Gov. Rhoden Signs Open Meeting Laws Bill 


Gov. Rhoden Signs Open Meeting Laws Bill
 

 PIERRE, S.D. –  Today, Governor Larry Rhoden signed SB 74, which requires the publication and review of an explanation of the open meeting laws of this state.

“This bill will help ensure our public servants are educated about their important duties of service on public boards, commissions, or councils. I will continue to set an example from the top of integrity and openness in public service,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. 

A private signing ceremony was held this morning and included prime sponsors of the bill. You can find a picture of Governor Rhoden signing SB 74 here. 

Governor Rhoden has signed 16 bills into law this legislative session. 

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Johnson, Fischer Ensure Electric Vehicles Contribute to Highway Trust Fund

Johnson, Fischer Ensure Electric Vehicles Contribute to Highway Trust Fund

 Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced the bicameral Fair SHARE Act to impose one-time fees on electric vehicles (EVs) to ensure EVs contribute to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) as internal combustion vehicles do.

“The Highway Trust Fund is on the road to insolvency,” said Johnson. “It’s time to consider real changes and ensure EVs pay their fair share to maintain our roads and bridges. I’m grateful for Senator Fischer’s leadership on this bill that will undoubtedly create a more stable Highway Trust Fund, ensuring the government can continue to make meaningful investments in our road infrastructure needs.”

“EVs can weigh up to three times as much as gas-powered cars, creating more wear and tear on our roads and bridges,” said Fischer. “It’s only fair that they pay into the Highway Trust Fund just like other cars do. The Fair SHARE Act will require EVs to pay their fair share for the upkeep of America’s infrastructure.”

“All Americans benefit from a robust and safe transportation system. When it comes to paying for the maintenance and expansion of our road network, no one should get a free ride,” said American Trucking Associations Senior Vice President of Legislative Affairs Henry Hanscom. “The trucking industry makes up just four percent of the vehicles on our nation’s highways, yet we pay nearly half the tab into the federal Highway Trust Fund—all while moving over 70 percent of the domestic freight tonnage. Clearly trucks are doing their part to invest in the nation’s infrastructure, and it is reasonable to expect electric vehicles to do the same. As fuel efficiency rises and adoption rates for alternative fuels accelerate, we must find long-term, sustainable, and equitable sources of revenue for the HTF. We commend Senator Deb Fischer and Congressman Dusty Johnson for leading this effort to ensure that electric vehicles are paying their fair share.”

“For nearly 70 years, purchasers of gasoline, diesel, gasohol, liquified natural gas and liquified petroleum gas have supported the maintenance and improvement of the nation’s roads and bridges,” said Dave Bauer, President and CEO of American Road & Transportation Builders Association. “The lone exception to this user-fairness principle remains vehicles powered by electricity. Thankfully, Senator Fischer and Representative Johnson have introduced the Fair SHARE Act to correct this oversight and improve mobility for all Americans.”

“This measure will provide a sustainable, long-term revenue stream to the Highway Trust Fund, allowing the construction employers to maintain and rebuild our nation’s roads and bridges,” said Jeff Shoaf, CEO of The Associated General Contractors of America. “The legislation will close a loophole for electric vehicles, which currently do not currently contribute to the Fund. Instead of giving them a free ride, this measure simply asked electric vehicle users to take part in the same user-pay approach that enabled the U.S. to build and maintain the highway network.”

The Fair Sharing of Highways and Roads for Electric Vehicles Act (Fair SHARE Act)would:

  • Impose a one-time fee of $1,000 on all-electric vehicles at the manufacturer level, at the point of sale. This fee would be appropriated to the HTF.
    • The $1,000 fee is derived from the average amount consumers currently contribute to the HTF from gas taxes calculated over a span of 10 years. Internal combustion engines have an average lifespan of 100,000 miles, which equates to approximately 10 years. According to the Congressional Budget Office, light-duty vehicles typically contribute an average of $100 per year to the HTF. The average lifespan of an electric battery is 10-15 years. A comparable fee over 10 years for an EV would amount to around $1,000.
  • Impose a one-time fee of $550 on each battery module with a weight greater than 1,000 pounds to be imposed at the manufacturing level and would be appropriated to the HTF.

The Fair SHARE Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Cinthia Lummis (R-WY), and U.S. Representative Dave Taylor (R-OH).

The Fair SHARE Act is supported by the American Trucking Associations, American Road and Transportation Builders Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, Associated General Contractors of America, National Association of Counties, National Association of County Engineers, and National League of Cities.

Background:

The Highway Trust Fund (HTF) supports over 90 percent of federal highway aid to states. The HTF was meant to be funded primarily by federal gas tax. The HTF now faces insolvency. Projections from the Congressional Budget Office show the HTF becoming insolvent in 2028.

The HTF instability has worsened due to EV adoption, which is being encouraged at the federal level through tax incentives. Because EVs do not use gas, they do not contribute to the HTF through the federal gas tax. However, since the gas tax was last raised in 1993, the HTF faces insolvency due to more fuel-efficient vehicles on the roads, leading to reduced fuel consumption.

EVs are not subject to the gas tax and do not contribute to the HTF. Furthermore, their heavy batteries (up to triple the weight of gas-powered cars) lead to more extensive road wear, causing more maintenance and greater costs.

This legislation would fix this discrepancy by implementing a fee at the manufacturer level at the point of sale of EVs. This ensures that every vehicle on the road is paying into the HTF and supporting critical repairs to America’s infrastructure.

Click here for full bill text.

Click here for a one-pager.

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Attorney General’s office distributing flyer on his package of reforms

The Attorney General’s Office is distributing this flyer to legislators regarding Senate Bill 62 and Amendment A, which is a Government Accountability bill. The legislation passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday and now goes to the Senate floor for further consideration. The bill and amendment are supported by the Attorney General’s Office.

In this legislation, Attorney General Jackley is asking that a state supervisor who allegedly destroys evidence should be charged with a class 6 felony, punishable by two years in state prison and a $4,000 fine.

South Dakota Law Enforcement Supports Construction of a New Prison


South Dakota Law Enforcement Supports Construction of a New Prison

PIERRE, S.D. –  Three South Dakota Law Enforcement associations issued statements of support for the construction of a new prison. The South Dakota State’s Attorneys Association, the South Dakota Sheriffs Association, and the South Dakota Police Chiefs Association agreed over the need for a new correctional facility.

“Thank you to all of our law enforcement for their continued dedication to protect the people of South Dakota,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “The construction of a new prison is one way that we can improve public safety. The condition of our current facility is unacceptable – it is gothic, outdated, and unsafe for inmates, staff, and the public. We cannot afford to continue operating under these conditions.”

“As law enforcement leaders dedicated to protecting our communities, we recognize the essential role that a well-functioning prison system plays in maintaining public safety,” wrote Jason Foote, South Dakota Chiefs Association President. “This funding is a necessary step towards ensuring a secure, rehabilitative, and well-managed environment for all stakeholders.” You can find the statement of support from the South Dakota Police Chiefs Association here.

“Much of the current facility is an unsafe environment for both guards and inmates,” wrote the South Dakota State’s Attorneys Association. “A new facility is needed to ensure both are provided with a more-safe environment.” You can find the statement of support from the South Dakota State’s Attorneys Association here.

The construction of a new correctional facility would be made possible through HB 1025, which authorizes the Department of Corrections to construct a prison facility for offenders committed to the Department of Corrections in Lincoln County.

“County jails are increasingly forced to house individuals sentenced to the state, filling local beds that are already in short supply,” wrote the South Dakota Sheriffs Association. “We support the construction of a new Department of Corrections facility to help address these critical safety and capacity issues.” You can find the statement of support from the South Dakota Sheriffs Association here.

The Associated General Contractors of South Dakota also supported HB 1025 in House State Affairs Committee this morning.

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Thune Commends President Trump for Taking Decisive Action to Secure the Border

Thune Commends President Trump for Taking Decisive Action to Secure the Border

 “We will provide resources to increase the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents, expand detention space, facilitate deportations of dangerous individuals, and obtain the barriers and technology that we need to secure the border.”

Click here to watch the video.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

New entrant into race for SDGOP Chair?

While haunting the halls of the State Capitol this AM, I’ve had a couple of interesting conversations. The most prominent being with a member of the legislature who was inquiring about the race for SDGOP Chair, expressing an interest in it.

I told them what I would tell anyone, that people – especially legislators – who know how to run winning campaigns make the best chairs. And that’s evidenced by some of the chairs who have been at the helm during some of our toughest years, such as Bob Gray, Tim Rave, Dan Lederman and others, who can appreciate that the job of the Republican Party is not to stand on a soapbox and blather on about their personal issues.  It’s about the votes you get on election day, and raising money to deliver those votes.

We’ll see if this legislator ultimately chooses to step into the contest, but I’m hopeful.

Managed to accomplish my mission right off this morning! 2025 Rhoden Inaugural pin acquired.

As my wife had to travel East for an association event of her own, I made the trek West to our State’s Capitol City.

Secondary to meeting the boss in Pierre, I had a particular purpose in mind returning to my hometown. (No, not pointing out the collapse of sensible governing in the South Dakota State Legislature.)  Much like a modern day dumpster diver treasure hunter, I needed a particular item.

With Governor Rhoden taking office, an inaugural ball is a bit unusual, as, they have not had an event like this for a mid-term succession to office before. And certainly, they had not been commemorated with a pin, so I found myself needing to get one of the official inaugural committee inaugural ball pins, and I needed to strike while the iron is hot as any leftovers tend to quickly be scattered to the wind.

And right off, I managed to beg/get hooked up with the highest levels of state government, and was able to successfully obtain this 2025 “official” South Dakota Inaugural Pin for my collection:

This might be the largest of the Inaugural pins, if not equal to the size of the large Inaugural pin from Governor George S. Mickelson’s first inaugural in 1987.

I’ll do a bit of a further comparison when I get back home with it, but huge thanks to everyone who helped me acquire this, as it’s a great addition to keeping my set current.

Rep. Stevens new VC of House Ed. Phil still there.

If you look at the roster for House Ed this AM, the good news is that State Rep. Mike Stevens is the new vice-chair of that committee after Phil Jensen was demoted for trying to de-fund the Huron School District.

The bad news is that House leadership is leaving Phil Jensen on House Ed at all.

If they were going to remove him as a show to South Dakotans that the Legislature has standards and that the asylum is not being ran by the lunatics they’re supposed to protect us from… too late. That ship has sailed.

Why is Rep. Odenbach proposing a legislative committee to demand more regulations attacking mining, economic development, and homebuilding in the Black Hills?

Senator Jim Dunn  who passed away approaching ten years’ now must be rolling over in his grave. Because I don’t think during his lifetime he would have imagined a measure from a Republican in his Legislative District, much less the House Majority Leader, attacking the mining industry in the Black Hills.

And not just that, State Representative and House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach sounds more like “Sierra Club Scott” with the resolution he’s brought – HCR 6010 – encouraging the formation of a legislative committee with the express purpose of more regulation on mining, economic development activities, and residential housing in the Black Hills (his words, not mine):

WHEREAS, the overdevelopment of areas with new residential construction, the expansion of mineral and mining extractive industries, and government-sponsored economic development plans without proper and appropriate regulatory constraints may pose irreparable dangers to the beauty and health of the Black Hills area; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the House of Representatives of the One Hundredth Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the Senate concurring therein, that the Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council establish an interim legislative committee to evaluate the regulatory provisions applicable to government-sponsored economic development activities, mineral and mining extractive industries, and residential development taking place within the Black Hills of South Dakota, and to recommend appropriate regulatory provisions to protect the environmental health and historical character of the Black Hills.

So, Scott doesn’t want more people to dig in the Hills, to work in the Hills or to build a house in the Hills until we have more regulations?  I mean, seriously? Who wrote this?  Because I’m not entirely kidding when I sat that it seems like something that would have come out of the Sierra Club.

If I recall the 2024 South Dakota Republican Party platform, didn’t it have some things to say about this stuff? About economic growth, limited government, private property rights, and that the Republican party is supposed to stand against this type of regulation?

2.0 Economic Development and Jobs

2.1 Economic Growth – We support the creation of new jobs, economic development, and job training which will encourage our youth and adults to stay in the great State of South Dakota.

2.4 Government Intrusion – We believe economic activity thrives in an environment of limited government intrusion and can be stifled by government overreach and excessive taxation and overregulation. We believe government should not compete with private enterprise. We oppose the implementation of Environmental Social Governance (ESG) standards.

ESG standards are exactly what Scott is advocating for with the resolution here, BTW.

So.. with this kind of resolution, I’m kind of confused as to what Republicans are supposed to be for anymore.  Are we for jobs and development (and the ability to own our own homes) or are we supposed to join Dakota Rural Action and No on RL21 and partner with Jane Fonda’s Climate PAC?

Someone let me know when the people who demand that we follow the set of rules laid down by the Republican platform figure it out.

Sen. “California” Carley now pushing bill to strip over $20 million from local schools to divert to private religious academies

In a measure opposed by the state’s largest business group, county commissioners and every group related to public education, as well as the state of South Dakota, the apparent villain of the 2025 legislative session, State Senator John “California” Carley is back at it with yet another attack on South Dakota’s system of public education. This time, he has a plan to directly take $20 million from local schools, diverting those funds instead to private religious academies and homeschools.

According to the Argus Leader:

Carley said a fiscal note he saw for the bill, which hasn’t yet been published publicly online, estimates it will reduce public education funding by $14 million to $21 million.

and..

He received support for SB 190 from lobbyists with Families for Alternative Instruction Rights in South Dakota, South Dakota Citizens for Liberty, Americans for Prosperity and a homeschool parent from Chancellor.

and..

SB 190 faced opposition from lobbyists with the Department of Revenue, Sioux Falls School District, Large School Group, South Dakota Retailers, Association of County Commissioners, School Administrators of South Dakota, United School Association, Associated School Boards and South Dakota Education Association.

They largely argued that SB 190 would take money directly from school district budgets, has no mechanism to keep districts “whole,” doesn’t require that students are educated or hold their educators accountable. They also argued South Dakota already has school choice — between public, open enrollment, private and alternative education — and already has a school choice finance option with the South Dakota Partners in Education tax credit program.

“What this does is it allows me as a citizen to take 80% of what I pay, and leave folks going to the public school system holding the bag,” Sioux Falls School District lobbyist Sam Nelson said.

Read the entire story here.

I don’t seem to recall Senator Carley campaigning last year on his desire to spend his legislative effort into turning public schools into religious institutions, and failing that, stripping $20 million from public education in South Dakota.

The attacks on South Dakota’s system of public education this year are truly unprecedented. This isn’t a simple debate over whether we can afford give teachers a raise that keeps pace with inflation and health insurance costs. This is a legislative body where there are far too many who only see a pot of money which is supposed to be dedicated for the education of our kids that they believe they can just wholesale strip-mine for their special interests.

Make sure you communicate with your State Senators, and kindly request they not strip over $20 million from our local schools to send to private religious academies with Senate Bill 190.