Author: @SoDakCampaigns

South Dakota Democrats just swapped out Dennis Menke, their District 18 Senate Candidate, with a new candidate, the Yankton School Board President Sarah Carda:

Carda said in a statement Monday, “I’m excited to step into the State Senate race and would be honored to represent District 18 in Pierre. I will be a strong, sensible voice focused on the issues and concerns of District 18.”

Former legislators Bernie Hunhoff and Ryan Cwach will take leading roles in Carda’s campaign with Bernie Hunhoff serving as the campaign committee chair, while Ryan Cwach will serve as the campaign treasurer.

Read the entire story here.

And I’m sure that’s just the start..

Johnson Secures Tribal Wins in Interior Funding Bill

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) secured several wins for tribal communities in the House Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations package.

“There is a public safety crisis on our Indian reservations,” said Johnson. “We also have major needs in tribal healthcare and education. Our efforts have secured major funding increases for these areas, including a 34% increase in tribal public safety funding.”

Johnson noted that with our nation $35 trillion in debt, these new investments needed to be made in a fiscally responsible manner. “We managed to secure these substantive increases while decreasing overall spending because we implemented significant cuts elsewhere. This is a big win for Indian country and for fiscal responsibility.”

The total cost of the bill is $72 million below the FY24 enacted level. It rescinds $55 million authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act and reduces funding for the Environmental Protection Agency by 20% from the FY24 enacted level.

Johnson has led initiatives to increase funding for tribal law enforcement on reservations, reform the Indian Health Service, and improve education opportunities in tribal communities.

The FY25 Interior appropriations package includes several of Johnson’s priorities:

• Provides $2.81 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs – a 14.5% increase from the FY24 enacted level – which includes:
  • $746 million for Public Safety and Justice programs – a 34% increase from the FY24 enacted level.
  • $414 million for Criminal Investigations and Police Service – almost a 195% increase from the FY24 enacted level.
  • $55 million for Tribal Courts – more than a 545% increase from the FY24 enacted level.
• Provides $1.47 billion for the Bureau of Indian Education – a 7.5% increase from the FY24 enacted level.
• Provides $8.56 billion for the Indian Health Service – a 23% increase from the FY24 enacted level – along with $5.98 billion in advance appropriations for FY26.

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Defendant in DSS Theft Case to Make Initial Court Appearance Thursday in Pierre

PIERRE. S.D. – The initial court appearance for Lonna Carroll, the former state Department of Social Services employee who has been indicted for stealing an estimated $1.8 million in state and federal funds, is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. CST Thursday in the Hughes County Courthouse in Pierre. 

Carroll is charged with two felony counts of Aggravated Grand Theft. She has been extradited from Iowa where she was arrested. The defendant is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.

Rounds, Blumenthal, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Research and Treatment Development for Brain Cancers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced the Bolstering Research and Innovation Now (BRAIN) Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen research and treatment development for brain tumors and to improve the accessibility of brain tumor health care.

“For me, the fight against cancer is personal. When my late wife Jean was courageously battling cancer a few years ago, we were already seeing encouraging progress in the development of new treatments for many cancers,” said Rounds. “I firmly believe we are years, not decades, away from seeing cures to many of the most deadly cancers. The BRAIN Act will allow us to continue capitalizing on the progress we have made so far by implementing programs and funding that will advance research and treatments for brain tumors. I am glad to be joining a bipartisan group of my colleagues on this legislation.”

“Malignant brain tumors remain a vicious and persistent enemy for many Americans—impacting more than one million people in the United States today,” said Blumenthal. “With incidence and survival rates remaining stagnant for decades, our bipartisan, bicameral BRAIN Act is needed to advance research and treatment for these highly deadly cancers and defeat brain tumors once and for all.”

Rounds and Blumenthal are joined on this legislation by their colleagues U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). The House version of the BRAIN Act is led by U.S. Representative Susan Wild (D-Penn.), who is joined by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Penn.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) and John Joyce (R-Penn.).

“A brain tumor diagnosis is devastating news for too many American families, and the federal government needs to step up to help find a cure and better diagnostics and treatment. The BRAIN Act is about saving lives, changing lives, and improving health outcomes. It would help fast-track scientific discovery and breakthroughs by improving access to clinical trials for patients and advancing innovative new treatments. It would also make it easier for researchers to access biospecimens for new research on brain tumors and fund more clinical trials for the most aggressive, hard-to-treat brain tumors,” said Reed. “This bipartisan bill would also establish new programs and research for brain tumor survivors to improve quality of life and ensure appropriate follow up care over the long term.”

“After losing my wife, Bobbi, to glioblastoma, I know firsthand how tragic a brain tumor diagnosis can be for patients and their families. Raising awareness and supporting efforts to find a cure is a personal priority for me,” said Barrasso. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to advance treatments and support research to find a cure for these deadly diagnoses.”

“I am proud to be the House lead of the BRAIN Act, which will enable our medical community to research groundbreaking treatments and innovative systems of care for the millions of Americans affected by brain tumors,” said Wild. “American families — including my own — have been impacted by this terrible disease for far too long. I’ll never stop fighting for a cure, for the American children, adults, and seniors currently living with brain tumors, and to honor my mother, who I lost to brain cancer in 2014.”

“Sanford Health is grateful for Senator Rounds’ leadership on the BRAIN Act,” said Dr. David Pearce, President of Sanford Research. “This legislation offers a fantastic opportunity to expand upon our brain tumor and cancer research. From our pediatric research to clinical trials to our Biobank, Sanford Research is excited to see the positive impacts the BRAIN Act will have on this important work.”

“To treat more difficult cancers, such as brain cancer, we will need advances in research and innovation,” said Katie VanBeek, Administrative Lead of Avera’s Oncology Service Line. “AveraCancer Institute has a strong history of offering clinical trials, including Phase 1 trials. Due to our experience in this area, we’ve expanded access of cancer clinical trials to rural and regional cancer centers so that people have access to more treatment options, no matter where they live. We are optimistic about this bill that will continue to drive positive change for our patients.”

Specifically, the BRAIN Act:

• Increases transparency of federally-funded biobank collections so that researchers are aware of others who possess samples that might be shared to enable important research.
• Sufficiently resources the National Cancer Institute’s Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network, so that it can realize its promise of vetting treatments and completing innovative early-phase clinical trials.
• Enables team science to advance immunotherapy research (CAR-T) engineered to attack brain cancer cells.
• Directs the Centers for Disease Control to conduct a public education campaign around the importance of clinical trials and biomarker testing in cancer treatment.
• Augments and expands funding to develop innovative systems of care models for brain tumor survivors.
• Directs FDA to issue guidance to ensure brain tumor and other rare and recalcitrant cancer patient access to clinical trials evaluating treatments for other diseases.

Today, more than one million people in the United States are living with a primary brain tumor. Another 94,000 more will likely be diagnosed in 2024, in addition to hundreds of thousands of Americans diagnosed with metastatic brain cancer. Despite major improvements made in the treatment of other cancers in recent years, incidence and survival rates for malignant brain tumors have remained stagnant for 45 years, with a five-year relative survival rate of only 35.7%.

Click HERE for full bill text.

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Former State Rep. Dayle Hammock, who was Governor Kristi Noem’s first appointee to the legislature (for the vacancy of Chuck Turbiville), passed away on Sunday after a battle with cancer.

Interestingly, Hammock had a strong 66% success rate in passing legislation in his two years in the House, but fell short in a 5 way primary in District 31 House in 2020. Hammock had also been a Meade County Commissioner.

You can read his obituary here.

According to an article posted on KELOland today, the South Dakota State Medical Association is abstaining from supporting or opposing Amendment G, which would re-legalize abortion in South Dakota by placing it in the State Constitution:

In a statement to KELOLAND News on Tuesday, Jen Tinguely, SDSMA’s president, said support for abortion is based on individual’s beliefs and the organization will not take a formal stance on Amendment G.

“The SDSMA maintains its longstanding policy that support or opposition to abortion is a matter for individuals to decide based on personal values or beliefs and therefore the association does not take a formal position on the proposed amendment,” Tinguely’s statement read.

Read the entire story here.

Thoughts?

Owner-Occupied Property Taxes Update

The drafting of property tax relief legislation has already begun in preparation of the 2025 legislative session. Representatives Trish Ladner, Mary Fitzgerald, Dennis Krull, and legislative candidates Tim Goodwin, and Amber Hulse met on July 19th to discuss options, and begin drafting legislation to present in Pierre in January. Also in attendance was Robert Paul, Fall River County Commissioner Joe Allen, business owner Don Olsted, Legislative Representative for SMART, Keith Grieser, and lobbyists Matt Krogman and Lisa Gennero.

The members met in Hot Springs to work on property tax reform. Rep Mary Fitzgerald commented, “I am excited and honored to be a part of this group. We are a determined group, and we will have legislation drafted and ready to go in January.” Representatives Trish Ladner and Mary Fitzgerald are also members of the interim legislative committee that is studying Property Valuation Methodology with nine other legislators this summer in Pierre.

In June, Rep. Ladner attended a Tax Academy in Omaha, Nebraska, where she learned that several neighboring states are also facing the same property tax dilemma as South Dakota. Legislators from all states present were able to exchange ideas, share where they are in the process of property tax reform for their state’s including taking a hard look at their valuation methodology protocols, entitlements, budget reduction, and mandated commitments.

Last year, legislators made substantial progress toward getting property tax reform for our homeowners in South Dakota. This year the newly formed group plans to hold regional roundtables across South Dakota where citizens will have the opportunity to learn about the newly drafted legislation and how they can help to promote and garner support for the bill. Representative Ladner stated, “Homeowners are financially at a tipping point, and it is time to take the next step. Homeowners must join together with their legislators if we want to see property tax reform passed and signed into law by the governor. It is time to stop talking and roll up our sleeves and get to work!”

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Something is happening on the Democrat side of the aisle. Because Democrats are starting to withdraw from legislative races, most significantly in District 7.

ALL THREE Democrats running for the SD Legislature in District 7 have now withdrawn from their contests. Patty Bacon in SD Senate, Cole Sartell and Penny Hauffe in the House are now not running. And in District 5, Democrat Russell Ronke has withdrawn from running for D5 Senate.

According to the Secretary of State, the deadline to withdraw from the 2024 November 5th General Election is August 6, 2024 at 5:00 pm local time, so we could see more coming. The deadline for the party central committee(s) to fill vacancies is August 13, 2024 at 5:00 pm local time.

Stay tuned, because I’m sure we’ll see more changes coming.

With few statewide races on the ballot for the fall of 2024, the bigger speculation is what’s going to happen in 2026.  Because it’s going to be a big, big election with a significant turnout. And the results are not going to be what you might expect if the top-two/jungle primary measure passes.  Without further ado, let’s push the season, and talk about what you might expect 2 years from now:

Attorney General Jackley Joins Attorneys General Group in Opposing Biden Proposal to Reschedule Marijuana as Schedule III Drug 

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley joins other Attorney Generals in opposing a Biden Administration proposal to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the federal Controlled Substances Act.

Attorney General Jackley is one of 11 Attorneys General to submit a public letter opposing the proposal. If approved, the classification would be a step towards fully legalizing marijuana at the federal level.

“South Dakota voters have legalized medical marijuana and will have the opportunity this election to determine whether to legalize recreational marijuana in our state,” said Attorney General Jackley. “The Biden Administration’s attempt to reschedule marijuana right before the election without proper authority will be harmful to states like South Dakota that have not fully legalized both medical and recreational marijuana.”

Attorney General Jackley said if the reclassification occurs, it will not impact the way local authorities enforce the state law.

Other Attorneys General who are part of the public comment letter are: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, and South Carolina.

The letter can be found here:

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