Representative Phil Jensen (R-33/Rapid City) wants to Question Time to the Capitol!
Following Governor Kristi Noem’s unusual snub of the local media on the opening day of the Legislature and her State of the State Address, Rep. Jensen proposes House Bill 1156, which would make the Governor stick around and answer questions after her opening speech. On top of a statute that currently requires the Governor or a designated flunky to meet once a year with the United States Forest Service to talk land management, Senator Jensen pastes this mandate:
The Governor shall, immediately following the conclusion of the address provided in accordance with S.D. Const., Art. IV, § 3, meet with all members of the Legislature, while in a joint session, for a period of at least one hour, and respond to questions from the members regarding the affairs of the state [2021 House Bill 1156, as originally submitted, 2021.01.28].
(HB 1156 also degenderizes a pronoun in the Forest Service clause, changing “The Governor or his designee” to “The Governor or a designee….” Given how much Representative Jensen loathes politically correct revisionism, I suspect the Legislative Research Council snuck that gender neutralization into Phil’s first draft.)
As written, HB 1156 doesn’t force the Governor to sit for questions with Angela Kennecke… unless, of course Angela and her fellow reporters all put down their mics and run for Legislature. What a delicious prospect! The chance to grill the Governor for an hour on live public television should be enough to motivate a whole new generation of troublemakers to run for office.
And look at all the fun British MPs get to have with Prime Minister Boris Johnson!
And the Scots getting the straight poop from their First Minister Nicola Sturgeon:
HB 1156 would also direct the Speaker of the House and the President Pro-Tem of the Senate to invite our members of Congress to come sit for a two-hour Question Time in Pierre. HB 1156 does not make clear if it would expect all three members to come all at once or if the Legislature could have two hours with each member separately (far more preferable!). But HB 1156 does not presume to order the members of Congress to come… and given how busy they should be in Washington at the start of their own Session working with the President to solve problems, I can understand that the Legislature should leave an appearance from the Congressional delegation optional. Besides, it’s much more important for the Legislature to have a chance to demand information from and hold accountable the Chief Executive with whom it most regularly and directly deals.
To that end, Representative Jensen, how about an amendment? Drop the invitation to members of Congress (if they do swing through town, the Speaker and Pres Pro-Tem already have the power to call a drop-everything-and-convene joint session to hear from and question our D.C. delegation), and order the Governor to come for Question Time every week… or heck, why not every day, the way they do with Oral Questions in the House of Commons in Canada?
As the Session and bills evolve, you and your fellow members and all of your constituents would surely benefit from a regular, public sit-down with the Governor to focus on the big bills of the week, the updated budget figures, and whatever else is bubbling under the dome.
Plus, if you make Kristi come sit for Question Time each day of Session, you might get her to stick around Pierre and spend less on her secret bodyguard squad.
House Bill 1156 awaits the attention of House State Affairs.
I love the Brits. Question time in Parliament is great. They hold their politicians accountable for their failures and don’t allow BS to stand. Too bad Congress can’t have a similar accountability mechanism for a President, but our system is set up differently. Also, our politicians are not up to the Brits’ level in knowledge our wit.
Finally Jensen has an idea I like.
Mr. Jensen cannot even stick around long enough on most days, I am informed. Amend his law bill to require mandatory attendance by all the legislatures or they forfeit 2 days pay, and grudznick will help Mr. Jensen get this passed.
Geez Grudz, mandatory attendance, just how many laws do you want passed?
I seem to recall Rep. Jensen would not attend Cracker Barrels a few years ago because he didn’t want to answer questions on some of his bills. What changed his mind?
WR: ha! Maybe he’s still in the same mode, holding the Governor to a standard he won’t follow. BUt hey: I won’t let Rep. Jensen’s numerous errors and human failings get in the way of recognizing that this particular bill is a great idea. Watch Noem send her flunkies to argue that requiring her to attend Session at a particular place and time and face questions creates a security risk.