Description: The South Dakota State Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of South Dakota. It is a bicameral legislative body, consisting of the Senate which has 35 members, and the House of Representatives, which has 70 members. The two houses are similar in most respects; the Senate alone holds the right to confirm gubernatorial appointments to certain offices. The Legislature meets at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre. It begins its annual session of the second Tuesday of January each year. The legislative session lasts 40 working days in odd-numbered years, and 35 days working days in even numbered years.Term: 4 consecutive 2 year termsSalary: $16,348/year + $178/day for legislators who reside more than 50 miles away from the capitolRequirements for Office: 21 years old; 2 years residency; qualified voter; may not have been convicted of bribery, perjury or other infamous crime; may not have illegally taken "public moneys".Petition Requirements: Depends on party and legislative district. See SD Secretary of State's website for details.
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Affordable housing requires more homes that people can afford and more stability for families. It requires us to partner closely with the South Dakota Housing Development Authority.
State government can help by:
- Cutting red tape so the Housing Investment Fund (HIF) can be used for more water, sewer, and road projects that unlock new housing
- Tying state incentives to workforce housing production, with clear accountability
- Investing in supportive housing and treatment capacity to tackle homelessness through the Housing Opportunity Fund (HOF)
- Supporting and strengthening down payment assistance programs
- Delivering robust technical support to communities to update zoning and permitting, as well as affordable housing models
Equitable, quality education starts with adequate state-level funding. Local communities overwhelmingly support their schools but are feeling pinched by a state government not doing its part.
It's why I fight this fight every day in Appropriations. This problem can be solved.
That's why I support:
- Investing in teacher pay, training, and retention
- Updating and funding the K-12 formula so it reflects real costs, including higher-need students, across the range of school sizes
- Updating the special education formula to avoid surprises in school budgets
- Fund real pathways to pre-K and early education
- Keeping higher education and workforce pathways affordable
- Protecting public dollars with clear accountability for outcomes
Initiative and referendum are important tools for citizens to set policy when the Legislature does not act. At a time when my fellow legislators have increasingly taken aim at direct democracy, I've worked to protect your voice time and again.
I support improvements that increase clarity, transparency, and integrity, such as:
- Clear, accurate ballot titles and explanations
- Transparent reporting of funding sources and major donor
- Practical rules that allow regular South Dakotans to qualify for measures, not only large, well-financed campaigns
- Secure signature verification and consistent statewide administration
I oppose any changes whose main effect is to make citizen-led measures harder to place on the ballot.
We have strong laws preventing fraud in our elections, both here in South Dakota and nationwide. That's why my standard is ensuring it is easy for eligible voters to vote and impossible for cheaters to cheat.
I will watch for:
- Whether any new requirements create barriers for seniors, students, rural voters, new Americans, or voters with disabilities
- Delayed access to required documents, including cost, travel, and processing time
- Inconsistent treatment of absentee and in-person voters
- Reductions in accessibility for polling places and language services
To protect integrity, I support strong poll worker training, secure chain of custody, post-election audits, and adequate resources for county auditors to do their work effectively.
Childcare is essential for families and for a strong workforce. I was proud to support legislation in my first term that brought innovative approaches to support affordable childcare.
That's because state government can and should be a partner with providers statewide to address one of the most critical issues facing our state.
State government can help by:
- Securing a sustainable funding plan for out-of-school and afterschool care services
- Supporting training and retention for the childcare workforce
- Expanding capacity, especially infant care and rural access, through grants or low-interest financing for facilities and quality improvements
- Partnering with employers and communities where shortages are limiting growth
The biggest challenges facing our state are affordability and opportunity. We cannot take our focus off building a state that benefits every generation living in our state and seeking to make it as affordable as possible to build a life here.
It's why I'm focused on a number of key challenges:
- Housing costs and the supply of workforce housing
- Childcare availability and cost
- Healthcare access and affordability in every zip code
- Education funding and staffing pressures, plus workforce training pathways
- Mental health and substance use treatment capacity
At the same time, I seek to build a government of integrity through transparent budgeting, respect for voters, and a mind toward long-term stewardship of the state's resources.
