Wrapping up a Great Legislative Session

By: Governor Kristi Noem 
March 12, 2021

This week, the 2021 legislative session came to a close. In South Dakota, we keep things short; the session lasts a maximum of 40 legislative days. Every bill gets a hearing, its opportunity to be weighed and vetted by the 105 legislators that you elect to serve you in Pierre.

This year was unique in many ways. South Dakota’s legislative session was perhaps the most “normal” in the country, with legislators still voting in person. And South Dakota had record revenue numbers and huge amounts of one-time money to invest in the long-term future of our state.

I challenged the legislature that we wanted these dollars to fix problems for 20-30 years or longer into the future. And that’s what we’re doing.

We’re investing a combined $100 million to finish connecting the state to high-speed broadband. We’re putting $50 million into an endowment for the South Dakota Freedom Scholarship, which will help kids who need financial assistance get a college degree. We’re building the new Dakota Events CompleX to make Huron a destination for national and regional rodeo events. And there are so many more important projects to strengthen communities.

We’re also putting record dollars into savings and trust funds to strengthen the state budget for the future. South Dakota’s economy is strong right now, but we want to make sure we’re prepared for any future difficulties.

We improved healthcare for South Dakotans by making it more flexible and affordable. We recognized healthcare licenses for folks moving to South Dakota from other states. We provided greater transparency in healthcare costs by requiring that insurance companies show you what the cost of a procedure will be. And we’re allowing South Dakotans to have greater flexibility in their access to healthcare.

We also defended the rights and freedoms of South Dakotans.

We defended life. I signed legislation to protect babies who were born alive. And I’ll be signing a bill to ban abortions based on a diagnosis of Down syndrome very soon.

We defended liberty. We simplified youth hunting. We empowered parental choice in education. And we didn’t expand government control over our citizens lives like we’re seeing in other states.

And we defended property rights. We passed asset forfeiture reform with regards to conservation officers. We’re allowing landowners East River to hunt on their own lands. And we passed legislation to codify the Department of Game, Fish & Parks’ policy as it pertains to open fields.

All told, it was a fantastic legislative session. We had a lot to get done in a short amount of time, and I’m happy to report that we accomplished quite a bit to make South Dakota safer, stronger, and healthier for our kids and our grandkids.

###

South Dakota Delegation Slams Park Service Decision to Cancel Rushmore Fireworks

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), and Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) issued a statement after the National Parks Service denied South Dakota’s request to hold a national firework display at Mount Rushmore to celebrate Independence Day, citing “health and safety” and the opposition of tribal partners.

“Let’s be clear, this decision is political, not evidence-based,” said the members. “President Biden just said himself that Americans can safely gather by July 4 – what’s changed in a day? Last year millions watched the celebration in awe, and it’s a shame the administration is denying Americans that opportunity this year.”

##

In a email sent to members of the media this afternoon, Maggie Seidel, Senior Advisor & Policy Director for Governor Kristi Noem Is announcing her departure from the Governor’s staff.

Folks – It has been an incredible blessing to work with each of you over the last year and half. Despite the intense challenges that 2020 and 2021 brought, it is safe to say that I’ve enjoyed each and every moment of it. And I certainly have never had the privilege of working for such a tremendous leader like Governor Noem.

It is because of our team’s success that another incredible opportunity has presented itself, and I have accepted it.

My young family is incredibly grateful for the opportunity that was afforded us by Governor Noem, and we will forever be indebted to her for it.

Stay well,

Maggie

Maggie Seidel
Senior Advisor & Policy Director
Office of Governor Kristi Noem

Congratulations to Maggie on her new opportunity, and we sincerely wish her well.

If Governor Kristi Noem came out and said she was going to make an appointment to the circuit court or the state supreme court based in part on how loyal someone was to or active in the Republican Party, I can’t imagine the outrage that we’d be hearing on the 6pm news. But South Dakota Democrat Party Chairman Randy Seiler did just that, as he said that what he’s doing when it comes to any federal appointments that may be coming down on the Federal Judiciary:

Seiler said he and the party discussed potential recommendations with former South Dakota members of Congress, current state Democratic leaders and federal judges.

“The political aspects of this matter” in addition to how qualified and experienced they are for the job, Seiler said. He said he considered how engaged candidates have been with the Democratic Party and if they’ve ran for office.

Read that here.

From Facebook. (With at least one cardigan.)

Thune: Xavier Becerra is a Threat to Religious Liberty, Wrong Person to Lead Health Department

“Xavier Becerra is not a mainstream candidate. He is an extremist who has used the offices he has held to advance an aggressively pro-abortion agenda and to target religious liberty and freedom of conscience.”

Click here or on the picture above to watch Thune’s speech.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), today expressed his strong opposition to Xavier Becerra, President Biden’s nominee to be HHS secretary. Thune acknowledged that Becerra does not represent the views of the majority of Americans on abortion, but rather the views of the radical, pro-abortion wing of the Democrat Party. Becerra supports abortion without restriction and holds an aggressively pro-abortion agenda. Thune urged his colleagues to join him in opposing Becerra’s nomination.

Thune Joins Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Block Taxpayer-Funded Gun Registries

Lawmakers Offer ‘GRIP Act’ in Continued Effort to Protect Gun Owners’ Privacy Rights

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and U.S. Rep. Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (R-Ariz.) in introducing the Gun-owner Registration Information Protection Act (GRIP Act) to prohibit states, localities, or any other organization from using federal funding to maintain gun registries.

The GRIP Act would clarify existing law that prohibits the use of any federal funding by states or local entities to store or list sensitive, personal information related to the legal ownership or possession of firearms. The legislation is in response to states that in recent years enacted statutes requiring gun owners to register their handguns.

“Federal funds should not be spent to violate the privacy of law-abiding firearm owners,” said Thune. “This bill would help defend against the firearm registries and gun owner databases that have been proposed among other infringements against the Second Amendment.”

“The fight to protect Second Amendment rights is unending,” said Hyde-Smith. “The GRIP Act would protect the rights and personal information of law-abiding citizens who own or purchase firearms legally.  It would require adherence to the law that specifically says federal monies cannot be used to track or hassle gun owners.”

“Another year, another swipe at the American people’s second amendment right,” said Gosar. “This week, Speaker Pelosi plans on ramming through Congress two overreaching gun control bills. Egregiously, these bills would create a firearm registry database that could be made available to the public creating the likelihood for discrimination against gun owners. In contrast, this week I was proud to work with Senator Hyde-Smith to introduce the Gun-owner Registration Information Protection (GRIP) Act. Supported by the National Rifle Association, the GRIP Act prohibits the use of federal funding of firearm registry databases that list gunowners who lawfully own or possess firearms.”

Current law prevents the federal government from storing information acquired during the firearms background process. The GRIP Act would ensure the federal government does not support, either intentionally or otherwise, state or local efforts to collect and store personally identifiable information related to legal firearm purchases and ownership.

This legislation further clarifies that states and local entities cannot use federal grant funds from programs, such as the National Criminal Histories Improvement Program, NICS Amendment Records Improvement Program, or the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, to create or maintain full or partial gun registries.

The measure does not include any limitations related to state recordkeeping for permitting, law enforcement-issued firearms, or lost or stolen firearms.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) has endorsed the bill.

“On behalf of our more than 5 million members, the National Rifle Association thanks Senator Hyde-Smith and Congressman Gosar for introducing this important piece of legislation to prevent the use of federal funds to create a national gun owner registry,” said Jason Ouimet, executive director, NRA Institute for Legislative Action. “Biden-Pelosi-Schumer and their gun control cohorts have longed for the disarming of America, and a national gun registry is a dangerous step towards reaching that goal.”

Thune was joined in cosponsoring Senate measure by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

Original cosponsors of the House measure include Reps.Brian Babin (R-Texas), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Jerry Carl (R-Ala.), Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Glenn Grothman (R-Wisc.), Michael Guest (R-Miss.), Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.), Jody Hice (R-Ga.) Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.), Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Fred Keller (R-Pa.), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), Tracy Mann (R-Kan.), Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), Alex Mooney (R-W.Va), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), Greg Steube (R-Fla.), Chris Stewart (R-Utah), Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.), Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), and Randy Weber (R-Texas).

A one-page summary of the GRIP Act is available here.

A copy of the legislation is available here.

 

###

EXCLUSIVE – Working with the Partnership to Fight Infections Diseases, I’m pleased to bring you this video from South Dakota’s Senior US Senator John Thune encouraging people to get out and get vaccinated to help bring an end to the COVID 19 crisis.

As you can find on their website, South Dakota Senator John Thune addresses constituents about the importance of getting vaccinated against COVID-19. As vaccines become increasingly available across the country, communities are working hard to ensure that everyone has accurate information about the vaccines so that anyone who wants to be vaccinated has the opportunity to do so. In the meantime, it is important that we continue to follow guidelines for social distancing, mask wearing, and washing hands.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccines, including answers to common questions and a state-by-state guide to vaccinations in your area, click HERE to find out more.

Johnson Honors Frontline Healthcare Workers on One-Year Mark of COVID-19

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) honored South Dakota’s frontline healthcare workers following the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 fatality in the state. Johnson requested each name of the nurses, doctors, and EMT’s working on the frontlines of the pandemic in South Dakota be entered into the official Congressional Record.

Click here to watch Johnson’s full remarks.

South Dakota healthcare workers should contact Johnson’s office to receive a copy of the Congressional Record honoring their service to the state of South Dakota during this unprecedented pandemic.

Thune: Senate Democrats Use COVID-19 Spending Bill to Push Liberal Agenda

“It’s becoming clear that collaboration is not a part of the new way of doing business in the Democrat-led Senate.”

Click here or on the picture above to watch Thune’s speech.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed the recently passed COVID-19 spending bill and the Democrats’ failure to work in a bipartisan way. Thune also discussed the breakdown of where the $1.9 trillion will go, including a $350 billion slush fund for state and local governments, school funding that isn’t tied to reopening, and a massive pension bailout.