choices and some twenty-six-year-olds that may still be trying to figure life out. There is no legislation that fits or solves all issues for everyone, but we need to work at legislation that works for a majority while protecting the rights and values of South Dakota residents, young and elderly.

During week seven and eight, money, projects, and tax cuts will be the hot topics. What I see as a positive is we have about half new legislatures and half veteran legislatures, that is a good mix. We will see some new ideas along with some good history of what has and hasn’t worked and why. Several terms keep getting mentioned in group discussions, fiscal responsibility and being cautious of growing government. In a time of record surpluses this may seem unnecessary. I will use some advice my dad gave me over forty years ago when I was buying my first vehicle. Buying the vehicle is the cheap or easy part. Maintaining it, purchasing gas and insurance are the continuous and expensive part of owning the vehicle. In government if we start or build a program or project, we need to maintain them, we need to make sure not to strap our future generations.

Appropriations are seeing several projects both started and just starting with sizable cost overruns. These projects are being looked at and evaluated.

We had the great privilege of having the Mobridge senior class along with Ipswich Government class visit the Capitol this past week. The school and instructors should be complimented for putting forth the time and resources. These students are our future leaders and work force. We need them and we need these students to stay in South Dakota to maintain a strong rural economy.

I would like to complement the area residents by coming to Pierre and lobbying for their beliefs or projects, be it Hiddenwood Lake, landowner rights, or issues that may affect your business or family. The only way we, as legislatures, can make informed decisions is by getting good correct information.

Senate Report by Bryan Breitling

2023 Legislative Session Week Six

With two thirds of session behind us, now are the milestones. Last week, we completed revenue setting, and this upcoming week is crossover, which is the last day to get a bill out of the house of origin.

In our sixth week on the Senate floor, the significant bill votes included SB90 – which defines consent, and SB91 – which updates the crime of rape. Both passed soundly. SB175 – which would create independent practice for physician’s assistants, I voted no, and it failed. SB139, SB160, and SB207 are all election update and transparency bills that passed the senate soundly. In recent years, several of our universities started a brewery program. SB108 would allow students under the age of 21 to taste the samples they are creating. It passed at just 18-17 with my no vote.

SB40 – revises the process for nominating statewide candidates, passed 18-16 and I voted to support. Currently, constitutional officers are not elected in the primary, but are nominated at party convention, and then run in the general election. This bill if passed, would allow for constitutional officers to run in the primary so voters can choose constitutional officers. The parties continue to meet and will recommend amendments in the House as this makes its way through. SB171 would create an age limit for PUC members, I supported it, however it failed. Last, SB120 – increase the property value owned by industrial development that is exempt, would raise the tax-exempt property of economic development organizations from $750,000 to $5,000,000. I opposed this bill; however, it did pass 21-12.

Legislation I am working on include: SB79 - Hiddenwood Lake Dam Project, SB172 - Construction Inflation for BHSU Nursing program expansion, and SB173 - NSU Nursing and Business Expansion, all were heard in appropriations this week and had a good response. This upcoming week, they will be heard a second time for final approval in Joint Appropriations, as will SB155, a bill to create a Regional Jail Fund. Also this week, I was the Senate prime sponsor of HB1133, define a commodity for common carrier. The bill would define CO2 that is to be stored geologically, is not a commodity. This is important, because product that is not a commodity cannot use eminent domain for development. While this would not stop the pipeline, as the pipeline could still use public right of way, it would affect the route to a small extent. The bill was heard this week in Senate Commerce and failed 0-9.

The big event in appropriations this week, was revenue setting. In short, FY23, which ends 6-30-23, General Fund revenue was set at a growth rate of 8.2%, and $2.3B. FY24, which ends 6-30-24, General Fund revenue was set at a growth rate of 3.8%, and $2.4B. Sales and Use tax is the leading state revenue source and is projected to grow 9.6% in FY23 and 5.0% in FY24.

All spending bills need to be out of Joint Appropriations this upcoming week. Following that, our attention then turns to final budget setting for FY24 state operations.

As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. I look forward to continued conversations!

 

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