Noem Introduces CRP Payment Fix

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem today introduced the Fair CRP Payment Act to better ensure CRP rates accurately reflect the current cost of renting farmland.

“Growing up, my dad always talked about how important it was to have access to land, because, as he would say, ‘God isn’t making more of it,’” saidNoem. “The ag economy can change significantly from year-to-year, and if CRP rates aren’t updated quickly enough, they can distort local rental markets and make it difficult for farmers – particularly beginning farmers – to access productive farmland. I’m hopeful this legislation will ensure producers don’t have to compete with unfair CRP rates.”

CRP payments are based on county rental rate averages. Currently, the National Agricultural Statistic Service (NASS) conducts rental rate surveys every other year, resulting in slow reactions to market changes. Under Noem’s Fair CRP Payment Act, rental rate surveys would be conducted annually to more accurately reflect rate changes.

Last week, Noem joined members of the House Agriculture Committee for a Farm Bill listening session to hear from producers about changes needed in ag policy. In addition to today’s legislation, Noem has introduced the DRY Act and the Wetland Determinations Efficiency and Transparency Act, which are all being considered as the Farm Bill moves forward.

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The former Rothenberg Report, now “Inside Elections” came out with an article this week with an extensive review of South Dakota’s US House Race, with a number of tidbits in it that.

What are they noting in their report about the 2018 Congressional race?

*Dusty Johnson is using General Consultants Jeff Burton and Bruce Harvie of Prevail Strategies, and Lawrence & Schiller for Media and Digital.

* The Krebs campaign team consists of general consultant Sean Brown of Axiom Strategies, who is also handling Direct Mail.

* Tim Bjorkman‘s general consultant is Drey Samuelson, and they’re still in the process of assembling their team.

* And Dem’s potty-mouthed candidate Chris Martian has supposedly sent an e-mail to the Democrat Party early this summer saying he’s no longer running.

The article also speaks a bit about how the candidates line up, and Neal Tapio’s potential entrance into the race:

Lots of interesting stuff in it.

Check out the entire article here (subscription required)

If you’re reading one of those other websites this morning, you learned at least one new thing.

While you already might have known about an endorsement for Shantel Krebs that we wrote about back in March, you also learned that Marty Jackley has a new opponent:

(Cory doesn’t seem sure what race he’s writing about, but I’m sure he’ll figure it out eventually.)

Sponsors of a legislative measure dictating that people use the bathroom that corresponds with the gender on their birth certificate announced that they will be abandoning their effort and wait for a new Governor, but also made a point to call the bathroom/locker room mandate “an issue for the legislature, not the ballot.”

According to the associated press:

A major supporter of restricting which facilities transgender students could use in South Dakota schools plans to pause its effort at the Capitol and instead wait until the 2019 session when a new, potentially more favorable governor will be in office, a top official said Thursday.

Family Heritage Alliance Action won’t bring a “student privacy act” next session in part because of GOP Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s past opposition, said Ed Randazzo, the nonprofit’s director of political operations.

And…

But Randazzo said he’s buoyed because the two top Republicans vying to succeed Daugaard — Attorney General Marty Jackley and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem — have offered support for the idea. Daugaard can’t run again next year because of term limits and leaves office in 2019.

And…

Randazzo said that the last he’d heard, the initiative (similar measure backed by another individual – pp) was going to be withdrawn. He said it’s an issue for the Legislature, not the ballot.

“The reason for that is: I think you invite outside forces, outside money, outside interests … influencing the laws of South Dakota, and we don’t particularly like that,” Randazzo said.

Read it here.

Whatever you think about the bathroom measure, not putting it to the ballot because it should go through the legislature is actually a refreshing change of pace.

The annual Brookings County Republican picnic is tomorrow night in Hillcrest Park here in Brookings. 

You can meet local & state officials and candidates… and with potentially two legislative seats open, maybe pick up some support for running yourself.

Be there!

Attorney General Jackley Joins Request to U.S. Supreme Court to Review Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution 

PIERRE, S.D –  South Dakota Attorney General Marty   Jackley announces  that South Dakota has joined with 20 other State Attorneys General as amicus curiae, or friend of the court, requesting that the United States Supreme Court review whether a   monument of the Ten Commandments placed on city property violates the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution.

“One of my primary responsibilities as Attorney General is to protect state and individual rights.  The joining State Attorneys General seek freedom to erect, authorize, and maintain constitutional religious displays on public property without   the ongoing threat of wasteful litigation and request our United States Supreme Court clarify its Establishment Clause doctrine,” said  Jackley.

The brief requests the United States Supreme Court grant certiorari to clarify when religious text and symbols on monuments many be displayed on public property without violating the Establishment Clause. The State Attorneys General request the Supreme Court provide a clear, workable test for lower federal courts in order to avoid the potential of all states having to enter into costly litigation to preserve the historical practice of religious monuments on public property.

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From the Watertown Public Opinion, Speaker of the House Mark Mickelson was out on the road yesterday to promote his ballot measure increasing taxes on tobacco products to help fund tuition for Tech Schools:

and…

Although Mickelson acknowledged there is little correlation between tobacco and technical institutes, he had a simple explanation as to why the potential ballot measure is looking at raising only the tobacco tax: It’s easier.

Polling conducted by Mickelson’s associates showed about 65 percent support for the tax.

“We only picked tobacco because the public will support it. It’s that simple,” Mickelson said. “We already know the public supports tech students. But it’s a lot harder to get people to reach into their pocket with their support. We think this is a place they will reach into their pockets to support it.”

NCSL WELCOMES NEW LEADERSHIP OFFICERS ELECTED AT NCSL LEGISLATIVE SUMMIT

Boston—Senator Deb Peters of South Dakota became the 45^th president of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) at the annual Legislative Summit in Boston. Peters, a Republican, succeeds Democratic Senator Dan Blue of North Carolina.

NCSL, a bipartisan organization that serves the nation’s 7,383 state lawmakers and more than 20,000 legislative staff throughout the country, alternates its leadership annually between the two parties.

“Having been involved with NCSL for many years, I am honored to serve as president of NCSL and work alongside fellow colleagues from around the nation,” said Peters. “Not only will I work over the next year to address issues like states’ rights, taxation and health care, which should transcend party lines, but I will also work with our Washington office to ensure federal policies are in line with state priorities.”

Peters has been representing District 9 in the South Dakota Senate since 2011. In the preceding years, she served consecutively in the South Dakota House of Representatives beginning in 2005.

During her time as a senator she has focused on health and safety issues as well as e-fairness, becoming the Appropriations chair and a member on the Government Operations and Audit Committee. Peters most recently worked on the Main Street Fairness Act and the Remote Transactions Parity Act to limit burdens on retailers and encourage remote sellers to collect taxes, leveling the playing field. While involved with NCSL, Peters has been especially active in the Executive Committee’s Task Force on State and Local Taxation.

Other officers elected were:

• Illinois Senator Toi Hutchinson (D), president-elect. Hutchinson has served in the Illinois Senate since 2009 and currently serves as chairwoman of the Senate Revenue Committee. In that role, Hutchinson introduced legislation to close corporate tax loopholes, and passed legislation increasing the earned income tax credit as well as the standard tax exemption. As a senator, Hutchinson has placed a high priority on working to modernize Illinois’ tax structure, protecting women and children from violence and exploitation and supporting construction projects that create jobs while also maintaining Illinois’ position as an international transportation hub.
• Wisconsin Speaker Robin Vos (R), vice president. Under his leadership, the Legislature has approved one of the largest tax cuts in Wisconsin history and became the 25th right-to-work state in our country. He is also proud of the bipartisan work in the Assembly where more than 90 percent of the bills passed receive bipartisan support. His speaker’s task forces have developed important legislation on topics including mental health, rural schools, Alzheimer’s and dementia, urban education and youth workforce readiness.
• Chuck Truesdell of Kentucky’s Legislative Research Commission, staff chair. Truesdell has worked for the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, first as an assistant public information officer, and now as a fiscal analyst. He has been on the Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee for seven years, and has chaired two of three existing LSCC subcommittees. He has also served as overall staff co-chair of the NCSL Standing Committees.
• Jon Heining of Texas’s Legislative Council, staff vice-chair. Heining has worked has worked for the Texas Legislature in a variety of positions since 2003, first as a bill analyst and attorney to the lieutenant governor and since 2006, with the Texas Legislative Council. He is currently responsible for drafting legislation, addressing personnel issues, reviewing analyses of legislation, drafting contracts, providing advice regarding ethics and open records law, answering press calls and assisting with certain parliamentary issues, just to name a few. He has been on the Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee (LSCC) for five years, and has chaired numerous other LSCC subcommittees. He has also served on the NCSL Executive Committee since 2014.

NCSL is governed by a 63-member Executive Committee, elected yearly, which includes both legislators and staff, under the leadership of seven officers.

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Time to Tear Down Barriers in South Dakota

Group hails Gov. Daugaard’s commitment to repeal unneeded occupational licensing requirements to empower workers and entrepreneurs

Pierre, SD – Americans for Prosperity-South Dakota (AFP-SD) is hailing the commitment of Governor Dennis Daugaard to eliminate unnecessary occupational licensing laws. Governor Daugaard spoke in favor of eliminating licensure requirements in Sioux Falls in front of U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta.

South Dakota ranks 22^nd for the most burdensome licensing laws. Occupational licensing laws amount to little more than government permission slips to work. These unnecessary licensing mandates burden entrepreneurs, costing hardworking South Dakotan’s time and money and mostly serve as measures to limit competition and the free market.

AFP-SD state director Don Hagger released the following statement:

“We applaud Gov. Daugaard’s commitment to roll back unnecessary work licenses. It’s not just massage therapists, as Governor Daugaard mentioned, that are burdened by these unnecessary roadblocks. For instance, cosmetologists in South Dakota have to comply with 490 days of training, the most of any state in the nation. And title examiners, a profession only licensed in six states, pay $800 in fees, nearly three times more than the average state. Occupational licensing mandates hurt South Dakota.

“South Dakotan’s should be free to pursue the American Dream. By repealing unneeded license requirements and honoring licenses obtained in other states South Dakota will open the door for job growth and entrepreneurship that will make our economy stronger.”