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Third week of Legislative Session
By Jason | January 26, 2012
The first three weeks of the Legislative session are in the books, and all of the legislation is entered into the process. One bill allows for counties to use electronic poll books. Although counties would bear the costs, they could save money in the long run, and the books will help break down voting barriers and allow for more voting flexibility. I believe this means we are one step closer to same-day voter registration!
Confirming the nominees for the governor’s cabinet positions and appointments to state boards and commissions has been the main focus of the state affairs committee. As the bill introduction deadline recently passed, I expect to see a number of bills up for hearing soon. Please contact me if you have any input or concerns about upcoming legislation.
The main focus of my attention this week was the education plan my Democratic colleagues and I laid out. We focused on reforming the formula for school funding. We also believe that prescribing a method for merit pay that schools and teachers do not want is not the best approach to increasing teacher salaries. We believe the best way to help teachers is to allow them to work together. Teacher collaboration is crucial to improving effectiveness and student achievement. The Governor’s merit pay system attempts to mirror other states’ approach to education, but it simply does not fit with South Dakota schools.
Our ideas, which have support among many of our Republican colleagues, allows local school districts to determine which approaches to teacher development work best for them. Ultimately, we all want to see students in South Dakota succeed. Leaving the measure of student success rely solely on standardized tests is not the answer. Our teachers should not have to “teach to the test”; instead, as the Governor has also advocated, teachers should be able to maximize the common core standards. This model ensures local flexibility, while maintaining appropriate benchmarks, and also allows the student to have options in their high school education.
House Bill 1234 is the governor’s omnibus education overhaul legislation. It includes everything from evaluating teachers and principals and phasing out continuing contract, to paying math and science teachers more and ending the teacher compensation assistance program. Flexibility is a common request of local school boards along with their teachers and administration, but the governor’s plan is anything but flexible. Rather than stifling innovation in the classroom and creating competition among teachers, I hope the legislators can help school districts and teachers do best. We can start by funding programs that reward professional development, such as National Board Certification.
Renewable energy is another area where the state can encourage economic development. I have entered a bill (SB 170) that would eliminate the contractors’ excise tax on new or expanded wind energy development. Currently, there is a half-rate contractors’ excise tax. I am pleased to have Republicans supporting the legislation to do our part in South Dakota.
Another main concern of mine is watershed district legislation, Senate Bill, which is a bi-partisan work in progress to address the drainage and water management issues. We hope to take an entire drainage basin approach specifically with the James River, Big Sioux River, and in northern Roberts County, the Red River Basin. This is more of a pilot project that breaks down barriers for local control and involvement. We know that many counties are choosing to remove their drainage ordinances, which will only increase drainage disputes to the courts system. We must find a way to bring the effected parties together, along with the facts from engineers, for a fair hearing, and an appropriate appeals procedure.
It is my pleasure to serve you in Pierre. Please keep in touch with pending legislation as the process will move along quickly. We plan to wrap up the main run of session by March 2nd. I will not be able to attend the Webster cracker-barrel, but I hope to host a listening session towards the end of February.
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