As the 88th Legislative Session nears its end, Governor Dennis Daugaard is busy signing bills into law. Daugaard honored veterans Wednesday morning with a signing ceremony as he finalized some veterans’ affairs bills. SDPB’s Cassie Bartlett reports.
About 40 veterans joined Governor Daugaard as he commemorated seven bills dealing with active and veteran military personnel. Three of the seven bills create working holidays to honor vets. Designated by Senate Bill 83, March 30th is Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. House Bill 1067 designates POW/MIA Recognition Day as the third Friday in September. And under House Bill 1084, August 7th is Purple Heart Recognition Day.
Governor Daugaard also signed House Bill 1180, which allows military veterans to receive credit for certain military training and experience to count toward licensing of certain fields. Senate Bill 117 allows spouses of active military members to expedite endorsement of licenses and certificates when they move military bases. Senate Bill 27 appropriates money to build a new veteran’s facility in Hot Springs, and House Bill 1118 revises provisions dealing with special license plates for disabled veterans. For South Dakota Public Broadcasting, I’m Cassie Bartlett in Pierre.