Representative Rebecca Reimer (R-26B/Chamberlain) updated her constituents via Facebook Saturday morning about all the big doings in Pierre during the Legislature’s only five-day workweek of the 2022 Session:
With the first week of February done, the session continues to push on, and legislators continue to work through bills.
Last week I talked about SB 46 being heard in committee earlier in the week and on the house floor on Thursday. The bill was deferred for two more days and was heard at the beginning of this week on Tuesday. The bill was passed and sent to the Governor’s desk for signing, protecting fairness in women’s sports. Governor Noem signed this bill on Thursday. Throughout this 5-day week, we hit many deadlines pushing us forward in the session. HB 1048 was heard on Tuesday in the House Ag and Natural Resource Committee. This bill was brought forth by the Appropriations Committee at the request of Game, Fish, and Parks. This bill would make an appropriation to GFP to expand Custer State Park with new camping sites. With many concerns from constituents, the bill was deferred to the 41st day, killing it. Concerns expressed with this bill included disrupting wildlife, high cost, and government competing with small private businesses. HB 1005 was passed through House State Affairs and the House floor; it will be heard in Senate Judiciary on February 8th. HB 1005 will require school administrators to designate any multi-occupancy shower, changing, or restroom in public schools, for use only by members of the same sex. This bill passed on the house floor with 38 yeas and 29 nays.
On Tuesday, we had a special treat from the Department of Tourism. Sara Carlson, the Art Program Specialist, and Wanda Goodman, the Deputy Secretary, both from the Department of tourism, sang the national anthem to kick off the session. On Thursday night, we had the privilege to attend the 2022 military ball. The ball was a great event with a parade of service flags, dinner, awards, and an address from the Governor. We honored those who served, dedicated time and put forth bravery so we can keep our freedoms.
We welcomed Senator Rounds back to the Capitol to get an update on what is happening in DC and what he’s been hearing as he tours the state [Rep. Rebecca Reimer, FB post, 2022.02.05].
Funny, that use of “we”. According to House Journal and the minutes of Reimer’s two committees, House State Affairs and House Judiciary, Representative Reimer was absent from the Capitol every day last week. She wasn’t present for the House State Affairs hearing or the House floor debate on HB 1005, Rep. Fred Deutsch’s latest potty-panic bill (mercifully killed in Senate Judiciary this week). She wasn’t there for last Tuesday’s Tourism anthem treat. She wasn’t in the Legislature Thursday, so it seems unlikely she was in Pierre that night for the privilege of attending the National Guard’s “Dining-Out” event. And if Mike Rounds was at the Capitol last week, Reimer wasn’t there to get his update.
A lot of legislators have been out with coronavirus this session, either participating remotely or completely out of commission. I don’t know if (and certainly do not hope that) Representative Reimer was sick, but her Saturday update seems to misrepresent her whereabouts during Week 4 of the Legislature, during which Reimer attended not one Legislative meeting and cast not one Legislative vote.
Um, sick or not, usually some or all of those legislative updates that legislators hand out are written by party flunkies or interns. The leadership give them points to make. I’m sure someone is covering this for her.
You don’t need to hope she’s sick. The sickness is obvious.
And for sure, being paid for it, also. Excellent grifting, Republican-style.
Legislatin’ Hawaiian style.
Chamberlain’s not far from Pierre, maybe she was seeing a Pierre, while on the Pier. He could have been a Peer or maybe she doesn’t want to be peered at?
Sounds like the Rebecca I remember.
Representative Linda Duba says Rep. Reimer was in Hawaii and was talking about the food there.
I hope we weren’t paying the Legislative per diem for that food.
And what, Hawaii doesn’t have internet? Reimer could still have participated remotely, as other members in far worse shape with covid have done.
What kind of representative deliberately plans a week vacation in Hawaii right in the middle of a legislative session that was KNOWN for over a century in advance??? Is she on vacation from her “regular job” as well, and getting paid twice to frolic in the sun and surf??
Richard, not one who truly represents her constituents during the very short Legislative Session. Legislators just need to accept that, for the brief nine weeks that the Legislature is in Session, their other activities should be on hold.
Even if Reimer can come up with a really good excuse for being gone for a week, there’s no excuse for her not to be able to participate remotely. We can do it for covid; we can certainly do it for trips to Hawaii.
Well…one thing’s for sure, taking a week off from legislative duties for a vacation in sunnier climes requires nearly unlimited arrogance.