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Week Three: Sponsoring Legislation
By Jason | January 28, 2010
Sponsoring of legislation is in full speed at your State Capitol building. I think this time of the Legislative Session is the most nervous for State Agencies and Lobbyists because they don’t know what kind of legislation will be brought forward. But it is also interesting for lawmakers because we have to finalize who we want to sign on to our bills and support our intent of the legislation.
I have enjoyed working on the repeal of the contractors excise tax on pipelines. Leaders from the Republican side of the aisle in the Senate have opened up to the idea and want to be involved in any fashion to ensure the State can grab money that should go to our State Treasury. I am not worried that the pipeline companies would try to go outside of our State borders. It is quite clear that traveling through South Dakota is the plan for the pipeline and the companies expect to utilize the resources in our State to make their project a success.
Signing on to legislation as a co-sponsor is a privilege all of us Legislators can decide to exercise. One piece of legislation I am proud to co-sponsor will split the Department of Tourism and Economic Development into two departments. Obviously the title indicates there are two areas of State Government addressed in the current combined department. The legislation I co-sponsored will split this department and keep the Arts with Tourism and create a separate Department of Economic Development.
I am proud to report that today the House of Representatives gave unanimous support to House Bill 1064 which is considered the “Good Samaritan Law”. This legislation guarantees rights to first responders their ability to have access to limited medical records of a patient who may emit bodily fluid on them. This issue is localized as I have visited with an individual who was serving as an EMT and helped a lady who had a syringe with a needle in her hand and the needle actually punctured the glove of the EMT. Currently that EMT does not have access to find out if the patient has any diseases. With this legislation the EMT or whoever is providing help will be granted access if the EMT is of risk.
Lastly, today in the House we adopted House Bill 1014 which establishes steep fines for poaching trophy big game animals. What was more interesting in this discussion was an amendment we adopted that diverts these funds not to a civil penalty, but to a court imposed fine. Which would be similar to overweight fines and the money goes to the local school district. We are always told the wildlife belong to all South Dakotans, therefore the fine money should go to the local school district for the students.
Please keep in touch with me on any issues of concern. I have heard issues on the James River Water district and County Jails; and all of the issues are important and deserve discussion.
You can follow me on my website at www.jasonfrerichs.com and my cell phone is the easiest to reach me at 949-2204. I enjoy serving you as your Representative in Pierre.
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