The House dinged Governor Noem twice in lengthy Crossover Day action:
- A day before she takes off for her next round of fundraising in Texas and brownshirt-nosing Florida, the House grounded Noem’s request for $5 million for a new state plane. House Bill 1282 needed a two-thirds vote to pass, since it is a special appropriation. Evidently concerns that Noem may be abusing the state planes she already has at her disposal, on top of her refusal to say whether she plans to upgrade from a prop to jet to facilitate more out-of-state travel, depressed the yeas to 36 versus the nays of 31, eleven votes shy of what HB 1282 needed to fly.
- The House was more eager to spend four times that money on a real investment in the common wealth. House Bill 1210 would spend $20 million to build a new facility at SDSU to research and develop cool bioproducts that could bring new business and profits to South Dakota. Governor Noem opposes this measure, which would support scientific and business activity at her own alma mater and throughout the state. The House said thumbs up… literally:
With no votes to spare, Representative Dave Anderson got the last ‘yes’ he needed Thursday night, in a highly unusual way, as House members approved a proposal to spend $20 million of state government funds for a new bioproducts research center.
Anderson at first thought he had lost on HB 1210. The electronic tally board showed a 46-19 vote.
As a spending bill it needed a two-thirds majority of 47.
So he gave notice of his intent to reconsider.
A few minutes later, House Democrat leader Jamie Smith stood and said his thumb-up was meant to signal ‘yes.’ He said it was misinterpreted that he wanted to be excused. The ‘yes’ wasn’t counted.
House Speaker Spencer Gosch listened, then ruled his vote did count. “I was privy to seeing him vote yes,” Gosch said. Smith became the 47th Anderson needed. The legislation now goes to the Senate [Bob Mercer, “House OKs $20 Million for Constructing Bioproducts Research Facility at Brookings,” KELO-TV, 2021.02.26].
These two votes suggest that, occasionally, the House can put its spending priorities in the proper order. Noem can still fight for her Wonder Woman jet and against The Next Big Thing at SDSU in the Senate. But for the next couple days, she can focus on begging her Texas and Florida friends to buy her a personal jet so she can avoid the bureaucracy and public accountability altogether.
Meanwhile, at CPAC. I wonder if Kristi will get a selfie? It is Biblical, after all.
She gonna need those cannabis bucks to fund her stuff now LOL
Meanwhile, in Florida she can join the Golden trumpie worshiping mob and continue to lie about the election. Republicans are no longer conned, they are no longer ignorant, they are simply stupid. William Buckley is spinning.
Texas tonight for Kristi, Florida tomorrow. I wonder if she took her poor, slow state turboprop, or if one of her pals sprung for a flight on a private jet. Surely the Governor would not deign to fly with us commoners on a commercial airline.
As your next Governor, I promise to get President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg to extend an Amtrak line to Sioux Falls and Rapid City and then conduct my far less frequent out-of-state travel by rail.
Well, we see from HB 1210 that South Dakota is now in the midst of a bioprocessing emergency, who would have thought.
“Section 4. Whereas, this Act is necessary for the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, and this Act shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval.” https://mylrc.sdlegislature.gov/api/Documents/215764.pdf
An emergency?
Cory’s anticipated and now emergency “cool bioproducts” twist does pave the linguistic pathway for the next big thing, however unsubstantiated it be at the current time and may forever be in reality, funding or not. (My hat is off to Cory for tempering his enthusiasm by his qualified use of the modal auxiliary “could” versus “would bring” or “will bring new business and profits to South Dakota.” “Counting chickens before they are hatched” to the tune of $20M would but come to mind otherwise).
Will the SD Senate exercise judgment and use explicit scientific and economic criteria to make their decision on this emergency and supposedly “scientific” bill and its supposed economic benefits? Or will they simply buy into the word of those who have a conflict-of-interest and who have the most to gain by having their particular bill funded? Quality science, where it exists, demands serious questioning and must stand up to it. Vague notions of “nothing ventured nothing gained” need not apply. The catchword “innovation” similarly needs as much scrutiny as it can get. Do legislators have access to the entire details of the “scientific” proposal driving this bill? If so, is it a rehash and resubmission of bioprocessing proposals previously funded by federal and other funds in South Dakota, essentially “old wine in new wineskins”? Has there been out-of-state or otherwise independent review to determine the economic feasibility and commercial viability of the anticipated “cool bioproducts” which don’t yet exist and may not materialize even in the event of funding?
Amtrak all the way!
I vote for a bullet train at least between Mitchell and Sioux Falls and Brookings.
Why do Rs feel they need to go out of state anyway?
Governments role in our lives is to serve us. To provide a FOR the common good.
Government is not a business and should not be run like a business. Noem wanting to run for Prez on our nickel, no way. There should always be a monthly report on every mile Gov travels. Legislature needs to provide oversight, and cut the purse strings if necessary.
I would add, the Common Good in capital letters.
Not the R-Insurrectionist dream of permanently suppressing the nonWhite and female and student vote. Not blaming people if they can’t afford $1000 a month health insurance premiums.
Last time, I checked Republicans were only 48% of all registered voters in SD.
A minority. Not a majority.
A good Governor will be able to really honor and expand the Common Good in all ways.
Trying to suppress wages, stop the Initiative and Referendum process, Limit Medicare is basically unconstitutional because it does not honor the common good.
Rs are basically a frat house club run by a minority party and running a one party state, not a government that listens to all the people.
None of the parties are a majority of voters.
We need to innovate More on the governmental level and the business-nonprofit level to bring services to the people and lower health care and college costs. It can be done!