As February comes to a close, I wanted to provide a brief recap of the past week's activity in the House of Representatives.
The reconsideration of the vote to transfer money from the general fund to the incarceration construction fund lost by one vote on Monday. This sent a strong message to Governor Rhoden that there needs to be a reset in establishing the need for a new prison facility, understanding of the facts of costs and location options, and bringing together a new task force of current legislators, consultants, and executive branch officials to bring consensus of how we go forward.
While I have not personally toured the men's prison, I have spoken at length to my fellow legislators who have. They paint a very dismal and almost inhumane conditions that prisoners and security staff endure every day. I applaud the attitude and spirit of our Governor to examine the facts, lesson the emotion, and work together to find a solution that a substantial majority can embrace. There is no perfect solution, but we must find one that addresses both humane incarceration conditions and robust rehabilitation programs. These programs are essential to helping incarcerated individuals return to their families and to a path of personal pride and success. I am praying that we can achieve this.
Given the current legislative landscape and the nature of the bills we're facing, it's a significant victory when we can successfully defeat harmful legislation. One such bill was HB 1186, which sought to eliminate the "Future Fund," a valuable economic and workforce development tool.
Established in 1987 and supported by South Dakota employers, the Future Fund has been instrumental in supporting a wide range of initiatives, including cheese plants, manufacturing facilities, Dakota Build scholarships, Ellsworth facilities, and research projects. While there has been recent criticism of Governor Noem's use of the fund to support a Governor’s Cup Rodeo in Sioux Falls and the “Freedom Works Here” workforce recruitment campaign, I believe it remains a vital tool for the economic health and future of South Dakota.
I'm pleased we were able to defeat HB 1186 (32 yes, 38 no), so the positive use of the fund can go on and the state and the workforce can benefit from it.
There isn’t a day that goes by without an appropriations update to the budget process and the importance of restoring funding to the State Library, SDPB, and other crucial priorities. We consistently hear from constituents and state leaders about the need for these appropriations. Additionally, restoring funding to the graduate medical assistance program, which incentivizes medical students to practice in rural South Dakota, is a priority for myself and many other legislators.
Through my eight years of service on the Avera St. Mary's Governing Board, the critical need to retain young medical professionals in our state became abundantly clear. I am optimistic that this funding will be included in the upcoming budget.
This week, I've been focusing on identifying positive initiatives we can pursue for South Dakota in the next session. I've reached out to other legislators and lobbyists to find common ground and areas of potential collaboration, rather than dwelling on past disagreements.
I'm always interested in your perspective. Please feel free to text or email me with your thoughts on how we can move South Dakota forward. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to seeing you next week.
–mw