The legislature will meet for a special session today (October 5, 2020) with the purpose of considering legislation related to the use of federal stimulus relief funds, including the $1.25 billion allocated to South Dakota in Coronavirus Relief Funds.
Governor Kristi Noem will address a joint session of the legislature from the chamber of the House of Representatives at 10am. The session is scheduled to run until midnight, if needed.
Noem says South Dakota has used its federal CRF funds as intended– to cover costs related to COVID-19. She says we all have a shared mission– to make South Dakota stronger, safer and healthier– and she looks forward to hearing the legislature’s recommendations of how we can accomplish that while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.
Barring an extension, South Dakota has until December 30, 2020, to spend all CRF dollars. Some of the funds have already been allocated including:
- $200 million for city and county government operations,
- more than $100 million for the Re-employment Insurance Fund,
- nearly $100 million for state public safety and public health officials,
- $75 million for K-12 schools,
- and more than $20 million for universities and technical colleges.
Governor Noem also has proposed to spend up to $400 million in small business grants and up to $100 million in grants to community-based healthcare providers.
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