From Capitol House

Legislative News

As we put week two behind us, we continue to see changes with President Trump being sworn in and Governor Noem going through the process to be sworn in by the US Senate. As I write this article, Governor Noem waits for confirmation and once completed, we are told her resignation letter will be put in effect and Lt Governor Rhoden will be sworn in as our next Governor. By the time this article is printed you will probably know who both the Senate and House will be looking to confirm as the new South Dakota Lt Governor.

We are getting requests from schools to come and join the tour of the Capitol and meet with District 23 Representatives. This is one of the best parts of being a legislator and meeting our area youth. District 23 was able to get seven area youth to come to Pierre and serve as pages. I know more students applied, but I feel fortunate to get seven students from District 23 schools.

House committees have started the process of hearing testimony on bills introduced and sending them to the floor for consideration. As a member of appropriations, we have been listening to briefings from state departments on their annual budgets. I have been seeing correspondence on South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB), cuts to the state library, eminent domain, and the proposed prison in Lincoln County. This prison would be one of the largest expenditures in South Dakota history. Moving the location along with the cost defiantly is an issue. The education voucher bill along with other education concerns will be heard soon. Property taxes are also a topic that continues to be discussed in the halls of the Capitol.

Please watch your local newspapers for the time and location of cracker barrels. Currently we have three scheduled in Aberdeen, Selby, Gettysburg, and Leola all have cracker barrels scheduled.

If you have listened to the legislative committees and daily sessions on SDPB please continue if you haven’t please listen in and be informed on what is happening in Pierre. I would encourage all District 23 schools to travel to Pierre and watch the process. January 22 we had 4H members attend and January 23 we had FFA students observing the political process.

--Scott Moore - District 23

House of Representatives