Tuesday was a notable day concerning the Legislatures in South Dakota and Iowa getting underway, as the governors of the two states delivered their state of the state addresses.
The South Dakota address had heightened import, as Governor Kristi Noem used her final State of the State address as a top-ten highlight reel for her accomplishments as governor during the last six years.
Toward the end of her speech, Noem said goodbye, but that South Dakota would always be home.
"I will continue to focus on making our people safer, stronger, and freer," Noem said. "To the people of South Dakota: thank you for the incredible honor of serving you as state representative, as congresswoman, and now as governor. Thank you for trusting me and for working with me to accomplish incredible things."
Noem also used the speech to reiterate her push for Education Savings Accounts, or school vouchers.
“These Education Savings Accounts will support all South Dakota students. We will provide families greater opportunities to choose the best fit for their child’s education. And we won’t impact the funding that goes to our great public schools," Noem said.
Many education groups are skeptical of promises that the proposal will not affect public school funding. So are state Democrats.
Erin Healy is the House minority leader and she said Democrats won’t support the idea.
Healy said, “Any money that is utilized is going to take away from the general fund. I do believe that it’s going to separate the haves from the have nots and that’s just not something that we need here in our state.”
Despite Noem likely heading to Washington D.C. to lead the federal Department of Homeland Security. Noem’s confirmation hearing was originally scheduled for Wednesday morning. It has since been moved to Friday morning.
*In Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds in the condition of the state speech on Tuesday asked lawmakers to restrict cell phones in classrooms and says she’ll ask for federal permission to establish Medicaid work requirements.
Reynolds also is requesting nearly $14 million be set aside from state emergency funds for disaster aid across Iowa. She also wants money to delve into addressing the high rates of cancer in Iowa.
The Legislature gaveled into session on Monday for about the next three months.
Concerning the disaster aid, Reynolds proposes $12 million go towards repairing disaster-affected homes and another $2 million for demolishing and repairing hazardous properties.
The bill also proposes changing how emergency funds are transferred, so the state can respond more quickly to disasters. The bill would also add more oversight in the insurance claims process and provide tax exemptions for developers building homes in disaster-affected areas.
In regards to the schools measure, is pitching a bill to ban cell phone use during instructional time in schools. Schools can adopt more restrictive policies under the proposed bill, but must maintain a minimum ban on use during instructional time.
The governor is also proposing schools adopt an “effects of social media” training for 6th through 8th graders across the state.
*In other news, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has now affirmed its decision from November to add seven river segments to Iowa’s impaired waters list.
The agency said nitrate levels in sections of the Cedar, Des Moines, Iowa, Raccoon and South Skunk rivers exceeded safe drinking water limits.
Over 70 residents, nonprofits and water utilities, including Central Iowa Water Works, submitted public comments in support of the EPA’s action.
In opposition were the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Fertilizer Institute and Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
IDNR director Kayla Lyon said in a letter the state agency agrees nitrate is a harmful pollutant, but that the EPA violated federal law by holding Iowa to a standard it does not enforce elsewhere.
Every two years, the EPA requires states to submit a surface water quality report and a list of every impaired waterbody or segment.
The state works with the EPA to set pollution reduction targets and create restoration plans for each impaired water.
*Also concerning regulation, the U.S. Department of Transportation is proposing new requirements for carbon dioxide and hazardous liquid pipelines.
The 350-page document includes more robust requirements for modeling how CO2 would spread in the event of a pipeline rupture, along with new rules for emergency communication.
Summit Carbon Solutions, which plans to build a multi-state carbon dioxide pipeline, said in a statement that the “new measures will provide clear standards for project developers.” The company says it will follow the new rules.
The Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club said in a press release that they’re evaluating the draft rules. They want to make sure the rules would apply to Summitand would clarify whether local officials have authority over the pipeline’s distance from homes and other structures.
The DOT will open a 60-day public comment period on the proposed regulations.
