The State Senate Local Government Committee quickly advanced a bill to lessen work of county commissions today (Wednesday). Members approved a measure that would no longer require separate publication of payments that go to help indigent people. Roger Tellinghusen of the South Dakota Assocation of County Officials testified on behalf of his organization.
Tellinghusen explains, "They already publish the minutes of county commissioner meetings—those are required to be published in a full and complete manner. That provides a list of all the bills that are paid, and to whom they’re paid and for what purpose. And as we know, our current law provides that we not publish the names of recipients of poor relief. But still we have this statute that we publish separately the names of the payees. For instance, if a hospital is paid a bill incurred as a result of care to an indigent person, the name of the hospital, the amount would show up as poor relief."
No one opposed the bill, which passed on a unanimous consent.