Hello again from Pierre. We’ve completed our first week of session. I am grateful to be back and look forward to once again do the people’s work.
This time last year the capital was transformed due to COVID. People were wearing masks, desks on the House floor were separated by 6’x8’ sheets of clear plexiglass, internet Zoom testimony was encouraged, and receptions cancelled. This year, while still cautious, I am grateful much has normalized.
People always ask, “What will be the hot topics of this session?” Usually it’s hard to know, but this year it’s safe to say an overwhelming amount of time will be spent talking about money.
We have so much pouring in from the federal government it’s hard to fathom. We have well over a billion dollars more of federal money than we had last year, and last year was more than we’ve ever had in history.
The governor’s budget proposal uses these one-time federal funds for one-time investments, mostly for state infrastructure projects, with the expectation they will provide long-term benefits.
Do you remember all the hoopla about Y2K when the clocks changed from 1999 to 2000 that the computers would get all messed up? That’s what some are saying now, half-joking, that the state computers will crash because they weren’t designed to handle the big numbers of billions and billions of dollars!
The other “good” financial issue we are dealing with is South Dakota is doing very well. Lots of people are moving here, spending money, and generating taxes. The governor has proposed a 6% increase in funding to education and state workers.
The governor also proposed lowering a few taxes because we are doing so well. It’s not every day you hear a governor say that. I like the idea but hope we can make more meaningful reductions than she proposed to eliminate tax on gun purchases and playing bingo. For example, there is a legislative proposal being considered to roll back the half-cent sales tax that was passed several years ago. The proposal would return more money to a broader base of people. I need to study the proposal, but at this point think it is worthy of discussion.
I served on two summer-studies this year on housing and marijuana. Both committees will put forward bills. Housing shortages are a problem throughout the state. We have people who want to move here and jobs that need filling, but there are few places for people to move into. Just yesterday I spoke with a healthcare provider who was recruited by a health system and wanted to take the job but had to decline because she could not find a place to live. Valley Queen Cheese in Milbank wants to expand but is limited by available housing. The stories are the same throughout the state. Bills will be coming forward to help.
Marijuana will be a big issue this year. I joined 23 other legislators during the summer-study listening to hours of testimony and pouring over data. The committee is introducing 26 bills mostly dealing with safety and local control.
For example, one bill will prohibit the manufacture of marijuana products that appeal to children, like candy products. Another bill will give communities the authority to say yea or nay if they want a marijuana store in town. Currently, a community must allow it. And another bill will give local school boards the authority to say yea or nay if they want to allow medical marijuana use on school grounds.
I also look for many social issues to be debated this year. The governor introduced a “Fairness in Women’s Sports Bill” to require only biologic girls play in girls sports. As you might know, Kathleen and I raised four daughters. I taught them they could achieve anything they set their mind to as long as there was a level playing field. This bill establishes a level playing field for girls’ sports.
The bill passed its first hurdle on Friday, passing out of committee 8-1.
The governor has also proposed a “heartbeat bill” that would make abortions illegal after the heart of an unborn baby begins to beat. The bill is important for the ongoing fight for life, though it becomes mute if the Supreme Court overturns Roe.
I will be carrying a very full load of bills this year. I’ll provide you details of each in the coming weeks. As always, please feel free to contact me at fred.deutsch@sdlegislature.gov.
Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you in Pierre. It is work I take very seriously. Please contact me if I can help on any issue.
