This session is full of many challenges

We just completed our 8th legislative day of the 100th session. It has been a jam-packed two weeks. With a large class of new legislators, leadership has concentrated on training and organizing the committee chairs and members quickly. As we do at the beginning of each session, we voted to adopt the new rules for the 100th and 101st legislative session. These are the rules which will be in effect until we gavel out in March 2026.  
This session, we are faced with many changes and challenges. As you know, Gov. Noem has been confirmed as the Secretary of Homeland Security. With her resignation letter presented to Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden last Sunday, he assumed the duties of the governor. He was sworn in as governor by Chief Justice Steven Jensen in the governor’s office.
His inauguration is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 8 in the Rotunda at the Capitol. Gov. Rhoden now has the task of selecting a new lieutenant governor. His appointee will need to be confirmed by the members of the House and the Senate, which should happen quickly to help make the transition as seamless as possible.
We are also facing a tough budget situation this year which is quite a contrast from the COVID years where the state had federal dollars to budget and spend. Revenues are not growing as fast as projected; we only expect $44 million in new revenue this year. Costs are going up much faster than anticipated. Just the Medicaid program alone is costing us $60 million more next year. This is because of mandatory costs shift from the federal government to the state.
The governor proposed to give 1.25 percent increases to the big three, K-12 schools, Medicaid providers and state employees, which costs another $29 million. So, you can see the problem—those items alone are spending more money than we have! The only answer is to make cuts.
I know many of you have concerns about some of the proposed budget’s cuts, and so do I … especially when it comes to the cuts for the South Dakota Library and South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
We need to take a hard look at all the proposed cuts and make sure we have all the information. For example, the governor’s budget proposes a $1 million cut to the libraries. However, what they didn’t tell us is that if this budget cut occurs, the library will no longer be eligible for $1.4 million in federal funding. So, it is actually a $2.4 million cut to the libraries’ budget. I have met with the co-chair of Appropriations, and he has assured me that the Appropriations Committee will work hard to evaluate each proposed budget cut and try to find alternatives.
There are so many very important pieces of legislation facing our state this session. There are multiple bills addressing property tax reform, men’s prison, school vouchers, CO2 pipeline, election reform and more. Some bills with duplication may be combined by the bill’s authors in an effort to streamline the bill, and some may be withdrawn. The last day for the introduction of individual bills is Feb. 5. I will be dropping my bills before the deadline. We will have a clearer picture of the legislative landscape then.
I am looking forward to seeing you at the upcoming crackerbarrels. It is an honor and a privilege to represent you and to be your voice in Pierre!