SOUTH DAKOTA LEGISLATURE TO HOLD “ELECTRONIC” VETO DAY

Pat Powers

SOUTH DAKOTA LEGISLATURE TO HOLD “ELECTRONIC” VETO DAY

PIERRE – When the South Dakota Legislature meets on March 30, 2020 for its last scheduled day of the 2020 session, to consider bills vetoed by the Governor, there will be plenty of social distance between members. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the guidance to limit the size of gatherings to fewer than ten people, Veto Day business will be conducted electronically.

Legislators will participate remotely from their residences via electronic conference. South Dakota Public Broadcasting will provide livestream coverage of the session, making the process open to the public electronically, but not physically. The electronic feed can be accessed through the Legislative Research Council website or sd.net.

Senator Brock Greenfield, President Pro Tempore, says while the “electronic” Veto Day may be unusual, given current events, it is necessary.

“We’re all committed to doing whatever we can as lawmakers and just as people to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in South Dakota. As important as it is to wrap up our legislative business on March 30, it’s just as important that we do it without putting anyone’s health in jeopardy,” Greenfield said.

According to House Speaker Representative Steven Haugaard, that concern extends to members of the public.

“The legislature is a public process and we welcome participation by the public. Normally, this is done through contacting legislators, testifying in committee, or watching floor debate from the gallery. But no one should put themselves or others at risk of coming in contact with COVID-19 by attending Veto Day in person this year,” said Haugaard.

Senate Minority Leader Troy Heinert says public service and public safety were both considerations in the decision.

“We’ve covered a lot of important issues during this session but none so important as what’s going on in our state, across the country, and around the world right now. We need to finish out our work, but we don’t want to put people at risk to do it,” Heinert said.

Both the House of Representatives and the Senate are scheduled to convene at 11:00 a.m. (CT).

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13 thoughts on “SOUTH DAKOTA LEGISLATURE TO HOLD “ELECTRONIC” VETO DAY”

      1. So far 860 people in South Dakota have been tested for COVID-19, and 41 have tested positive. That means that even among the small, select group of symptomatic and high-risk individuals who qualify to be tested, more than 95 percent have tested negative.

        Put another way, fewer than one in 20,000 South Dakotans have tested positive for COVID-19, and just over one in a million has died. These numbers remain far below those of a typical South Dakota flu season.

        1. For the record, I’m more convinced than ever that Five Eyes intel agents are deliberately infecting specific prominent individuals, and I hope I’m able to publish the evidence before they give me the Bre Payton treatment.

        2. What we don’t know is how many people have it that haven’t been tested. The only way to know when we’ve beaten this thing is to test everyone. Our data is bad thus far.

  2. FYI. The number testing negative is way higher. The above comment only has state lab negatives. Avera and Sanford and Monument don’t report their negative tests, which have been done out of state (not at state lab). They are starting to test in state and I thought I read (and could be mistaken) that they were going to start sharing their negative test numbers

    1. Do you dare to suggest COVID-19 is even less prevalent than the state’s numbers indicate, Lee?

      YOU SELFISH, EVIL MAN!! YOU’RE TRYING TO KILL MY GRANDMA!!!
      /sarcasm

      Seriously, thanks for acquiring and sharing the above information.

      1. Libertarians suck….if you always want to be a disgruntled loser be a libertarian

  3. It only makes sense, but I did not see any information as to how the public can view or listen to this session. Any info? Public TV. Studio sites as various locations.

      1. Radio will be good. I think the sessions on public radio will be a good thing for the quarantined masses to huddle around, with steaming mugs of broth.

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