The Majority Report

south dakota Republican Party January 28, 2021

Appropriations Update | See INside

Top of the Week Session by the numbers

Juneteenth Bill Passes
Senate State Affairs,
Headed to Senate Floor
2
Several measures began hearings
this week, including a house bill
to prevent the gender on birth
certificates from being amended
at a later date. Here, Sponsor Bills Withdrawn

1
Fred Deutsch gives testimony to
Senate Bill 71 passed in Senate Sta- committee.
te Affairs on Wednesday, 7-2 and is
headed to the Senate floor. The bill
would designate Juneteenth, June Bill Hoghoused

3
19th, as a state working holiday.

Juneteenth recognizes the day when

Union troops arrived in Galveston,
TX, sharing the news of freedom to
the last enslaved Americans. The Ci-
vil War was over and they were there
to enforce President Lincoln’s Eman-
cipation Proclamation.
Currently, only three states do not
recognize Juneteenth: Hawaii, North
Dakota, and South Dakota. Across
the country, most states recognize
Juneteenth as a working holiday.
As riots plagued the US last summer,
statewide Republican leaders expres-
sed support of making Juneteenth a
holiday, with Governor Noem going as
far as issuing a proclamation. During
the 2020 SD Republican Party State
Convention, a Juneteenth Indepen-
dence Day Resolution was tried and
failed to pass. This can be attributed to
the inability to amend resolutions in
the virtual format of convention.
With Sen. Jim Bolin’s bill, Republican
legislators now have the opportunity to
recognize and shine attention on this
significant moment in history for our
nation.
Opponents to Bolin’s legislation inclu-
ded SD Voices for Justice. They argued
that while this was a step in the right
direction, a state working holiday did
not go far enough. They asked for Ju-
neteenth to be recognized as a paid
holiday.
Proponents included Karl Adam, lo-
bbyist for the SD Bankers Associa-
Democrat Senators
(and Democrat Senate Interns)
Statistics as of 1/27 according to the
SD Legislative Research Council at
sdlegislature.org.
tion and former SD Republican Party
Chairman. “This is the foundation of
our party,” Adam said.
Other proponents included the SD
Chamber, Greater Sioux Falls Cham-
ber, the Bureau of Human Resources,
and the SD Education Association.

February 1st: All bill draft requests submitted to LRC by 5:00pm February 4th: Last day for introduction of committee bills and

Upcoming Dates February 2nd: Committee bill and joint resolution requests due
to LRC by 5:00pm
joint resolutions (TWO HOURS prior to session)
February 5th: Republican Day at the Capitol!

& Deadlines February 3rd: Last day for introduction of individual bills and
joint resolutions (TWO HOURS prior to session)
February 6th: State Central Committee Meeting
January 28, 2021
Page 2
Chairman’s Letter
On the back page of the Majority
Report is a graphic noting some
of the heights of what we’ve been
able to accomplish over the past
4 years as a Republican team;
Together, we have enjoyed historic
levels of electing Republicans to
the legislature, record fundraising
numbers in terms of dollars and
donors, and huge gains in voter
registration.
Next week will see even more
Republicans in Pierre, as the
Federation of Republican Women
gather for their annual events at
the Capitol on Thursday. Friday
will see more Republicans joining
them for our annual “Republican
Day at the Capitol,” a tradition we
began in recent years, and finally
on Saturday, we will gather for the
State Central Committee Winter
Meeting in Pierre.
Our biennial organizational meet-
ing is the time and place to hold
Executive Board elections, and I
would encourage you to join the
dozens of Republicans who will be
choosing our party’s leadership for
the next two years.
All Republican legislators and
statewide elected officials are
invited to our New Members Re-
ception on Friday Feb 5th where
we will celebrate the incoming
class of freshmen legislators and
even some old roosters that came
back to serve. Watch for an email
invitation for more details.
I look forward to continuing our
work together to build the party,
where we will continue to win and
provide solid results for Republi-
can candidates up and down the
ballot.
Sincerely,
Chairman
South Dakota Republican Party.
GOvernor Proposing several pieces of legislation
on State Fair Ag Complex, Landowner Rights
During the past week, Governor
Kristi Noem was proposing several
pieces of legislation ranging from
simplifying city zoning regulations
to a package of legislation to defend
property rights for landowners.
Late last week, Governor Noem in-
troduced legislation to authorize the
Department o af Agriculture – and
future Department of Agriculture
and Natural Resources (DANR) – to
contract for construction of the Da-
kota Events CompleX (DEX).
“In South Dakota, we see challenges
as an opportunity to grow, to build
for the future,” said Governor Kristi
Noem. “The new DEX will be a state-
of-the-art facility which will attract
regional and national events to Hu-
ron. I’m excited for DANR to get to
work on this project and to complete
the DEX by the 2022 State Fair.”
On the 26th, Governor Kristi Noem
introduced two property rights bills
related to the Department of Game,
Fish & Parks (GFP).
Appropriations Update:
Regents, Attorney General speak to Appropriations Committee this
week for UNiversities and Division of Criminal Investigation
The Board of Regents and six univer-
sities gave their presentations to the
Joint Appropriations Committee on
Monday and Tuesday. Topics ranged
from retention rates and enrollment
to SB 55 update and one-time funding
requests.
The funding requests included a
West River Health Science Center at
The first bill restricts the entry of con-
servation officers onto certain private
land without permission. Under cur-
rent precedent, conservation officers
could enter into open fields without
a warrant, though GFP’s department
policy prevents this. Similar legisla-
tion had been sponsored in the past
by Lieutenant Governor Larry Rho-
den during his time serving in the
South Dakota state legislature.
“It’s important that we close the open
fields loophole to ensure that our pri-
vate property rights are protected just
as the Fourth Amendment protects
our homes from unreasonable search
and seizure,” said Lieutenant Gover-
nor Larry Rhoden. “Governor Noem
has long been a champion of constitu-
tional freedoms. I’m pleased to work
BHSU, Preci-
sion Ranching
at SDSU, and
an upgrade to
equipment in
the Animal
Resource Cen-
ter at USD.
The Governor
included these
items in her budget request.
Other requests include a $19 million
Mineral Industries building at the
School of Mines and $2 million for
remodel of the Berg Agricultural Hall
at SDSU.
While retention rates are up, the BOR
has seen a decrease in enrollment.
alongside the Governor to protect the
property rights of landowners.”
The second bill revises provisions
regarding inspections, seizures, and
forfeitures involving GFP. This legisla-
tion would protect property rights in
the enforcement of game and fish laws
by ending the ability of conservation
officers to take and keep private prop-
erty of hunters and fishermen who
break these laws. Such forfeiture of
property would greatly outweigh the
financial penalty tied to enforcement
of game and fish laws.
“We want to make sure that the pun-
ishment fits the crime,” continued
Governor Noem. “When someone
violates a game and fish law, they
should be fined and punished as per
current law. But they shouldn’t lose
their boat, truck, gun, or dog as a
result. Our conservation officers un-
derstand the need to strike the right
balance between enforcement efforts
and property rights.”
On Tuesday, Attorney General Jason
Ravnsborg addressed the committee.
His recommended budget included
funding to hire a few more Division
of Criminal Investigation Special
Agents, an additional forensic scien-
tist, a victim witness specialist, and
operating expenses such as new sur-
veillance equipment and online law
enforcement training. In total, the
recommended budget was $881,310.
He also asked for raises for DCI
agents, hoping to attract qualified
agents with a more competitive wage.
Next week, Appropriations will hear
from the Departments of Health,
Corrections and the Unified Judicial
System.

Lasers in the Senate: Senate Bill 79 Protects Upcoming
Law enforcement from high-tech Assaults Legislation
The civil unrest of the summer
proved to be the call to action
for some legislators. For Sen.
Bolin, it was his Juneteenth
Day bill. For Senator Helene
Duhamel (R-Rapid City), it
was laser pointers and law en-
forcement.
SB 79 is, “An Act to make cer-
tain uses of laser pointers un-
lawful.” Duhamel said that the
idea for the bill came from
concerns after the protests at
Mt. Rushmore during Presi-
dent Trump’s July 3rd visit.
A Chief Deputy officer from
the Pennington County Sher-
iff ’s Office asked Duhamel if
she would bring this legisla-
tion, realizing at that moment
that South Dakota would too
be on the frontline of protests
and officers would need pro-
tections.
During the first hearing on
Tuesday, Duhamel said she
was given the chance to hear
some questions that she need-
ed to think through and better
understand the intent of the
legislation.
Captain Tony Harrison from
the Pennington County Sher-
iff ’s Office also shared the story
of a Washington, D.C. police
INtern Spotlight:
Senator helene duhamel discusses measure brought after
laser assaults on police during Mt. Rushmore protests
officer who was hurt when a
protestor shined a laser point-
er at his eyes.
Harrison said that the officer
still suffers from eye damage
and that it felt like a sunburn
on his eyes.
On Thursday, Duhamel will
be back in committee with an
amended bill that is still specif-
ic to law enforcement.
Currently, if an individual
were to shine a laser at an offi-
cer and damage their eyes, that
would fall under assault. This
means they could be charged
with a Class 6 felony which
carries up to 2 years in prison
and $4000 fine.
But the act of shining a laser
Elizabeth is a junior at
SD School of Mines &
Technology, majoring in
Science, Technology &
Society with a Safety minor.
on an officer’s body is not cur-
rently illegal. “This creates a
policy that if you point a laser
at an officer, it’s a misdemean-
or,” Duhamel said.
She stressed that making the
act of shining a laser point-
er at law enforcement a mis-
demeanor will deter the act.
A Class 1 misdemeanor can
carry up to 1 year in jail and a
$5000 fine.
“We’re just getting the point
across: Don’t point lasers at law
enforcement officers.”
This Week in Elections
“An Act to allow a change of
voter registration infor-
mation through an online
system,” passes in the Senate
Senate Republican Intern Elizabeth Benzmiller
She had not considered
interning till seeing the
opportunity at a school
career fair, where her advisor
encouraged her to apply.
January 28, 2021
Page 3
SB 44, “An Act to authorize,
regulate, and tax wagering
on sporting events within
the city limits of Dead-
wood,” is scheduled to the
Senate State Affairs for
Wednesday, February 3rd.
SB 34, the Governor’s bill
requesting $100 million
in one-time funds for the
expansion and improve-
ment of broadband, passed
in Senate Commerce and is
headed to Joint Appropri-
ations.
SB 86, “An Act to revise
certain requirements
regarding the review of ini-
tiated amendments to the
Constitution,” will be heard
by Senate State Affairs on
Friday, February 5th.
HB 1051, the ‘born-alive’
abortion ban, passed in
House Health & Human
Services 10-3 and heads to
the House floor.
SB 98, “An Act to limit the
application of the death
penalty,” is schedule to be
heard by Senate Judiciary
on Tuesday, February 2nd.
Now, Elizabeth hopes to
one day run for office and
make South Dakota her
home.
January 28, 2021
Page 4

More Marijuana
Legislation to be
Why your leadership matters to the
filed in upcoming Republican Party!
weeks. The South Dakota Republican grassroot
Party is over a century old, teams, and as
After voters showed they want-
ed Initiated Measure 26 and
and while we’ve had our ups we found this
Amendment A, the legislature and downs over the many last election,
is now tasked with creating decades, we continue to rep- historic legis-
laws which regulate marijuana resent the majority opinion of lative gains.
in the state before the inevi- the citizens of this state. You
table legalization of medical - our local legislators - repre- A group
marijuana. senting your constituents in effort and
Pierre are a vital link to that mutual
First-term Representative Mary
Fitzgerald (R-St. Onge) has un-
chain. assistance is
dertaken this task of regulation what helps
by planning to introduce sever- I wanted to take a moment to perpetuate
al pieces of legislation. The first show you how your leadership Republican
is HB 1061, “An Act to prohibit translates into a stronger Re- Leadership in
smoking marijuana and its publican party, which in turn the state.
derivatives in a motor vehicle helps you represent South
and create a penalty therefore.”
Dakotans. As you work
The bill would make it illegal
for anyone to smoke marijuana
to build the
while driving. Under your leadership in Republican
recent years, we’ve been able Party, the
A lawsuit was filed by Pen- to raise over a million dol- GOP works to
nington County Sheriff Kevin lars which we’ve largely put support you.
Thom and SD Highway Patrol into state and local elections.
Superintendent Rick Miller These funds are what support Unlike Dem-
challenging Amendment A,
the background activities we ocrats who
legalization of recreational
marijuana this last year. They
conduct such as legislative can’t seem to
argue that it amends more than recruitment, communications keep their eye
one subject. That challenge was staff, social media, material on the ball,
heard Wednesday. distributed at local and state and try to
fairs, slate cards, early vot- support the
In the meantime, legislators ing activity, phone banking, cause du jour,
and agencies are working absentee mail, legislative the Republi-
together to draft regulations.
campaign supports, and the can Party has
Fitzgerald said that she took an
interest in marijuana legislation
list goes on. one singular
before getting to Pierre. For goal and duty continue our work for you.
now, she’s working on how to These translate into higher - to get Republicans elected And you’re a vital part of the
improve the bill. GOP voter identification and in South Dakota. reason we’re able to make that
registration, more and better happen.
An appropriations measure SB organized county groups and The SDGOP is ready to
35 has been introduced for the
implementation of regulatory
provisions, and several place- Paid for by the
holding measures such as HB South Dakota
1095, HB 1100 and HB 1101 Republican Party
have been brought by Repre- PO Box 1099
senative Gosch. Pierre, SD 57501