First – the quick thumb-nail snap reactions to some of the recent events up at Pierre:
Lawmaker says seat belt change means federal money
South Dakota could collect more than $5 million in federal money by passing a primary seat belt law, a state lawmaker says. Rep. Rich Engels, D-Hartford, testified on Wednesday for SB79. The House Judiciary Committee will take more testimony on the measure Monday.
“One of the primary reasons for making the change now is there is a federal law allowing us to receive $5.2 million, and that federal law expires July 1,” Engels told the committee. “When there’s federal money available, it always seems to prompt us to do something.”
Congress has that old Pavlov thing down pat…rustle some dollar bills, and the compliant legislators salivate, wag their tails, and roll over on command. Engles as much as admits that the only reason for doing this now is the federal bribery contribution.
The Chief knows that seatbelts are the smart thing to do…but hey, it’s not the role of the federal government to save everyone from their own unsafe behavior. If it was, then skiing, sky-diving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, motorcycle riding, or for that matter working on an Alaskan crab-fishing boat to name just a few examples, should all be banned as being criminally dangerous acts, as Engels wants to do for having the defiant and rebellious attitude of not wearing a seat belt.
House resurrects, passes license plate tax increase
On the final day that legislative bills could pass their house of origin, the South Dakota House resurrected, amended and passed a bill that would raise the cost of vehicle license plates. The bill, HB1007, needed a two-thirds majority. It failed by three votes on Monday but was reconsidered Tuesday night and passed 57-12 after an amendment raised license plate fees even more than the levels that emerged from the House Transportation Committee.
Hmmmm. This sort of makes it sound like it was initially rejected at a lower level, and later passed at a higher level. This increase may be justifiable on rational grounds…but just once, the Chief would like to see the legislooture cutback instead of instinctively going for more money to solve every situation. That’s what I have to do at home when money is tight. Why not the state?
Senate passes preschool planning bill
South Dakota should develop eligibility guidelines for preschool and find out how many children might participate in a program, the state Senate says. The Senate voted 20-15 on Tuesday to pass SB191, which would authorize the state Board of Education to develop eligibility guidelines for a state-supported pre-kindergarten. It would also give interested communities a way to develop a local plan that eventually might be funded by the Legislature.
Supporters of the bill say preschool is essential to help children from lower-income families reach kindergarten with age-appropriate learning skills. The bill would target 4-year-olds from families whose income is no more than 130 percent of the federal poverty level.
Opponents say the community planning process and the state eligibility guidelines would put South Dakota on a path toward mandatory preschool for all youngsters.
You just HAVE to know that in the future it will go mandatory! Government knows no other way.