Democratic Leaders Column – Week 1
PIERRE, SD (January 15, 2021) – Greetings from Pierre, where the first week of the 2021 legislative session is behind us and we are looking ahead to the work Democrats want to get done for the people of South Dakota. As we start this session, COVID is a real concern, and we’re doing our best to accommodate our caucus members while encouraging others to follow CDC guidelines. All but one of our caucus members are attending session in person. Rep. Oren Lesmeister, who serves as the Assistant Minority Leader in the House is absent due to COVID. His quarantine ends Monday, and we’re looking forward to having him back next week.
“We’re taking the safety of our representatives very seriously,” says House Minority Leader Jamie Smith. “We want to do what’s best for our people, for our fellow legislators, and for the staff and personnel here at the capitol. That means we are wearing masks at all times, respecting space, and using the protocols put in place. Not all of our colleagues here are observing these measures, so we have to do the best we can to lead by example and model best practices to reduce the spread.”
“Mitigating the effects of COVID across the state is a top priority for Democrats right now,” says Senate Minority Leader Troy Heinert. “Making sure our teachers and schools are safe, our businesses and economy are strong, and that our families and communities are taken care of is at the top of our minds. Educators in our state have gone above and beyond for our kids under impossible conditions, and we need to support them as much as we can. Our work here will focus on finding the resources needed for testing, tracing, vaccinations, and help for those whose lives and livelihoods have been adversely impacted. Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of people in our state.”
This week included the State of the State Address from Governor Noem, the State of the Judiciary from Chief Justice Steven Jensen, and the State of the Tribes from Chairman Mike Faith of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. These annual addresses are an opportunity for legislators, leaders, and all of us to hear directly from our Governor, our Judiciary, and our tribes, and to learn what their goals, accomplishments, and needs are for the future of our state.
“The Governor had a lot of positive news about our state’s economy during the pandemic,” said Smith. “But we hear from our constituents that they’re still struggling to access the grants and programs intended to help them, and we want to solve that issue. We were disappointed that there was no recognition of the lives lost to COVID. We also heard that we need to be better compensating our State’s Attorneys to attract and retain talent in our judicial system, and we look forward to that conversation. We heard that our tribes are focused on keeping their families safe and on reaching out to all South Dakotans to find common ground where can work together to do more. That’s a great message.”
“As our country and our state move forward, we encourage all South Dakotans to be good neighbors, to respect each other, and to reach out to your community leaders to let them know how they can help,” says Heinert. “We have to get this pandemic under control, and we have to do it together.”
Democrats are here to work for the people, to work for you. Our plan for the 2021 legislative session is to find common sense solutions to solve real problems for all South Dakotans. After the events at our nation’s Capitol last week, it’s imperative that we prioritize safety in Pierre as well. We are confident in the ability of our Law Enforcement officers here to keep all of us safe.
We want to hear from you! Please contact us to share your questions or concerns about the current session. Our caucus meetings have always been open to the public, but we are observing COVID mitigation practices in place in the Capitol. If you are visiting, plan to allow extra time for screening at the entrance and wear a mask to keep you and others safe. Your voice matters to us, and we believe that together, we can create a South Dakota that works for all of us.
Representative Jamie Smith, Jamie.Smith@sdlegislature.gov
Senator Troy Heinert, Troy.Heinert@sdlegislature.gov
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