South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association legislative update

March 4, 2022

Legislative Update- Week 8

Things are beginning to wind down and most committees have had their last meetings. March 7th is the last day for a bill or joint resolution to pass both houses. The next three days are then reserved for conference committees and finalizing the state budget. Legislators will return to Pierre on March 28th to consider any vetoed bills.

One inconvenient issue facing the last four days of the main legislative session is the difficulty finalizing the budget bill. House and Senate Appropriations committee members disagree over how federal fund expenditure authority should be handled. This is leading to speculation that the budget bill might not be adopted until Veto Day.

The $6 million request to design, renovate, and construct a multi-purpose facility at the Cottonwood Field Station passed the House. Before final action, SB 84 faced a few challenges. House Appropriations sent the bill to the House floor with a Do Not Pass recommendation. Bills reported out of committee with a “Do Not Pass” recommendation must receive a majority vote of the House before they can be placed on the calendar for debate. Strong support from House members ended with a vote of 54-13 for Do Pass and it is off to the Governor for a signature. Thank you to everyone who contacted their Representatives to urge their support!

HB 1325 addressing the valuation of Class 4 soils was heard in Senate Ag and Natural Resources March 1st and was sent to the Senate floor on a 5-2 Do Pass motion. The bill was amended during committee and received support from SD Cattlemen’s, SD Dept of Revenue, SD Association of Conservation Districts, SD Retailers Assoc., SD Stockgrowers and the SD Izaak Walton League. HB 1325 will be heard on the Senate floor March 7th.

HB 1096 passed the Senate floor 25-9. SDCA would like to thank the members who contacted members of the Senate to share our concerns. The uncertainty and unintended consequences of HB 1096 as voiced by SDCA, the Animal Industry Board, Farm Bureau and other livestock organizations, still remain.

HB 1092 to appropriate $1.25 million to the precision agriculture cybersecurity Cyber-Ag partnership initiative between SDSU and DSU was approved by the Senate on a 33-0 vote and awaits a signature from the Governor.

SB 53 will appropriate $50 million of state funds to match $50 million of federal funds to increase workforce housing. The bill received several amendments including a change that 70 percent of the funding available goes to municipalities having a population of less than 50,000 and 30 percent of the funding is made available for all municipalities.

SB 55 appropriates $50 million in ARPA (Federal) funding to continue expanding broadband access across South Dakota. Declaring an emergency allows for the dollars to be utilized right away versus waiting till July 1st. The bill passed the House on a 65-4 vote and awaits the Governor’s signature.

–South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association