Legislators recap session at Republican Women meeting

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HURON — The Beadle County Republican Women hosted District 22 Senator David Wheeler, as well as Representatives Roger Chase and Lynn Schneider Thursday at Ryan’s Hanger, to discuss the 2023 legislative session.

“We did some great things as a legislature this year, and I’m very proud of the work we did,” stated Rep. Chase.

“The House and Senate worked very well together this year,” Wheeler echoed. “The leadership on both sides were talking regularly. That really helped with the flow of business.”

Wheeler discussed the grant program for Career and Technical Education programs that he helped to sponsor and push forward during the session. He feels that this will help small schools to partner together and/or partner with larger schools to be able to afford the equipment needed to offer the programs needed.

Wheeler also noted the post-election audit bill that he was a co-sponsor for, stating that he worked with state auditors to draft and create a bill that added a post-election hand count audit in a way that did not hinder the work of election workers but also ensured voters in the state could be sure in the integrity of the state’s elections.

Schneider discussed the foreign ownership of agriculture land bill that did not get passed, and he noted that the agricultural groups in the state were all against the bill as it was written.

Schneider also explained that the DEX funding was approved, but it was a hard vote to get, due to multiple other projects in the state running into the exact same issue that the DEX has with escalating construction costs. He discussed “pitching” the bill on the floor to his fellow House members in order to get the two-thirds needed to pass a funding bill, like the DEX funding increase bill was.

Chase mentioned Senate Bill 41, the housing infrastructure loans and grants bill. He stated that he was pleased that this bill was able to get across the finish line quickly this year.

One of the questions asked of legislators regarded House Bill 1193, recently vetoed by the Governor. Sen. Wheeler explained that Governor Noem was mistaken in her interpretation of the bill. He explained that the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) does not change federal monetary policy nor does it create currency, which is something that has been rumored by opponents of the bill.

Wheeler explained that the UCC is simply code of business for handling all forms of currency that are accepted across the country. Rep. Chase explained that in his time in the legislature there had not been an update to the UCC, and there has been significant changes in the growth of digital currency, requiring updates to how digital currency would be recognized in commerce.

Wheeler said he is working with experts in UCC and the financial field to put together educational seminars for legislators ahead of the 40th day in order to potentially override Gov. Noem’s veto.

At this time, Chase and Wheeler both voiced their intent to vote to override the veto.

The next meeting for Beadle County Republican Women is April 20.