The South Dakota Legislature will meet for a special session today (October 5, 2020) to consider legislation related to the use of federal stimulus relief funds, including the $1.25 billion allocated to the state in Coronavirus Relief Funds.
District 24 Representative Mary Duvall of Pierre says Governor Kristi Noem was very specific as to what can be discussed at today’s session.
Five of the legislature’s policy committees gathered public input as to how the federal dollars should be spent, but Duvall says some of the suggestions didn’t meet US Treasury guidelines for how the money can be spent.
Duvall says the resolution legislators come up with is a recommendation to the Governor, not a mandate.
The South Dakota House of Representatives gavels in at 10am CT with Gov. Noem set to address a joint session of the legislature from the House chamber around 10:30am.
Today’s special session has a unique dynamic in that some of the legislators participating lost primary races in June so won’t be returning in January while other legislators who are on the Nov. 3 ballot may see the session as a chance to bolster their reelection campaigns.
Anyone wanting to watch the special session may do so by going to the Legislative Research Council’s website or the SD Public Broadcasting website.
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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