A bill seeking to increase the number of video lottery machines allowed in a licensed establishment, SB 180, was heard in the South Dakota Senate Commerce and Energy Committee today. The bill was sponsored by Senators Lederman, Heineman (Phyllis), Jones (Tom), Kirkeby, and Maher, and Representatives Werner, Cronin, Peterson, Rounds, and Westra.

Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced S. 2024, the State Marriage Defense Act, to protect states which defend marriage from the recent spate of judicial activism seeking to force counterfeit marriage on the entire country.

South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard today released the results of an independent audit of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED). The audit was conducted by the Department of Legislative Audit, state government’s independent accounting agency that reports to the state Legislature, not the Executive Branch.

Last August, before a partial government shutdown occurred in the ill-fated attempt to defund Obamacare, House Republican leaders were reportedly urging their conference to just wait for the debt ceiling, that that would be the time to achieve some concessions. Apparently, what House leaders finally determined could be accomplished on the debt ceiling was in fact nothing.

According to a Rapid City Journal article, an elementary school just outside Rapid City in Blackhawk will lose $200,000 in federal funding next year. The money is for math and literacy programs, but it is tied to student participation in the free and reduced lunch program. Witness the incentive to grow federal largess.

On 02-12-2014 at 11:10 pm the suspect, Skye Burnham-Endicott, trespassed on the property where Tayloni and Layla’s mother was living and violently assaulted the mother at her home in Rapid City, SD. Following the assault, Skye took the children from their home. Skye has no custodial rights to the children and threatened to kill the children and made suicidal threats.

It can’t happen here. Government targeting and intimidation against political opponents is something found in North Korea or Iran, not in the United States of America. Tell that to conservative groups in the state of Wisconsin whose leaders have had their private homes raided by local police due to their attempts to support Gov. Scott Walker (R) during the labor unions’ failed attempt at recalling him from office.

Here’s what’s going on in the South Dakota Legislature today. We have several bills dealing with education funding. There is also a bill to supplant the controversial Common Core education standards. Another bill deals with eminent domain, expanding gambling in South Dakota, and more.

The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association might just be the brightest light that shines today for the cause of liberty and justice. They are a serious band of brothers who recognize that they have taken an oath before God and that oath does not obligate them to obey courts or agencies that operate outside of the Constitution. Rather, they are committed to following the Constitution which is the Supreme Law of the Land.

Anticipating a Senate attack on South Dakota’s voter-approved term limits law, U.S. Term Limits initiated a series of informative mailers to constituents of potential term limits foes in the South Dakota Senate this week.