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!
Why does a whip have a column? Shouldnt ahe be whipping votes among legislators?
to share cool whip and miracle whip recipes.
you can start a column, too. along with MLZ.
well said ma’am. thanks for sharing.