It was a historic week for South Dakota as Governor Larry Rhoden was sworn in as our 34th governor on Monday, January 27th. His speech to the joint session of the Legislative Assembly took place on Tuesday the 28th and he was humble, honored, thankful, and gave us the sense of his principles that will be the foundation of his leadership for our state. I've had the pleasure of knowing Governor Rhoden since my early days as a legislator, and I appreciate his genuine, civil, and engaging persona. I'm excited for him to lead our state, especially with the excellent additions of Matt Michels as Senior Advisor and Counsel and Mackenzie Decker as Chief of Staff.
The selection of Tony Venhuizen as Lieutenant Governor was also outstanding. Having served with Tony in the House for the past two years, I've seen firsthand his unparalleled knowledge of legislation, budget processes, and state government. He was a tremendous asset to our House Appropriations Committee, and he will be sorely missed. It’s a fact, the longer you know Tony, the better you like and appreciate him.
Committee work this week was not overwhelming yet there were some memorable debates and votes on several issues. HB 1073 was in committee and on the floor this week. It’s a bill I introduced that involved a privacy issue that a friend and constituent brought up to me that we both felt should be addressed. The legislation would direct the Secretary of State’s office to not allow our email address and phone number to be given out from the result of registering to vote. If you received countless text messages and / or emails about campaigns soliciting donations or other personal information during the last election cycle, you know what we (my constituent and I) are concerned about and hopefully the passage of this bill will reduce that annoyance and danger. The bill passed out of committee and on the floor of the House this week but still has a long way to go as it goes to the Senate for their consideration. My constituent did a great job in his testimony and hopefully we have some momentum as it moves on to the next chamber. Remember that a bill needs to pass a House policy committee, the House floor, a Senate policy committee, the Senate floor, and hopefully earn the Governor’s signature before it can become law.
I'm writing this recap on Thursday, January 30th, in advance of our District 24 legislators' annual Cracker-barrel event in Onida tomorrow. This question-and-answer session takes place each year in late January or early February. If last week's Cracker-barrel in Highmore is any indication, we can expect a lively discussion. Topics such as displaying the Ten Commandments in schools, school vouchers (education savings accounts), proposed funding cuts to the State Library, and pipelines generated significant debate. We will also be on KCCR radio on Saturday morning for a question-and-answer session, followed by another Cracker-barrel at the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce building later that morning. While these events can sometimes lead to passionate conversations, we genuinely value your input and opinions. They also provide us with an opportunity to explain our positions and the various factors that influence our decision-making.
I anticipate a busy week next week as my fellow legislators introduce several new bills. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or thoughts.
– mw