Governor Kristi Noem wants lawmakers to consider nine bills to help the state respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Legislators will have to suspend the rules to consider the bills on Monday—that veto day is typically reserved to consider overriding gubernatorial vetoes.
Governor Noem has proposed a range of bills. One waives required instruction hours for students - and cancels this year’s state tests.
Two bills give the Department of Health the authority to impose quarantines—restrict public gatherings and impose legal consequences for violators.
Another proposal allows local governments to delay April and May elections and combine those with a delayed primary in July.
Noem says the state has seen huge changes since lawmakers gaveled out on March 12th.
“Every single one of the bills that we’re bringing has an emergency clause on it,” Noem says. “That means as soon as they pass them and sign them into law they will be enacted. They’re all also temporary.”
The governor plans to sign both the fiscal year 2020 and 2021 budget bills. The 2021 budget was set on optimistic revenue projections and gives a two percent increase to state employees, education and Medicaid providers. As a result, there could be budget reductions for both fiscal years.
Democratic State Senator Reynold Nesiba teaches economics at Augustana University and sits on the budgeting committee. He says the state’s response depends on two factors. How long the economic drop lasts and how long the federal government supports states.
“We’re going to have to make some decisions on Monday, on Veto Day. Then, I’m fairly certain we’re going to have to come back for a special session in May or June to resolve some additional issues,” Nesiba says.
Lawmakers convene electronically on Monday to consider Noem’s bills and the several vetoes she’s issued.