There’s going to be a lot of new republican faces in South Dakota’s State Capitol building when the 2025 legislative session begins, as Tuesday’s (June 4, 2024) primary election saw many veteran legislators lose to first time candidates. Additionally, some long-time legislators were term limited or chose not to seek reelection.
District 24 Representative and House Majority Leader Will Mortenson of Fort Pierre says nearly every year there are new members who need to learn how the lawmaking process works.
Mortenson was one of the architects of a trio of “linear project” related bills passed this year– including SB201– that have become known as the “Landowner Bill of Rights.” The bills sought to bring compromise between land owners and developers, in this case the developer being a company wanting to build a pipeline to transport captured carbon from ethanol plants to storage underground in North Dakota. Opponents of the bills are gathering signatures in an effort to put the issue on the November General Election ballot.
Several of the veteran lawmakers who lost their reelection campaign on Tuesday supported the passage of SB201. Despite that, Mortenson thinks there’s still legislative support for it.
Mortenson thinks the low, 17% voter turn-out statewide also factored into the legislative races.
A number of agriculture groups also expressed support for the “Landowner Bill of Rights,” signed into law by Governor Kristi Noem on March 7, 2024. Those include the South Dakota Farm Bureau, the South Dakota Corn Growers Association, the South Dakota Soybean Association and the South Dakota Trade Alliance.
Mortenson, fellow District 24 Representative Mike Weisgram of Fort Pierre and District 24 Senator Jim Mehlhaff of Pierre did not have challengers for the primary election. Because they also have no opposition on the ballot in November, all three will spend another two years in office.
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