In more evidence that Drew Dennert and I occasionally tune in to the same wavelength, I open a question by saying, “Cow poop,” and our rookie District 3 Representative knows exactly where I’m headed. Watch him nod (just behind the podium there) before I even name the bill.
Then watch him admit that he voted wrong in committee last Tuesday on House Bill 1184 and plans to vote against the CAFO sewer line bill when it comes to the House floor next week.
I’m going to have admit I made a mistake on this bill. I was given proponent testimony, opponent testimony, and I had done some research with other people knowledgeable on the topic, and at the time I voted for the bill, and I did some more research here over the weekend yesterday, and I wish I had that vote back. It’s being treated like a public utility, and that did not… come up in committee. So I made the incorrect vote, and I now am going to be reversing that vote and voting no on the floor [Rep. Drew Dennert, responding to crackerbarrel question on HB 1184, Aberdeen, SD, 2018.02.10, timestamp 1:40].
Rep. Dennert said he got information on property taxes and roads that wasn’t made clear in committee Tuesday. Tuesday’s committee vote was 7–6. Had he received that information before the vote, his swing nay would have killed HB 1184 in committee.
Remarkable what a little reading and research can do for a legislator… and remarkable that Rep. Dennert will look his constituents and a Democratic blog camera in the eye and say “I made a mistake… and I am going to be reversing my vote.” Now let’s see if he follows through and looks his Speaker, a man deeply invested in CAFOs and cow poop, in the eye and says the same on the House floor next week.
Dennert’s statement illustrates the importance of contacting every member of a committee about concerns when working a bill. They might not know all the details or “what-ifs” and the conversation you have with them might make the difference.