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 a multi-pronged approach. First, conduct a regulatory review to eliminate rules that raise costs without clear safety benefits. Second, increase supply by incentivizing starter homes, smaller lots, and diverse housing types. Third, ensure families aren’t crowded out by large investors in the single-family market. Fourth, improve data to identify cost drivers and delays. Finally, focus any assistance on boosting new construction, not just demand, so we expand supply and keep homes attainable for working families.
State government should ensure every student has access to a quality education by funding schools fairly, investing in early learning, supporting teachers, maintaining strong standards, and creating affordable pathways from pre-K through college or career training.
South Dakota’s initiative and referendum process is a storied part of our history and an important check on government. I support keeping it strong, but balanced. It should remain a tool for South Dakotans, not out-of-state money or special interests. Because of this I support stronger transparency on funding. I also believe constitutional amendments should face a higher bar than regular laws. At the same time, I’m cautious about adding new restrictions that make it harder for citizens to get measures on the ballot.
I support secure elections and full access for every eligible voter. With new laws like SB 175 in effect, auditors need to be prepared, and eligible voters should not confused or turned away. South Dakota already has voter ID, accurate rolls, and post-election audits. The focus should be enforcing the law, verifying results, and keeping voting straightforward for lawful voters. Election integrity and voter access go together, and we should insist on both
I support a careful, data-driven review of child care regulations, but we should not cut regulations haphazardly. Regulations that truly protect kids’ health and safety must stay. At the same time, we should identify and remove unnecessary red tape that drives up costs without improving outcomes. The bigger issue appears to be workforce shortages and low pay for providers, which limit supply and raise prices. The state should look for ways to expand access to quality child care and make sure any reforms are based on facts, not assumptions.
South Dakota’s biggest challenges are affordability, mainly in housing and childcare, and sustaining growth smart growth.
