Weekly Recap - Week 2
Week two of the session is in the books. Bills are starting to get introduced and making their way to committees for hearings. As I write this, the House has had 72 Bills introduced and 86 introduced in the Senate. Right now, the Senate is in the lead, but by February 4th (which is the deadline for bill introduction), the House should have more bills introduced than the Senate. I am the prime sponsor of two bills so far HB 1050 and SB 92.
HB 1050 would modify certain publishing requirements in official newspapers. HB 1050 would require newspapers to publish public notices on a statewide website; if the newspaper has a website, it must be accessible and free to the public, and the bill sets a new rate per column inch with a yearly rate increase of two percent or the index factor as defined in state statute 10-13-38. HB 1050 has passed its House committee hearing and will be heard on the House floor this week. The House prime sponsor is Representative Tim Reed of Brookings.
SB 92 is an Act to require that certain proposed rules include an affordable housing impact statement. SB 92 would require an agency, when submitting any proposed rule that will directly impact the cost of single-family housing or multi-family housing, to prepare an affordable housing impact statement that includes five different criteria. SB 92 is a direct result of agencies instilling new rules and regulations over the last couple of years that have driven up housing costs without showing good cause or that there is a need because of life safety measures. SB 92’s prime sponsor in the House is Representative Greg Jamison of Sioux Falls.
This week will bring a flurry of bills being introduced, committees will have full agendas, and we will continue to work our way through budget proposals. I am working on a bill pertaining to funding Fire Departments and hope to get it introduced yet this week. If you have any questions or comments, please send them to herman.otten@sdlegislature.gov