Family is everything. I grew up working our family farm and ranch with my parents and siblings. When my dad passed away, my siblings worked together to keep our family’s dreams alive. My greatest joy in life has been watching my children grow up into incredible adults with a deep love of their country and an even deeper love for the Lord – and now they’ve started blessing me with grandchildren, too!

Every time I agree to a business deal, make an appointment, or sign a bill, I always ask myself how that decision will impact South Dakota for our kids and our grandkids. Every decision is filtered through the lens of family. And this legislative session, we are continuing to build stronger families in South Dakota.

The biggest way that we’re doing that is by extending paid family leave opportunities across South Dakota. Three years ago, I brought legislation to offer paid family leave benefits to state employees for the very first time. Now, it’s time for us to expand this benefit even more.

This year, together with legislators, I announced a two-part paid family leave initiative. First, we’re going to allow state employees up to 12 weeks of leave when they have a new baby or adopted child, to take care of a sick family member, or to deal with a military deployment in the family. They’ll receive 100% of their salary as they take the time they need to be with their families. We’ll take out a state insurance policy to make this possible.

Then, we’re going to create a path for private businesses to join our state’s insurance group and offer these benefits to their employees, as well. This is going to make it much more affordable for private businesses and ensure that as many South Dakota families as possible have access to paid family leave. And the more businesses that join the pool, the lower the cost will be for everyone.

We’re also creating a new educational opportunity for kids in the foster care system called the “Stronger Families Scholarship.” Under this new initiative, any child in the foster care system will have the opportunity to receive up to $4,000 in a scholarship to help them achieve their full potential, from kindergarten through 12th grade. This money can be used to pay tuition at a private school, pay for tutoring or teaching services, purchase curriculum, pay for standardized tests or AP exams, and more.

We’ll strengthen families in other ways, like providing pregnancy and postpartum care for moms who are Medicaid recipients, supporting the cost of domestic adoptions for state employees, providing an additional $38 million in grants to South Dakota childcare providers, and creating a new path to healthcare benefits for childcare employees.

When we provide these kinds of flexible options for families, we make it easier for them to make decisions in their day-to-day lives. We open opportunities for them to bond with their kids, find childcare or educational options, get into the career of their dreams, and more. By tackling these challenges, we will strengthen South Dakota’s workforce, as well.

It all starts with stronger families. By continuing to focus on this, we will truly leave an even better South Dakota for our kids and grandkids.

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Thune: South Dakota Agriculture Must Be a Priority in 2023 Farm Bill

“I will do everything I can to ensure that this year’s farm bill meets [farmers’ and ranchers’] needs and does everything it can to make their life a little easier, so that they can continue to feed our nation, and the world.”

Click here or on the picture above to watch the video.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed his goals for the 2023 farm bill. Thune noted that he is fortunate to be a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, which gives him an important platform from which to address the needs of South Dakota agriculture producers.

Johnson Cattle Bills Seek to Drive Competition in the Packing Industry

“The Butcher Block Act and the A-PLUS Act will provide increased capacity to small packers and drive healthy competition to create a more stable market.”

 

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) re-introduced two cattle-focused bills to improve the industry – his Butcher Block Act with co-lead Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and the Amplifying Processing of Livestock in the United States (A-PLUS) Act with lead Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO).

According to a 2020 report, an increase of packing capacity by 5,000-6,000 head of fed cattle per day is needed to get back to the historic baseline. Building new facilities could cost $100-250 million for every 1,000 head of cattle processed daily, according to estimates. TheButcher Block Act would establish a grant and loan program at USDA for new and expanding meat processors to drive competition within the packing industry.

Currently, regulatory barriers prevent livestock auction market owners from investing in packing facilities. The A-PLUS Act would allow for expanded investment to small and local packers, increasing capacity and diversifying market options for producers.

“Cattle country needs solutions,” said Johnson. “The past few years have taken a toll on the livestock owners who have experienced black swan event after black swan event. The Butcher Block Act and the A-PLUS Act will provide increased capacity to small packers and drive healthy competition to create a more stable market.”

In July 2021, following Johnson’s leadership on the Butcher Block Act, the U.S. Department of Agriculture implemented a pilot program mirroring the legislation, supplying grants to small processors. Additionally, it passed the House in June 2022 as part of a larger package.

The Butcher Block Act:

• Assists new and expanded livestock or meat processors to improve marketing options for livestock producers, further competitive markets, and facilitate value-added opportunity for livestock producers.
• Allows for financing of cooperative stock in producer-owned processing facilities and refinancing for expanded processing capacity.
• Establishes a Rural Development grant program for eligible entities to assist with new construction or expansion planning and compliance.

The A-PLUS Act:

• Revises the Packers and Stockyards Act to clarify that livestock auction owners may have an investment interest in small meat packers.
• Allows livestock auction owners to invest in packers that have a slaughter capacity of less than 2,000 head per day and less than 700,000 head per year of cattle and sheep, and less than 10,000 head per day and less than 3,000,000 head per year of hogs.
  • This cap aims to exclude investment in the ten largest meat packers in the country.

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If you’ve been following the Julie Frye Mueller suspension today, I do have the floor vote from today’s Journal in case you wanted to see where your State Senator stood. (odds were more than 3-1 it was a vote to suspend), as 27 State Senators cast a ballot to suspend Frye Mueller for her actions while they investigate the matter:

That’s a lot of “yea” votes, as it was 27 – 6 against Frye Mueller. Excused were Foster & Wiik.  While I don’t know where Foster was, I am informed that GOP Chair John Wiik’s son is a legislative page who took ill yesterday up at the Capital, and dad was stepping into help when this all went down. He did tell me that he would have been a “nay.”

What’s next? Early next week the senate will proceed with a Select Committee on Discipline and Expulsion.  Who will be on this panel?  I’m guessing Dave Wheeler as one of the attorneys in the Senate – who is not in immediate caucus leadership – will be one of the main ones. Doubtful on Schoenbeck since Frye-Mueller is claiming this was orchestrated by him.

I think we’ll also see a panel that’s strongly diverse in terms of gender, since both the accused and the accuser are women. Duhamel, Hunhoff, Tobin, Davis, Castleberry are all possibilities, as are Larson or Foster, two of the Democrats. Probably not Nesiba after that whole pants thing a few years back.

Might also see some higher ups who have organizational experience. Breitling might have had the headache of dealing with HR issues between employees at Avera, as might Steve Kolbeck with his executive experience at XCel and on the PUC.

Lots of good options to choose from to make sure the rights of the employee are protected and she feels comfortable in that environment.

And we will see you next week!

Bill Introduced by Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt, Sen. Tobin to Protect Lives of Mothers

PIERRE–Today, House of Representatives Assistant Majority Leader Taylor Rehfeldt (R-District 14) and Senator Erin Tobin introduced HB1169 in an effort to protect the lives of pregnant mothers.

“The lives of both mother and child are precious, and South Dakotans understand that,” said Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt. “There is uncertainty today amongst health care providers on when they can intervene to save the life of the mother during a complicated pregnancy. Doctors need certainty, and patients deserve care.”

The June 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturned Roe v. Wade and triggered an abortion ban in South Dakota except for protecting the life of the mother. HB 1169 adds a clear definition to protect the life of the mother in the circumstance of death or irreversible injury.

The proposed legislation states:

Notwithstanding any other law, before an abortion may be justified as necessary to preserve the life of a pregnant female, as set forth in § 22-17-5.1, the attending physician, exercising reasonable medical judgment, must determine that, by continuing the pregnancy, the female is at serious risk of death or of a substantial and irreversible physical impairment of one or more major bodily functions.

“I look forward to discussing this important update to South Dakota’s abortion ban so that doctors have an understanding of when to act in an emergency situation for the long-established belief that preserving the life of the mother is the moral and right thing to do.” said Rehfeldt.

The draft legislation is available to view here.

Stronger and Safer Election Laws for 2024
by Senator Casey Crabtree
Senate Majority Leader

MADISON–The third week of session was a good week for conservative principles in your South Dakota legislature. We took action on tax reductions, election integrity, and infrastructure investments.

This week, Republican lawmakers introduced the Stronger and Safer for 2024 legislative package. It includes proposals to secure ballot tabulation machines, create a postelection audit process, establish distance requirements and poll watchers’ rights, ban unmonitored drop boxes, ban ballot harvesting activities, and clean up the state’s voter rolls. If enacted, these measures will strengthen South Dakota’s already strong election laws and further protect South Dakota’s reputation for fair and honest elections.

Senate Democrats advocated for more folks to be on unemployment during debate on HB 1011. Republicans recognize that workforce recruitment is one of our biggest challenges. The solution is incentivizing work, and keeping more money in the hands of taxpayers. We are proud to deliver this $18 million tax cut.

On Monday, the House will hold its first hearing on a joint resolution I sponsored with Rep. Tony Venhuizen (R-13). HJR 5004 would allow the state to impose a work requirement for able-bodied adults on Medicaid at the expansion level poverty mark. As South Dakota expands entitlement programs per the will of the voters, it’s important that we incentivize able-bodied adults to work and contribute to the success of our state.

Lastly, a proud moment for me this week was the final passage of SB 41, my housing bill to help fund infrastructure for new housing. This session the Legislature made revisions to open the fund up for disbursements to qualifying communities. I’m excited for the bill to be signed by Gov. Noem ahead of the 2023 construction season.

Looking ahead to Week 4, the Legislature has its deadline to file legislation, so we will know what’s on the table for consideration this year. So far, 168 Senate bills and 177 House bills have been filed. As your District 8 Senator, I’ll continue to keep you updated on the important matters as the Legislature works hard for the people of South Dakota.

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When the Senate took action today against State Senator Julie Frye Mueller, Mueller seemed to have a little less bravado than when she earlier proclaimed  “It is a sad day in America when advancing freedom becomes a crime,” and the Senate wasted little time in taking action as a regular employer would in investigating a matter of workplace harassment.

As noted in a statement issued today from Senate Majority Leader Casey Crabtree:

We were made aware of serious personnel allegations. Based on the nature of that allegation we needed to act quickly and prudently to protect the person involved. We will have due process in public with a goal to complete the process early next week.

Unfortunately, this whole circus interrupts a tremendous amount of progress that the legislature has been making on it’s own proposals. But hopefully, things will get back on track in short order.

This afternoon, the South Dakota State Senate moved forward with motions to give them the ability to suspend Senator Julie Frye Mueller, while they form a Select Committee to investigate her conduct with a LRC Employee which resulted in her being stripped from her Committees and kicked out of the Republican caucus.  The motion was brought by Senate Majority Casey Crabtree so a committee could be convened and the matter could be investigated. The suspension pends her duties, as an employer would suspend a supervisor while an employment violation is investigated, but does not remove her from office.

However, it was immediately opposed by Senator Tom Pischke, Julie Frye Mueller’s seat mate, claiming it’s a she-said/she-said situation.

Senator Frye Mueller also stood up in response to the motion, complaining she had not been presented with evidence, and claimed there was “an agenda” against her, and that she’s “always gotten along with people from the LRC.”

Lt. Governor Larry Rhoden spoke from the podium, objected to the suspension of the rules to suspend Frye Mueller as premature, and ruled the motion out of order.

Senate President Pro Tempore Schoenbeck appealed the rule of the chair, and was supported, which brought the matter to a recorded vote, which required a 2/3 vote.  26 yeas to 6 nays and 2 excused moved the motion forward over the objections of the chair.

More coming on this…

This is interesting.  2 different news outlets, and what appears to be two different versions of the story which has caused Julie Frye Mueller to be stripped of her committees and her membership in the Senate Republican caucus (for the moment).

First, Dakota News Now:

Frye-Mueller acknowledged that the reason for the controversy stemmed from a conversation that she had earlier this week with a Legislative Research Council (LRC) staffer, but said that that conversation did not revolve around the COVID-19 vaccine and it’s efficacy, as has been speculated in the State Capitol.

Read that here.

Next Sioux Falls Argus Leader:

“It has come to my attention that the issue may involve a conversation I had with staff, where I promoted my well-known stance on medical freedom and the ability of individuals to choose the best courts of medical treatment for themselves,” Frye-Mueller said.

Read that here.

So, which version of the story are people supposed to believe?  I suspect we’ll find out.

Did they ever get sound on all of those cameras in the State Capital?

Leading Nat’l Pro-Life Group Adds Seasoned PR Pro to Its Growing State Affairs Team

Washington, D.C. – Former South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s communications director, Kelsey Pritchard, has joined SBA Pro-Life America as the organization’s first-ever director of state public affairs.

Pritchard spent seven years working in the governor’s office, serving as the administration’s communications strategist and press secretary. She comes to SBA Pro-Life America after spending four years in the private sector. Pritchard worked in the ad industry for Bozell in Omaha, Nebraska, where she led the PR and social media department, and she served on the executive leadership team as marketing director for Dream Design International.

Pritchard says she was eager to join the pro-life organization known for its strategic political acumen in furthering protections for the unborn:

“Thanks to the Dobbs victory, states are now an extremely crucial battleground for saving unborn lives and ensuring women and families receive the support they need to flourish. I’m joining SBA Pro-Life America with full appreciation that this is the organization’s most critical chapter to date and complete recognition of the life-saving work that is yet to be done in the coming days, months and years.”

Pritchard joins SBA Pro-Life America’s growing state affairs team which includes regional directors who partner with local advocacy groups to further state protections for women and the unborn.

SBA Pro-Life America’s President Marjorie Dannenfelser welcomed Pritchard to the organization, saying:

“We’re excited to have Kelsey join our growing team at this moment of greatest potential for life in generations. Year one of the Dobbs era presents extraordinary opportunities to work with our allies in the states to set an ambitious pro-life agenda and it is essential to communicate a winning message. The gifts and experience Kelsey brings will truly have a life-saving impact as we move forward into a brand new phase of the pro-life movement.”

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is a network of more than one million pro-life Americans nationwide, dedicated to ending abortion by electing national leaders and advocating for laws that save lives, with a special calling to promote pro-life women leaders.

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