PIERRE, S.D. – Following the leak of Governor Kristi Noem and her family’s personal Social Security numbers and other private information by the January 6th Committee, Governor Noem’s personal cell phone number has been hacked and used to make hoax calls. Governor Noem had no involvement in these calls.
“Callous mishandling of personal information has real world consequences,” saidGovernor Noem. “If you get such a phone call from my number, know that I had no involvement. I have urged both the United States Attorney General and multiple congressional committees to investigate the leaking of my family’s personal information, and I look forward to whatever resolution they can provide.”
The South Dakota Fusion Center has been notified of this breach.
Gov. Noem Funds Equipment at South Dakota Tech Colleges
PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem announced $10 million in funding for modern equipment at South Dakota’s four technical colleges. The funding will come from Future Funds and thus will not require a legislative appropriation. Governor Noem is providing a 2-to-1 match for funding that is being put up by the technical colleges themselves for a total investment of $15 million.
“This equipment will help our technical colleges train our kids and grandkids for the jobs of the future,” said Governor Noem. “We have some of the best technical colleges in the nation, and we will continue working closely with them to tackle our state’s workforce needs.”
Lake Area Technical College in Watertown received $4.7 million in Future Funds for a $7.1 million total investment. The largest investments went to the following programs: Heavy Equipment Operator, Robotics/Electronics, Precision Machining, Med Fire Rescue, and Diesel Technology.
Mitchell Technical College in Mitchell received $2.3 million in Future Funds for a $3.5 million total investment. The largest investments went to the following programs: Technician Programs, Radiology Technology, and Sonography.
Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls received $1.6 million in Future Funds for a $2.4 million total investment. The largest investments went to the following programs: Licensed Practical Nursing, Mechatronics Technology, and Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
Western Dakota Technical College in Rapid City received $1.6 million in future funds for a $2.3 million total investment. The largest investments went to the following areas: student housing, classroom furniture, and the CDL-Truck Driving program.
South Dakota’s technical colleges are governed by the South Dakota Board of Technical Education. You can find more information about the Board here.
Former House Speaker Spencer Gosch, who broke his leg while cliff jumping during a Council of State Governments meeting last month, is speaking out and declaring that legislation isn’t needed to stop things like when he sent himself and Democrat Jamie Smith to Hawaii after both were out from the legislature. The Hawaiian junket traveling Gosch says that legislators can just choose to do it on the honor system:
Gosch on Sunday told KELOLAND News he was fulfilling his responsibility as speaker.
“I simply allowed elected officials to attend these meetings — as is the policy — to complete their work throughout the years and to speak for the people of South Dakota,” Gosch said.
and..
“Any legislation the Lee Schoenbeck is introducing isn’t necessary as it requires a mere policy change of the E-Board, if they deem it necessary. Even then, the presiding officers would still be able to use discretion.”
What say you, the reader? Trust the presiding officer’s discretion, as cliff-jumping Gosch demonstrated, when he sent himself and fellow lame duck Jamie Smith to Hawaii? Or as Schoenbeck proposes, having a stronger rule than “presiding officer’s discretion?”
Weekly Update from House Majority Whip Rep Drury Jan 20, 2023
The legislature has wrapped up the second week of session, and we are beginning to see things start to pick up! This week, House Local Government hosted a presentation from The National Conference of State Legislators about the facts surrounding elections, and policies that others states have used to make sure that our elections stay safe and secure. It was an honor to hear from them!
Our floor debate has been limited this week as committees are starting to work through bills, but on Wednesday the House passed the first tax cut of the year! The bill, HB1011, will provide reimbursements to employers who choose to contribute to the South Dakota Reemployment Assistance Program. It will now head over to the Senate for their consideration! Additionally, the House floor had some very special guests! The SDSU Jackrabbits paid us a visit, along with their new championship trophy, and we congratulated them on their big win!
On legislation, the drafting process is still in full steam. Legislators have about 2 weeks to file any bills they would like to bring, and I have signed on to a couple more bills:
SB70: This bill is from my good friend Senator Tim Reed from Brookings and is a great protection for South Dakota children. It states that when a child under the age of 16 has been the victim of a sex crime, the child may have the option to testify remotely if being in the presence of the defendant will cause them emotional distress. I could not imagine the trauma it would cause a young person to take the stand in such a matter, and I am beyond proud to be the House Prime Sponsor.
HB1079: This is legislation I’ll be co-sponsoring, which provides funds to the Department of Health to further provide mental health and suicide prevention resources. Community health is a key factor in higher employment and lower crime, and I hope we see this legislation succeed.
These bills are difficult topics for many in our communities, but that makes them more important. Mental health, suicide, and human trafficking can leave a grave impact on South Dakotans, and every step we take to improving on these issues counts.
As we dig deeper into committee work and floor debate, please always reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. To best stay in touch, sign up for email updates at this link: https://forms.gle/Dqb9u6Q4PVEdMwiH8. You’ll get updates about bills and current events, and you’ll be able to better keep up with what’s going on in Pierre. Have a great weekend and stay warm!
Tackling the Issues
by Senate Majority Leader Casey Crabtree
January 20, 2023
MADISON–Growing up in Arlington, my parents signed me up for as many sports as our schedule could handle. I loved the competition and working as a team. Little did I know during my time in youth sports that my parents and coaches were teaching me important life lessons in leadership and teamwork.
As the second week of the Legislative Session comes to an end, I’ve found myself feeling like the captain of a strong team as the Senate’s Republican Majority Leader to help move our state forward as a team. We’re a united group and we’re already hard at work handling the people’s business.
One of the most substantive legislative efforts of the 2022 session has continued into this year. The Workforce Housing Infrastructure Fund was set up to help communities with a long term tool for the infrastructure development needed for new homes. SB 41 will help District 8 tackle their housing inventory needs. This session the Legislature made revisions to open the fund for disbursements to qualifying communities. We are lucky to have so many thriving businesses in our area and throughout the state. But between the resulting demand and the economic impacts of inflation, South Dakota families are in need of affordable housing options. Thank you to the community members throughout District 8 who have advocated for this fund over the past two years.
This week, the Senate also took up several routine bills from the executive branch to make noncontroversial adjustments to state law. Our Appropriations Committee heard from the Department of Social Services on their budget proposal including their plans to implement the voters’ desire to expand Medicaid. We also welcomed Coach Stig and the SDSU football team to the Senate floor to celebrate their national championship.
In the week ahead, watch for my fellow Republicans and I to unveil a legislative package to update and strengthen South Dakota’s election laws. A broad coalition of lawmakers are ready to make sure we have safer and stronger election laws for the 2024 election.
As the session continues, I look forward to hearing from my constituents. If you have an idea, solution or concern for state government to address, I want to hear from you. In the meantime, follow me on social media and watch for more weekly columns as the session moves forward.
We’ll keep tackling the issues important to the state in your South Dakota Senate. We’ll continue to work hard to set up South Dakota for a bright future, and we will work together in your best interest.
For 50 years, members of the pro-life movement, including many South Dakotans, have traveled from every corner of our country to participate in the March for Life. Those who march have given a voice to the voiceless to defend the most basic human right: life itself. They’ve spoken up, they’ve kept the faith, and this year, they can celebrate that a day we had long hoped for is here: Roe v. Wade has been overturned.
The organizers of the first March for Life in 1974 didn’t expect it would take 50 years to overturn Roe, but they didn’t stop believing that that day would come. Nothing stopped them – not snow, rain, long bus rides, or the bitter cold of winter – and this past year their faith was rewarded. And they continue to march to bear public witness to the fundamental truth that unborn babies are human beings. While the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturned Roe and opened the door to meaningful legal protections for unborn Americans, there is a lot of work to be done to get to the day when unborn children are fully protected. And so the March for Life – and the work of the pro-life movement – is more important today than ever.
The March for Life’s public witness to the humanity of the unborn is critically important. But it’s just one small part of the pro-life movement. Every day across our country, there are a multitude of organizations that do the quiet and essential work of supporting expecting and new mothers and their babies. Sadly, some of these organizations have also been targets for attack and vandalism since the Dobbs decision leaked in May. Their strength and resilience in the wake of these attacks is a testament to the values and good character of those who provide these critical support services.
The pro-life movement continues to be strong because it is driven by the truth that unborn babies are human beings and human beings deserve to be protected. Those on the pro-abortion left would like to obscure this fact, but science, technology, and common sense tell us it’s the truth. Nobody who has witnessed their baby kick or suck their thumb on an ultrasound can deny that we are talking about a human life.
The Dobbs decision is an opportunity to change course from the abortion regime Roe imposed on the country, which put up barriers to protecting the unborn. Tragically, during the nearly 50 years Roe v. Wade was in place, 63 million innocent human lives were lost forever to abortion in the United States. Now, states are able to put protections in place for unborn children through the democratic process, which many have already begun to do. And I am proud that South Dakota was one of the first to do so.
There is a sign you often see at the March for Life that reads, “I am the pro-life generation.” I am proud of those who have worked so hard to secure the right to life for the unborn and are helping to make this statement a fact rather than merely a hope. Life prevailed in Dobbs because the truth was on our side, but it could not have happened without the patient dedication of pro-life Americans like those who participate in the March for Life. I am glad to see the truth is marching on as we enter the post-Dobbs era.
Let’s Get to Work By Rep. Dusty Johnson January 20, 2023
This week, Republican Members of Congress were assigned to their Committees. I am proud to serve on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for the 118th Congress.
The House Agriculture Committee is a place to secure a lot of wins for South Dakota’s farmers, ranchers, and producers. One of the biggest bills the House votes on is the Farm Bill, which is worked on in the Ag Committee. Every five years, the Committee has the opportunity to make changes to this long-standing legislation, and 2023 is the year it needs to be passed again.
I hosted several roundtables last year with South Dakotans who are impacted by the Farm Bill to get their input. We talked conservation, commodities, livestock, rural development, trade, credit, and more. The House Ag Committee will look at all the current programs in the Farm Bill and each state’s priorities to make adjustments for the next five years to ensure our farmers, ranchers, and producers are supported.
In the Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee, I expect us to tackle issues that affect our supply chain and ensure it is running smoothly. We will work on legislation to improve roads, rail, ocean shipping, planes, and freight. Last year, my bill the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, became law. There’s work to be done to ensure proper implementation of that bill and smooth out other parts of our supply chain to make sure it is functioning properly from manufacturing facilities to grocery stores to your doorstep.
This is my third term serving on House Ag and my second term on House T&I. I’m ready to get to work using the input of South Dakotans to speak on behalf of them on these Committees.
Champions at the Capitol By: Governor Kristi Noem January 20, 2023
This week, we welcomed the South Dakota State University football team to the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre. On January 8th, the Jackrabbits brought home a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) national championship win against North Dakota State University! This was not just any victory – it was a win against their rivals. And thanks to SDSU’s excellent play, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has to keep a Jackrabbit helmet in his office for the rest of the month.
This historic win was the second time this season that the Jackrabbits beat the Bison. Back in October, SDSU won the Dakota Marker 23 – 21. The rivalry between SDSU and NDSU is one rich with tradition, with the first faceoff between the two teams happening way back in 1903. Since then, these rivals have met 113 more times. In 2004, the regular season match-up officially became the “Dakota Marker,” where SDSU and NDSU play for a 75-pound replica of the quartzite monument that marks the border between South Dakota and North Dakota.
NDSU is a well-seasoned veteran, having won a total of 17 national championships in program history. But SDSU did not let that shake them. Instead, they steamrolled into the championship game, beat the Bison 45 – 21, and won the first national title in school history. SDSU showed the grit and grind of South Dakota, and we couldn’t be prouder.
I want to talk a little about two men that helped lead SDSU to victory in different roles: Coach John Stiegelmeier and quarterback Mark Gronowski.
Coach Stiegelmeier is a native of Selby, South Dakota, attended SDSU himself, and has been the SDSU head football coach since 1997. In his 26 seasons with the Jackrabbits, Coach Stiegelmeier has built the program into a yearly playoff contender. He has led the team to the FCS playoffs 11 times. Now, he’ll retire as the winningest football coach in South Dakota State history after leading the Jackrabbits to a national championship victory. I want to wholeheartedly congratulate Coach John Stiegelmeier on being named the winner of the 2022 Eddie Robinson Award, an award given to the top head coach in the Football Championship Subdivision. And I hope he enjoys his retirement.
SDSU’s starting quarterback Mark Gronowski won Most Valuable Player in the national championship game. He completed 223 passing yards during the game and rushed for 57 yards. But what’s even more impressive than his skills on the field is Gronowski’s heart, his love for the game, and his determination.
In 2021, Gronowski led the Jackrabbits all the way to the national championship game. Then, just minutes into the game, he suffered a torn ACL. Gronowski spent the next year rehabbing, determined to get his team the national title they deserved. I admire the ambition and the work ethic of this young man, and I commend him on a job well done, a season of games well played, and a national championship well earned.
It is no secret that, as an SDSU alumna myself, I am a huge Jackrabbits fan. I’m so proud of this team and all that they have accomplished. When I met them, it was hard to contain my excitement. I shared with them how proud I am of their fantastic work. They have made history here in South Dakota. The dedication of the entire coaching staff, as well as of every single member of the SDSU football team, led them to victory. Congratulations to SDSU on their national championship, and, as always, GO JACKS!
I’ve been getting reports this afternoon that the hard right Citizens for Liberty (CFL) group has taken over the Pennington County GOP, installing their candidates in county GOP leadership roles during county party elections. This will be interesting to see how combative the group is with the greater party in months to come.
Similar developments may be in store for the Minnehaha County GOP. The group is facing a “Sophie’s Choice” for chair elections where on one hand you have R. Shawn Tornow facing off against Rhonda Milstead. Just last weekend Milstead sent Steve Haugaard to the Central Committee meeting with her proxy.
Tornow versus a Haugaard ally? Is there a door number three?
South Dakota State Representative Phil Jensen has introduced a resolution – HCR 6006 – decrying the “medieval standards of living” for January 6 insurrectionists.
So, Phil feels the legislature needs to be concerned about the “medieval standards of living” for the insurrectionists who attacked the police, vandalized the US Capitol, and tried to prevent the certification of the 2020 election?
Lest we forget…
The names of hundreds of U.S. law enforcement officers, elected officials and military members appear on the leaked membership rolls of a far-right extremist group that’s accused of playing a key role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, according to a report released Wednesday.
and..
Among the elected officials whose name appears on the membership lists is South Dakota state Rep. Phil Jensen, who won a June Republican primary in his bid for reelection.
PIERRE, S.D. – Following the leak of Governor Kristi Noem and her family’s personal Social Security numbers and other private information by the January 6th Committee, Governor Noem’s personal cell phone number has been hacked and used to make hoax calls. Governor Noem had no involvement in these calls.
MADISON–Growing up in Arlington, my parents signed me up for as many sports as our schedule could handle. I loved the competition and working as a team. Little did I know during my time in youth sports that my parents and coaches were teaching me important life lessons in leadership and teamwork.
