HURON — So far, “Not a lot yet finished,” was the theme to the first coffee with the legislators session, held Saturday morning at city hall.
Representatives Roger Chase and Bob Glanzer along with Senator Jim White were joined by moderator Michael Held to discuss the first two weeks of legislative session in Pierre and answer any questions from those in attendance.
Each legislator opened with some time to discuss what he has been working on in Pierre. Representative Chase was first to go, explaining that his first two weeks have been unusual in attendance due to the death of his mother, but that he’s been pleased with what he’s seen in his time in Pierre thus far.
Chase explained that work in Pierre is not like what many are seeing about the work in Washington, D.C. “If you watch watch cable television, it gives you a different perspective of how government works. Come to Pierre and see how we work together,” stated Chase.
One example of this, in Chase’s eyes, is the bipartisan work being done to implement a new paperless bill system in both chambers of the legislature.
Introducing the new technology is something that is taking time for many in both houses to get used to, and no one is worrying about the letter behind the name as they help one another learn the system.

Representative Glanzer was the second to discuss his first two weeks in Pierre. He stated that while there haven’t been a vast number of bills dropped so far from the ag or education committees, as there have been more presentations to those committees initially to shape future bills. He took time to praise Huron schools Superintendent Terry Nebelsick for his presentation to the education committee, one Glanzer felt was very informative and also generated significant interest in questions from committee members.
Senator White reiterated Representative Chase’s mention of the difference in how systems are different in Pierre. “As we start things this year, I don’t think there are Republicans or Democrats,” said White. “We’re just working together to tackle tough decisions we know are coming.”
Senator White discussed the work in the appropriations and retirement fund committees while Representative Chase discussed the bills that he is intending to carry, including one bill that would increase the cost of a 5-year driver’s license from $28 to $30 with the revenue generated going to public transit systems in rural towns, including People’s Transit in Huron.
Representative Glanzer presented two major areas he is seeing in committee work in vaping and industrial hemp. He reports that the national change to tobacco products changing to 21 allows South Dakota to follow those laws and even go beyond them in protecting young people when it comes to vaping.
Rep. Glanzer spent time this summer on committee to review the industrial hemp industry. He was initially one who supported the governor’s veto last session, but he found himself convinced that industrial hemp could be a positive for the state within limits.
The first question of the legislators was presented by one of the Boy Scouts in attendance who asked, “What is a bill?”
Representative Chase took the question and explained that bills are ideas. He then explained how that idea would become a law, from idea all the way through the process.
The legislators were asked about legislation in process regarding identifying persons on the spectrum of autism on their identification card. Representative Glanzer answered the question as he was most familiar with it, and he stated that the self-reporting would be voluntary and is meant to assist officers who would potentially be working with someone on the spectrum in a moment that would typically induce stress and generated an atypical response from the person involved.
All three legislators mentioned that appropriations have been a very important part of each day, with a morning update each day from appropriations. The main concern is not specifically revenue in 2020 but in 2021 and beyond when multiple taxes will be significantly reduced due to age hike in tobacco and the internet usage tax ending. This will lead to multiple funding options reviewed as well as tax exemptions being reviewed as well to generate income for the state.
Each legislator encouraged public to contact them with concerns to be discussed at the legislature and that they enjoy interacting with constituents. Contact information for each District 22 legislator can be found on Page 4 of the Plainsman.
The next coffee with the legislators is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 8 at city hall.