With week two finished, 186 bills, commemorations and resolutions are officially making their way through the process. A few have even made it through their first committee hearing and the “house of origin.” Mostly, these early bills are routine legislation, often referred to as “clean up.” Typically they represent corrections needed to align language with other laws or fix outdated references. There is little to no debate on “clean up” bills and they tend to sail through.
HB1076 – Rep. Deutsch is the prime sponsor of this bill. I have signed on as a co-sponsor. It has yet to even be heard in committee, but is already generating some pushback in my email in-box. The bill would make it illegal to change the sex indicated on a birth certificate. I didn’t even realize that was happening anywhere, let alone here in South Dakota, but I guess that it is.
Some courts have allowed the change, based solely on the feelings and subjective wishes of a person, rather than facts. In my view, that is wrong and should not be allowed. There must be certain basic truths that are unchangeable. In a free society, people may live as they choose, but the official documents that are critical for their healthcare, the genealogical record of their family and the health of our society should only be based on verifiable facts. That is what the bill requires. We will see how the bill progresses, but I thought you should know where I stand.
I mentioned last week that I now serve on the Joint Committee on Approp-riations (JCA). The JCA is composed of 18 members (nine each from the House and Senate) and is tasked with reviewing all state government finances and working toward a session end goal of producing a balanced budget for both the current and following fiscal year. I had heard and now understand why the JCA is called the “headlight” committee. My day at the Capitol now starts a few minutes after 7 a.m. and ends at 5:30 p.m. or later – so I arrive and leave with my vehicle headlights on.
The first two weeks in the JCA have felt like I am drinking from a second “fire hose.” The first “fire hose” was my first year, when every legislator feels overwhelmed. This time the feeling is brought on by massive amounts of data and seemingly unending numbers. The committee has been having daily “briefings” on government offices, departments, boards and bureaus. The “briefings” often consist of 30 to 60 pages of information for each one. Gives a whole new meaning to the word “brief.” Nevertheless, I remain committed to the work as the committee asks questions, probes and prods to do what we can to improve the efficiency of government and balance the budget.
In service to God and you,
John Mills, Representative, District 4 mills4sd@gmail.com OR John.Mills@sdlegislature.gov
