Another Legislative Session
by Sen. Brent “B.R.” Hoffman
Ask any legislator about the issues or priorities for the upcoming session and most will first answer: “Budget” After that, the list varies and can get complicated, depending on the legislator. It’s likely this session will see extended debates about education, taxes, eminent domain and criminal justice. That said, I’ve spent much of this past summer and fall writing bills to address the concerns of District 9, and below, I’ve briefly summarized the four main bills.
An Act to enhance school safety in South Dakota schools, SB34 was developed over the summer with a team of legislators, educators and law enforcement. Rather than a reactionary response to a mass school shooting, this bill takes a proactive approach to improving school safety, focusing on reporting concerns, controlling access and an armed response to a violent threat. Working with House sponsor Rep. Fred Deutsch, this bill will be introduced in Senate Education.
An Act to institute prison reforms and programs, this “Truth in Corrections” bill proposes an expansion of prison education and counseling programs, utilizing volunteer and faith-based services. About 95% of inmates will eventually be released into our communities, and it costs taxpayers more than $28,000 annually to incarcerate each inmate. If we can break the vicious cycle of crime and reoffending, we can make our communities safer and save money. This bill will be introduced in Senate Judiciary, and Rep. Brian Mulder will serve as the House sponsor.
An Act to improve accountability for driving under the influence, SB36 repeals the “look-back” provision that limits prosecuting attorneys from charging DUI offenders with actual, multiple violations. South Dakota is widely considered to have the most lenient DUI laws in the nation and amongst the highest DUI and fatality rates. This bill would simplify sentencing and improve accountability. It will also be introduced in Senate Judiciary, and Rep. Mary Fitzgerald is the House sponsor.
A Joint Resolution to change the method of filling legislative vacancies was developed to empower citizens to select their own representatives. Currently, vacancies are filled by the governor, but this constitutional amendment, if passed by voters, would fill vacancies by a special election. A large majority of states already fill vacancies by special election, and it makes sense for South Dakota, as our motto is “Under God, the People Rule.”
In addition those bills, I’ve written legislation to improve landowner protections, guard the personal information of lottery winners and provide tax relief, among others. Those bills should all be heard in committee in the following weeks. As your state senator, my committee appointments include Commerce and Energy, Judiciary, Taxation and Military and Veteran’s Affairs.
If you’re a resident of western Sioux Falls, Hartford or Wall Lake, you’re always welcome to contact me on any bill or concern. It’s an honor to work for you in the state senate, and I thank you for the opportunity.
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The author served a career in the military, surviving the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon. He’s a published author, occasional newspaper columnist and currently serves as a state senator for District 9, which includes western Sioux Falls, Hartford and Wall Lake.
