Starting Out Strong
By Senator Casey Crabtree
MADISON–Lawmakers from across South Dakota assembled in Pierre to kick off the 99th Legislative Session. For 38 legislative working days, the House, Senate and Governor will work together on the necessary policy changes to make South Dakota an even better place to live.
On Tuesday, Governor Noem delivered her State of the State address and highlighted the freedoms and values that make South Dakota an incredible place. In particular, safe communities and economic strength. It can be easy to take both for granted, but state leaders can never waver on sustaining and protecting either because our residents need both to thrive. This year, those two topics will be major focal points for me and the Senate.
So far I’ve introduced two proposals this year. SB 78 is aimed at propping up South Dakota’s ethanol industry. Today, South Dakota is the fourth largest production state of ethanol, but we only rank 22nd in E15 retail sales. In South Dakota, 64 percent of the corn we grow is used for ethanol production, supporting 11,000 family farms and 30,000 jobs. By encouraging gas stations to carry E15 at their pumps we can keep our homegrown fuels closer to home and closer to consumers which will increase profits for corn growers and reduce fuel costs for consumers.
SJR 501 was introduced again this year with Rep. Tony Venhuizen of Sioux Falls. South Dakotans value hard work and we also value taking care of our neighbors. SJR 501 would ask voters in the November General Election if the State’s Medicaid program should have the option to consider a work requirement to receive those benefits. We should not encourage able-bodied adults to live off of welfare programs. Instead, we should incentive work and encourage adding value back to the economy and community.
In the days ahead, my colleagues and I will be introducing a number of proposals related to education. The best investment we can make in South Dakota’s future is to afford our youth the best education and to value hard work. We’re looking at ways to improve student assessments, protect teachers from violent students, incentivize new teachers, and care for children facing neglect and abuse at home.
The Legislature will likely consider around 500 pieces of legislation this year along with numerous appointments to state agencies and boards. In the weeks ahead, I look forward to hearing from my constituents throughout District 8 on their thoughts about the bills before the Legislature. I also look forward to greeting constituents when they visit the Capitol. Thank you for the opportunity to serve the people of District 8. It is an honor.
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Our communities will not be “safe” until the legislature puts our Nursing Homes and Ambulance Services on sound financial footing. Our elderly population, especially in small towns are very vulnerable and suffering from governmental neglect.
So welfare for Big Ag? Good.
The Medicaid the voters approved? Bad.
The high level of hypocrisy we’ve all come to expect from the South Dakota legislature.
So someone runs as a state Senate candidate from a certain district. That person goes out, recruits, and signs up several people in his/ her area as newly registered voters who do not intend to be active participants at future meetings or fund raisers. Yet they show up at the ballot box to cast a vote as requested. Is that any different from a convention where candidates recruit a number of delegates to run as precinct people and if they win their precinct, they can cast a vote?
Why are we always trying to change our election system? No matter what we do, someone will find a flaw. Maybe some people will want to put all executive staff members to a vote!.
This is under the wrong post. Is relevant to the blog about the state convention.
As I remember ethanol started out because we thought we did not have enough fossil fuel (that was not the truth) and it was good for the environment (that is questionable). And now it is being sold as a jobs program and subsidy for farm income. If farmers need money send them a check it will be cheaper in the long run. I am told SD has more jobs than employees so jobs should not need government support. It should occur to someone that burning up 64% of SD corn (a major ingredient for the food/animal industry) is a national security problem. And I think most people agree that the high price of food is becoming (Has) become a problem.