As the legislative session winds to a close, I’m concerned that we don’t really have any over-arching themes of accomplishment. And maybe that’s a poor choice of words, and I should qualify that as that there seems to be no “big ticket items” we can point to.
You could say that the closest thing would be how the legislature took on the task of re-writing campaign finance laws to beef them up, in the face of Initiated Measure 22, which was declared unconstitutional by Judge Barnett. And yes, along those lines, we did look at some conflict of interest laws.
But other than that, it’s hard to point to any one overarching “theme” or item of accomplishment.
It might be as a result of the legislature seeming a little more persnickety, and seeking more independence when it came to Governor Daugaard’s wish-list. We just came off infrastructure renewal, and all the associated costs & spending. And we did teacher pay. Both big, big ticket items, that legislators had to bite their lips on when it came to tax promises. But they did “something.”
When it came to the next biggest big ticket item – Medicaid expansion – hard lines were drawn in the sand, and it was not going to fly with this new legislature, so it was dropped early on, as far back as last summer. Not that we would have been able to afford it anyway, come to find out. The severely reduced tax revenues versus what was projected may have also thrown a wet blanket on any wishful thinking for “big ideas.”
Does the legislature need to pass large and significant packages of legislation every year? Well, no. But if they don’t, I feel they start wandering into dangerous territory. It could be as big as raising teacher pay. Or it could be a large budget cut. But it’s hard to point to what “It” is this session.
It’s dangerous territory, because voters are fickle. If you can’t point to a recognizable accomplishment, it can be difficult to tell the people you want to vote for you “I did this!” and make the case for your re-election. In that case, especially in times of voter angst, they may look at legislators and ask “what did I send you to Pierre for?”
So, is the big theme this session campaign finance reform? Or should we be thinking bigger? And if it’s campaign finance reform, can we, or have we convinced the electorate at large that it was the right step?
What are your thoughts?
One more week, then veto day…looks like Constitutional carry will be vetoed…anything else look to be vetoed?
A number of bills still out but I agree no big item this year.
However there might be enough votes to override a veto
MC…any other bills to be veto’d have you heard?
It will be vetoed. I’d like to know if Jackley or Noem have the guts to support it because that is the only way the law will ever change. If a governor won’t sign it I can’t see the legislature ever overriding it.
I personally support constitutional carry but it is probably issue number 10,000 on my list of important issues. I think that is how most people are about this issue unless you are a hardcore gun advocate.
And SD has a lot of hardcore gun advocates especially when you get to the west.
SB176 just passed the committee hearing, giving the governor power to shut down protests before they become riots.
Seems like it was mostly a reactive session: reaction to IM22 (and the ballot process in general) and reaction to low revenues (and their impact on the budget) seemed to be the 2 biggest issues this year.
I’m honestly just surprised that the way this session started out with a bang that it is ending with a thud.
I think Mickelson and Curd and their leadership team should have sent out a press release or held press conferences talking about what they were going to do this year to reassure voters and to make government more accountable.
As of today I see IM 22 coming back stronger than ever on the ballot. Yes it will be a different electorate than 2016’s because it won’t be a presidential year but this is going to get crazy.
The legislature has created a mess of patchwork stuff that is actually a lot better than IM 22 ever was but they have completely failed on publicity side and they are also not sure what they are doing day to day.
I think that’s one reason GOP party leadership underwent an overhaul this year. No support for the people in the trenches.
I think it’s dangerous to tell legislators if they don’t pass bills they’re not doing their job. Sometimes setting the budget and fixing some problems is enough. Too many hair-brained ideas get proposed all in the name of doing something which usually means more costs or loss of freedom.
This post sounds like something a Democrat would say … or someone who doesn’t really understand what it means to be a conservative.
Sorry. I didn’t realize when I said “it could be a large budget cut,” that was a Democrat thing.
I’m not insinuating it is only about some new program. I’m referring to overarching actions or themes where Republicans can point out how they made the state better. It’s about being aspirational and inspirational. The things that voters look for when electing leaders.
At the end of the day, my legislators (Curd, Beal, Jamison) did great and have more than enough to run on.
Tax and fee increases a plenty. Congratulations to Majority Leader Billie Sutton in the Senate and Spence Hawley in the House.
What happened to the supposed conservative take over of the senate?
The legislatures seem rudderless and lost, like they never had a plan. Hence the thud.
Ninety percent of a Legislature’s time is spent swatting down bad bills.That’s good. The remaining 10 percent is where the mischief lives.
Cliff I’m in total agreement with what you just wrote. When I first ran for the House a very astute and savvy local auto-dealer (I know many of you will figure it out) told me to be very careful in passing bills for every one the Governor signs takes a certain amount of Freedom away from someone.