In looking up where Craig Tieszen was in term limits for a prior post, it had me looking at the LRC roster for the Legislators who are term limited out, and are starting their final term in their chamber.  This two-year stretch is their last opportunity to make their mark among their colleagues, especially if their intent is to run for higher office at the legislative or higher level.

In a few cases, it also sets up showdowns we might already predict for the 2016 elections.

CLASS B, Elected in 2008, reelected in 2010 and 2012, eligible to run for the same seat in 2014, ineligible to run for the same seat in 2016.

Senators
Jim Bradford
Corey Brown
Craig Tieszen
Mike Vehle

Representatives
Jim Bolin (to move up would have to challenge Dan Lederman)
Justin Cronin (With Brown termed out, he might move up)

Peggy Gibson (Could challenge Jim White in ’16)
Brian Gosch (to move up would have to challenge Alan Solano)

Kevin Killer (With Bradford termed out, could move up)
Patrick Kirschman (to move up would have to challenge Angie Buhl-O’Donnell)
Fred W. Romkema (to move up would have to challenge Bob Ewing)
Lance S. Russell (to move up would have to challenge Bruce Rampelberg)
Dean Schrempp (Could challenge Betty Olson in ’16)
Jacqueline Sly (to move up would have to challenge Phil Jensen)
Roger Solum (to move up would have to challenge Reid Holien)
Mike Verchio (to move up would have to challenge Bruce Rampelberg)
Dean Wink (to move up would have to challenge Gary Cammack)

So start watching them now – on a few, you could see fireworks!

KOTA TV was interviewing legislators recently, and caught up with them on their legislative plans, which include fighting the pine beetle, education, and making sure legislators are paid enough to make ends meet.

Wait, what?:

Verchio plans to work $1.5 to $2 million dollars into the budget to continue fighting the mountain pine beetle fight.

He says it is important to focus on privately-owned land. “We’re the money would go to small private-property owner to help subsidize their fight,” said Verchio. “Beetles will just keep growing and growing if we don’t fight them on the private property, it doesn’t do any good to fight them in the surroundings properties because then they spread on out to private properties.”

Senator Craig Tieszen (R-District 34) says he will again be proposing an increase in salary pay for legislators.

and…

Tieszen says people are asked to leave their normal jobs in January, February, and March and that makes it hard for some people to make ends meet financially. “I think it’s so low we exclude people from serving in the legislature and that has a detrimental effect,” said Tieszen.

Lastly, Representative Jacqueline Sly (R-District 33) says teacher pay and school funding are issues that will be talked about during this legislative session.

Read it here.

Seriously, I’m not trying to pick on Craig TIeszen, but this is twice in a week he’s in the news offering legislation that seems… well, seems destined to go down in flames. First it was going backwards on felon voting, and today it’s increasing legislative pay.

It’s not like the legislative pay issue hasn’t gone to the ballot before. It comes up about every 2-3 years, and someone who is term limited out makes the proposal. And then it goes down in flames, either in the legislature, or at the ballot box.  Noting that Tieszen is termed out after this session, we can put this attempt into that pattern.

I’ll be the first to agree that legislators are underpaid, and we need broad representation, and it’s one way to attract good people to run for office. But, it’s traditionally been a really, really tough sell to taxpayers. And in some cases, it’s been used against those voting for it in elections.

I’ll put it to you dear readers – What’s your opinion?

The first legislative measures have finally been posted on-line by the legislative Research Council this evening, as they weren’t there this morning when I checked. This represents nearly thirty days longer to post the initial measures than in the recent past.

But better late then never.

House Bills

Bill	Title
HB 1001	establish a wine direct shipment license and wine carrier license to enable the direct shipments of certain wine in South Dakota.
HB 1002	make an appropriation to the Department of Revenue to provide for the electronic submission of reports and taxes related to alcoholic beverages and to declare an emergency.
HB 1003	repeal the alcohol wholesaler tax and to increase the occupational tax on certain alcoholic beverages.
HB 1004	authorize the direct sale of distilled spirits from artisan distillers to retailers and wholesalers.
HB 1005	repeal the foundation program fund and references thereto.
HB 1006	allow bullheads to be used as bait.

Senate Bills

Bill	Title
SB 1	finance improvements on the public highways and bridges by establishing or increasing the motor vehicle excise tax, taxes on fuel, motor vehicle registration fees, and wheel taxes, to provide for the distribution of certain revenue, and to establish certain state and local planning and reporting requirements concerning the condition of public highways and bridges.
SB 2	provide for the establishment of river basin natural resource districts and to repeal certain provisions regarding county drainage management.
SB 3	provide for mediation of certain drainage disputes.

Anything we’re not seeing yet?