Johnson Bills Strengthening 2^nd Amendment Rights Pass Committee

Washington, D.C. – Today, two Second Amendment bills led by U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) passed out of the House Judiciary Committee. The bills allow tribal members, RV-ers, and active-duty military families to exercise their Second Amendment rights to obtain a firearm.

The Tribal Firearm Access Act, led by Johnson and Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK), protects tribal sovereignty and lists tribal governments as eligible entities to issue identification documents for the purposes of transferring a firearm. U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) leads companion legislation in the Senate.

The Traveler’s Gun Rights Act, led by Johnson, allows law-abiding RV-ers, active-duty military, military spouses, and others who rely on a P.O. Box for their primary mailing address to obtain a firearm. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) leads companion legislation in the Senate.

Johnson testified in the House Judiciary Committee in November 2023 to advocate for his bills. View his remarks here.

“The Second Amendment is only as effective as it is obtainable for all citizens to purchase firearms,” said Johnson. “My bills will ensure more law-abiding individuals can practice their Second Amendment rights, without running into unnecessary red tape.”

“The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe expresses its gratitude to Rep. Dusty Johnson and his team for the passage of the Tribal Firearm Access Act out of the House Judiciary Committee. The important legislation fills a gap that many Native Americans face as it pertains to access to firearms and provides credence to Tribes and our tribally issued identification card processes. The Tribe further appreciates the consultation that Rep. Johnson’s office has with it on multiple occasions regarding this legislation,” said President Tony Reider, Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe.

“On behalf of the NRA’s millions of freedom-loving members nationwide, we applaud Rep. Dusty Johnson for championing the right to bear arms through the introduction of the Tribal Firearm Access Act and the Traveler’s Gun Rights Act. These crucial bills expand access for law-abiding Americans to purchase firearms for self-defense and any lawful purpose, upholding the principles of the Second Amendment,” said Randy Kozuch, Executive Director of the NRA-ILA.

“NSSF commends the U.S. House Judiciary Committee for advancing Congressman Dusty Johnson’s bills that improve the ability for all Americans to exercise their Second Amendment rights while ensuring the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) is accurate. Congressman Johnson’s Tribal Firearm Access Act ensures tribal government identification is valid for the purposes of an FBI NICS check when purchasing firearms, and his Traveler’s Gun Rights Act ensures the Second Amendment rights of Americans would not be denied simply because they choose to use a post office box address instead of a physical address. These are no-nonsense bills that preserve fundamental Constitutional rights for all Americans while preserving the necessary safeguards to ensure firearms remain out of the hands of those who should not possess them,” said Lawrence G. Keane, Senior Vice President & General Counsel for NSSF, The Firearm Industry Trade Association.

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Interesting bill that popped up in the South Dakota State Legislature this week. As noted in the Dakota Scout:

Sen. Tim Reed, R-Brookings, supported the bill on the Senate floor Wednesday. Reed said he currently serves as president of his HOA and keeps track of bylaws and covenants. Five people sit on the HOA board out of 92 total members.

“Five people could do this,” he said. “That’s why I think this bill is so important.”

Sen. Reynold Nesiba, D-Sioux Falls, said the issue pits two values against each other: property rights and gun rights.

Read the entire story here.

Led by Senate Democrat Leader Reynold Nesiba, a majority of the Democrats in the State Senate voted against limiting the power of HOA’s to stop the second amendment at the entrance to South Dakota’s gated communities.

Voting to allow HOA’s to give themselves the ability to grab guns were three of the four Democrats in the State Senate, Senators Nesiba, Liz Larson, and Shawn Bordeaux. Democrat Red Dawn Foster voted with the Republican Majority to prevent any such overreach.

Rounds, King Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Fast-Track Combat Veterans’ Access to Health Care Benefits

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Angus King (I-Maine), members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation to allow combat veterans to enroll in their health care benefits program before officially transitioning out of active duty in order to make certain that service members don’t experience a lag in coverage.

The Combat Veterans Pre-Enrollment Act would create an opt-in program allowing transitioning service members to access VA health care services on their first day as a civilian. Currently, transitioning service members must wait until they have left the military and received their official separation paperwork, which can take months, to apply for Veterans Health Administration health care and other services, creating a period where veterans do not have access to the health care benefits they have earned.

Rounds and King are joined by Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.).

“Veterans represent the best of our country. Our men and women in uniform have made incredible sacrifices so that we can be free, and we have a responsibility to fulfill our commitment to them once their service is complete,” said Rounds. “The Combat Veterans Pre-Enrollment Act would eliminate the lapse in care that many service members face when transitioning from the military to civilian life, and make certain that service members have timely access to the health care services they need upon separation from the military.”

“Our combat veterans continually put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms and they deserve our utmost support and care, they have retired the uniform,” said King. “The Combat Veterans Pre-Enrollment Act is another way in which we can guarantee our servicemembers experience a warm handoff in their transition to civilian life. By eliminating this bureaucratic lag, we can deliver VA benefits to our men and women who served, the moment they return to civilian status.”

“The Combat Veterans Pre-Enrollment Act, S. 3560, is essential to the type of service and support our Service Members immediately need when they transition from the military,” said Marty Pennock, Disabled American Veterans Department of South Dakota Adjutant. “It clearly focuses in on one of the most important areas that arise upon discharge from their Service, and that is in their health. This legislation clearly is founded by those that understand the needs of our military and the importance of getting to the resources and linking our Service Members to VA as early as possible.”

“As Service members make the transition to civilian life it can be a very stressful time,” said Rick Williamson, Department of South Dakota Veterans of Foreign Wars Legislative Chairman. “Making sure that they have healthcare, medications, and benefits is a great start to assuring them the stability they deserve as they enter the next chapter of their life. The Department of South Dakota, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States proudly supports this legislation and congratulates Senators Rounds and King for doing the right thing.”

“Transitioning service members face challenges post separation. Making sure these veterans enroll in the healthcare and benefits they have earned will help ease that transition,” said Pat Murray, Legislative Director for Veterans of Foreign Wars. “VFW supports the Combat Veterans Pre-Enrollment Act of 2023 in order to make transition easier for the men and women who served our country.”

Read the full text of the bill HERE.

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State Senate hopeful Jordan Youngberg has long given his notice of his intent to run for the District 25 seat currently occupied by State Senator Tom Pischke.

And today it is no longer intent, as Youngberg has filed his petitions with the Secretary of State to be placed on the ballot for that office.

Game on.

Rounds, Sinema Introduce Legislation to Increase Transparency and Accountability for Financial Regulators

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) introduced legislation to increase transparency and accountability within the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC). The FSOC Improvement Act would enhance transparency and procedural fairness of the systemically important financial institutions (SIFI) designation process.

Specifically, this legislation would codify 2019 guidance that requires FSOC to determine whether systemic risks could be better addressed through means other than designating a financial institution as a SIFI. It would also require them to consult with the primary regulator and the company on other means to address potential threats to financial stability. Finally, the legislation enhances transparency at the FSOC by requiring the council and its member agencies to report on crisis planning activities and potential threats.

“I believe the FSOC Improvement Act is a crucial step towards enhancing the effectiveness and transparency of our financial regulatory system,” said Rounds. “SIFI designation is a blunt tool that comes with a significant increase in regulatory burden for individual companies. By allowing an affected institution to modify its business, structure or operations prior to the SIFI designation, we are creating a more resilient financial environment for the American people, fostering economic growth and stability.”

“We’re fueling growth and creating careers for Arizonans while increasing transparency,” said Sinema.

Rounds first introduced the FSOC Improvement Act in 2018 during the 115th Congress. Rounds reintroduced this legislation to the 116th Congress in 2019, with Sinema as an original cosponsor.

Click HERE for full bill text.

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Zikmund Announces Senate Re-election

SIOUX FALLS–District 14 State Senator Larry Zikmund announced his intent to seek reelection for the Legislature today. A respected leader in the Capitol and Sioux Falls, Larry is an experienced and effective public servant advocating for the people of District 14.

“District 14 voters have honored me with the support over the years, and I’ll work hard to earn their support again in 2024,” said Zikmund. “South Dakota is moving forward in the right direction, but we need to keep working on the issues impacting Sioux Falls’ growth and prosperity. Experience matters, and that’s what I’m offering District 14.”

Zikmund was first elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives in 2014, where he served until winning the vacant Senate seat in 2020. He is a member of the state budget setting Appropriations Committee, the Vice-Chair of the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, and member of the Retirement Laws. A veteran himself, Zikmund is especially proud of his work to support active service members, veterans and their families including his leadership to help build the new South Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Sioux Falls.

District 14 encompasses southeast Sioux Falls in Minnehaha County between Cliff Avenue and Veterans Parkway. Election Day is Nov. 5, 2024.

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A measure to ask South Dakota voters to choose for themselves whether they would like the same opportunity to choose their Attorney General and other offices in a primary election as they have to select their Governor or legislators failed in committee after sponsors could not convince the House State Affairs Committee to send the resolution on to the floor.

House Joint Resolution 5001, a measure proposing and submitting to the voters at the next general election an amendment to the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, requiring all non-judicial offices elected by a statewide vote to be nominated at a primary election failed to gather sufficient votes in committee to move the measure to the floor after testimony from several interested parties, including South Dakota Republican Chairman and Senator John Wiik.

The discussion over moving offices out of the convention process has arisen after a trend has emerged at State Republican Conventions of groups of activists registering as precinct people showing up only to vote, and not otherwise participating in any Republican Party activities. Controversy over these activists grew after the last Republican convention after many of the agitators forced a vote  to make the convention free, which would have bankrupted the Republican Party. The measure narrowly lost by 5 votes.

It remains to be seen if the proposal will come back in another form during this legislative session, but this remains a problem which the Republican Party will have to face in the months to come.

What do we do about HJR 5001?
By Sen. John Wiik, SDGOP Chairman

As I traveled back and forth to Pierre this weekend, my phone was ringing constantly.  What do we do about HJR 5001?  What are you going to do?  What can I do?  After an Executive Board meeting and over 50 phone calls about this matter, I felt that three things needed to be said and to be solved before we can move forward on this issue.

• The 2022 convention.  Most of this issue stems from the Republican convention of 2022.  I understand the frustration with the events of that convention, and I have been looking for solutions. That frustration comes from a disconnect between our voters and our delegates. As a party, we then failed to achieve the primary goal of a convention—to unify the party around our candidates and march together locked arms to victory in November.  In some respects we are victims of our own success, having reached over half of SD voter registrations and over 90 percent of state legislative seats.  Factions have developed within our midst. The only opponent some can see is the other side of our own party.
• The gradual replacement of the SDGOP with the House and Senate Republican PAC’s.  This development has become an incredible convenience for the executive board and Chairman of SDGOP, but having those hands off the wheel have not served the county party organizations well.  The county parties see their influence falling away and are perhaps trying to find new ways to stay relevant in this changing political landscape.  In the same frame of thought, the Senate and House caucuses are gradually able to be more detached from the county party organizations.
• A tremendous change I have witnessed, perhaps since the 2021 passing of Rush Limbaugh, has been a lack of civility in disagreement.  We are a big tent party and there is absolutely no officeholder or even voter that adheres to this platform to the letter.  I served on the last two platform committees, one as chairman.  The pressure to tighten the platform to fit a certain mindset within the party is real, and only serves to frustrate everyone.  Many floor debates are heard quoting the planks of the platform that fit a certain mindset—while another plank is quoted back to the other side of the same issue.  There is room for disagreement within our party.   Our common goals of small stable government, economic growth and adherence to our Constitution will continue to push us forward in a common direction, but we need to learn that disagreement is ok.  We’re operating in the arena of ideas, and we can debate without the fear of retribution for a different idea. The basic ideas of conservative Republican policies are proven to work, and unlike Liberal and Progressive ideologies, the more we debate our ideas, the better they become.  It’s up to us to educate our voters and respond to our own party without harsh lecturing.  We need to engage each other and maintain civility in all circles.

With those three things in mind, the crisis points that bring us to the annual introduction of bills or resolutions that will effectively change our entire election system in South Dakota stem from a belief that delegates are straying from the voters.  When a Party loses a connection with its voters, it has no business being a 51% registration party.  We must not create a situation that seven hundred people can overturn an 80/20 primary election.  56% of those 700+ voters ruled the day—but many in the party believed that too many delegates ignored the will of the voters.

Enter this year’s attempt, HJR 5001.  Last year’s SB40, with its problems was much cleaner and would have allowed the legislature to tweak things as we go and fix mistakes.  A constitutional amendment is forever.  I vehemently disagree with HJR 5001 being a Constitutional Amendment.  HJR 5001 has flaws that the legislature will not be able to fix and therefore surrenders its sovereignty to the interpretations of courts.

There are some who believe the only interpretation of this HJR 5001 once the clarification lawsuits start will be to open the primaries and no longer allow Republican voters to choose Republican candidates.  Independents and some minor party activity is not adequately addressed, and a judge will have to intervene.  Is there a way to fix this?  Possibly.  I don’t believe that it’s necessary, as we have a system that has provided some of the giants in South Dakota political history.  From Bill Janklow and Marty Jackley to Chris Nelson, Josh Haeder and beyond, the SDGOP convention has provided greatness for South Dakota, and we should not surrender that connection we’ve built for our voters.

Finally, I look at our SDGOP convention as a system similar toour Electoral College.  If we move to a complete primary system, what is the incentive for a candidate to visit places like Mcintosh or Milbank or Martin?  If HJR 5001 passes, it would be entirely possible to stay in counties with single digit prefixes on their license plates and rarely stray from an interstate, leaving the possibility of countless small towns once again left out of another vote or another political decision.

I cannot speak for the entire Central Committee—I can’t even speak for our entire Executive Committee.  I can only speak for myself as a small county chairman and the SDGOP Chairman.  Let’s keep our disagreements out of the Constitution and open the dialog to solve our problems in our own Party.  Please send HJR 5001 to the 41st day on Wednesday and start working together better Thursday and beyond.

Gov. Noem Announces District 34 Legislative Appointment

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem appointed Becky Drury to represent District 34 in the South Dakota House of Representatives, effective January 16, 2024. The vacancy was created after Jess Olson announced her resignation. Drury will serve during the 2024 legislative session.

“I am proud to appoint Becky to this role,” said Governor Noem. “We have worked together in the past to create real solutions for the people of South Dakota – and I look forward to continuing to work with her in the future.”

Drury has served as the state representative for District 32 since January 2021. She has since moved to District 34.  She resigned the District 32 seat in order to take this appointment.

“I’m thankful to Governor Noem for appointing me to fill the vacancy in the House of Representatives in District 34,” said Drury. “It is my honor to continue serving Rapid City. Much like my service on the City Council, where my goal was for the betterment of all of Rapid City, this move will carry on my goal to serve Rapid City and our great state.”

During Rep. Drury’s time in the legislature, she has advocated for victims of child abuse, supported teachers, looked for solutions to workforce shortages, and focused on creating more transparency in state government. Drury has also served as a member of the Rapid City Common Council and on the Wall School Board. She has a Master’s Degree in Administration and a Bachelor of Science, both from the University of South Dakota.

Governor Noem has been continuing the process of considering candidates for District 32. Interested parties can submit resumes and cover letters to Ben.Koisti@state.sd.us by Tuesday, January 23^rd, 2024.

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Had an observant reader catch this and sent it over..

“Interesting campaign finance tidbit is that Keintz terminated her Lt. Account and transferred $3,352.56 to her Keintz for House.”

Sending a bigger pot of money over to an equally dormant account that had $133 in it… why would this be? The speculation is whether Jennifer is going to join her running mate Jamie Smith with both attempting a return to the legislature in 2024.

More to come.