The South Dakota legislature is a part time legislature, made of every day regular folks like you and me. Some have full-time jobs, like myself, and some are retired. This is the second year of my first term serving in the legislature; it’s both an honor and a privilege. The Legislature reconvened this week and this was the 1st week of session in Pierre. It still seems like a wild and crazy place. Just to make sure the session started off with a bang, I blew a tire on the interstate on my way to Pierre, but thankfully ended up being ok. I always try to be available for questions and information, I have a feeling it will be a busy year with over 650 drafts produced already with more to come. The www.sdlegislature.gov website has a great deal of information and can help people search the titles and numbers of bills and track ones of interest.
The first week is usually a little slower paced and consists of some speeches along with some nuts-and-bolts kind of bills to get everyone back in the rhythm of things. This week consisted of the State of the State Address from Governor Noem, along with the State of the Judiciary from the Supreme Court Justice, and the State of the Tribes. Even though it’s a slower paced week we are already off to a quick start.
Along with serving as a member of the House of Representatives, we also serve on committees as well. I serve on both House Commerce & Energy along with House Transportation. Both committees meet in the morning. In House Transportation there were the nut-and-bolts type of bills that do basic things like update the year in the motor vehicle code or something to that effect. However, I wasn’t able to be in Transportation to vote on those bills because as that same time I was pitching my own bill in House Local Government that clarifies how voting takes place amongst campgrounds, makes it fairer for the campgrounds, and helps cities too in the event they would like to expand the city owned campground. It passed unanimously and without any opposition, so now it will go to the House floor next week where it is likely to pass as well. It was the first time the campgrounds had ever supported a bill and better yet, it was the first time the cities and the campgrounds had ever agreed on a bill.
In Commerce & Energy we heard bills from the Public Utility Commission on requiring permits for hydrogen pipelines. It passed unanimously, and I voted for it because I felt that it was important to require companies to get permits from the Public Utility Commission for doing this work, and since it was in regards to pipelines, and them being a hot topic issue we made sure the bill would have to be presented in full on the House floor. We also heard a bill from the Division of Labor and Regulation in regards to reporting requirements and another one on insurance holdings to ensure they remain solvent. They both passed unanimously as well, and will be up for consideration on the House floor next week.
I also had another bill of mine up in House Judiciary it is a bill that would make it a crime to expose a law enforcement officer or first responder to fentanyl if the exposure caused them serious bodily injury or death. It’s a little daunting when you’re not a lawyer and your sitting in front of a committee full of lawyers and they are peppering you with legal questions. But I was prepared, and I must have done a good enough job holding my own because it passed out of committee 8-4 and now it also goes to the House floor next week. I also have more bills of my own coming so we are off to a fast paced start.
The big item to hit the House floor this week was removing the sunset clause on the sales tax cut from last year. I absolutely voted for this. I didn’t like the idea of the sunset clause on it last year and I still don’t like it. Theres no point in keeping a tax increase alive.
It has been a quick first 4 legislative days with 34 to go. I’m excited and looking forward to what comes next. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns. My email address is Ben.Krohmer@sdlegislature.gov.
Ben Krohmer
State House of Representatives, District 20