Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Noem’s Office Accepting Applications for Fall Interns

Washington, D.C. – Representative Kristi Noem is accepting applications for fall internships in her Washington, D.C., office, as well as in her offices in Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Watertown.

Student interns in Representative Noem’s office will assist staff with various constituent service and communications projects, as well as assist with legislative research. Both South Dakota and Washington, D.C., internships provide students with first-hand knowledge of the legislative process and the countless other functions of a congressional office.
College students who are interested in interning in any of Representative Noem’s offices should submit a resume, cover letter, and references to [email protected] by August 3.

For more information, contact Christiana Frazee at 202-225-2801.

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From a today’s KCCR, State Rep Elizabeth May wants a special session of the legislature to address education. 

Representative Elizabeth May of Kyle is making a bold statement, saying that a special session is needed to truly address the teacher shortage and the financial crisis that most school districts are facing.

And…

May has been critical of the “Blue Ribbon Task Force” that was created by South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard. May states that the Blue Ribbon task force is failing to address the negative effects that the federally mandated standards and assessments are having on school districts financially and academically.

May says that she knows that the people selected to the task force will do a good job, but is also disappointed with who was selected.

Read it here

AG Marty Jackley is putting potheads on notice tonight that if they think the Flandreau reservation is their smokin up haven, they’ve got another thing coming:

Jurisdiction Over Marijuana in South Dakota and Our Reservations

PIERRE – The possession, distribution and manufacture of marijuana is a violation of both federal and state law. Unfortunately, the federal government has created confusion in relation to marijuana jurisdiction in Indian Country with recent inconsistencies. 

As South Dakota’s Attorney General, I respect each Tribes authority to pass laws that govern Indian persons within Indian Country. It is equally important to recognize that South Dakota law prohibits the internal and physical possession, distribution, and manufacture of marijuana by: (1) all non-Indian persons anywhere in South Dakota including within Indian Country; (2) all Indian persons outside of Indian Country.

“I want to encourage Tribal leaders to continue to work with state authorities to better ensure our respective laws are followed, public safety on our roads remains a consideration, and that both Indian and non-Indian persons are not put in harm’s way by the jurisdiction complexities being created by our federal government,” said Attorney General Jackley.

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Grassley, Thune Introduce Comprehensive Taxpayer Bill of Rights Legislation 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Sen. John Thune of South Dakota today introduced comprehensive legislation to improve customer service at the IRS, create new taxpayer protections, and update and strengthen existing taxpayer protections. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights Enhancement Act of 2015 comes amid gross mismanagement and inappropriate actions by IRS employees that have shaken what little confidence taxpayers may have had in the agency. 

“The IRS has never been anyone’s favorite agency,” Grassley said. “But it shouldn’t repel and mistreat the people it exists to serve. The IRS’ level of customer service might be at all-time low. Taxpayers are at a disadvantage with an agency that has tremendous power over their money. The IRS might talk about good customer service. Too often, talk is all there is. The IRS needs to walk the walk. Congress needs to act. This bill will help swing the pendulum away from agency self-preservation and back to taxpayer service.”  

“This bill is intended to enact a much-needed culture change at the IRS, an agency whose reputation and trustworthiness has severely deteriorated with the American people over the last several years,” said Thune. “No American should have to fear that politics could play a role in their confidential tax information being disclosed to a third party‎, that they will be targeted based on their political beliefs, or that the IRS would not properly retain its employees’ emails. This bill takes an important step toward restoring this agency to one that the American people both expect and deserve.” 

The bill is necessary to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect taxpayer rights by preventing IRS abuses, Grassley and Thune said. Among other provisions, the legislation: 

 

· Significantly increases civil damages and criminal penalties for the unauthorized disclosure or inspection of tax return information and significantly increases civil damages for improper IRS collection activities.  

· Imposes an affirmative duty on the commissioner of the IRS to ensure that IRS employees are familiar with and act in accordance with all taxpayer protections.

· Updates the “10 deadly sins” established by the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, those actions by IRS employees that require mandatory termination, to include official actions taken for political purposes.

· Permits the Treasury Department to provide status updates, and in certain instances require status updates, regarding investigations into misconduct by IRS employees — or in some circumstances third parties – to taxpayers who are the subject of the misconduct. 

· Puts the bite back into a provision, recently called a “toothless tiger” by Tax Notes, that permits taxpayers to bring a cause of action against the IRS for unauthorized collections actions. 

· Extends the declaratory judgment remedy currently available to 501(c)3 to other 501(c) groups, including 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, in instances where the IRS fails to act on an application in a timely manner or makes a negative determination as to their tax-exempt status.

· Prohibits IRS officers and employees from using personal email accounts to conduct official business.

· Provides additional authority concerning the use of taxpayer information to the IRS for the purpose of locating taxpayers due a tax refund.

· Requires tax-exempt organizations to file Form 990 electronically and mandates that the IRS make such information available in a timely manner. 

· Imposes new requirements on the IRS with respect to email retention consistent with the existing directive from the Office of Management and Budget and the National Archives.

 

Grassley is the former chairman of the Finance Committee, with jurisdiction over the IRS. Grassley championed the 1988, 1996, and 1998 taxpayer rights laws currently on the books. Grassley and Thune serve together on the Finance Committee and are joining forces to make the right to quality service a high priority at the IRS.

The bill contains some provisions passed by the House of Representatives in April and additional provisions to address shortcomings that have come to light since the last taxpayer rights bill. 

A section-by-section summary of the bill, S. 1578, is available here. The bill text is available here. Video of the news conference is available here.  

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Light posting, as most of today is spent in the Autism Speaks Leadership Summit that I came all the way from sunny South Dakota to Sunny & humid DC to attend. 

The plus is that part of it is to intentionally go to our Representative’s and Senator’s offices. Congresswoman Noem’s staff was great to meet with our group while she was on her way back to DC. and we get to meet with her, Rounds and Thune as a group at their Wednesday Breakfast tomorrow morning, before we visit the Senate offices individually.

It’s been a great couple of days so far, and I’m especially looking forward to the political advocacy/election advocacy portion coming up shortly. 

We’re currently listening to Rep. Marsha Blackburn, and have been treated to several sitting US Senators and Representatives addressing the group, as well as members of the media, administration, scientific and advocacy communities.

  
Ultimately, the goal is to put the knowledge into practice back in our own states, as well as seek further advocacy at the federal level. 

Back to the lectures!