Daylight seen in education, capital punishment, roads, guns

Betty Olson: global warming is "mythical."

More and more South Dakota teachers are lacking sufficient credentials.

Jason Frehrichs, the only Democrat on the dais at Saturday's legislative forum in Aberdeen told the 120 people assembled that if passed SB181 would tap nearly $4 million from the state’s general fund in an effort to freeze college and technical school tuition for in-state students.

From the Aberdeen American News:

“This bill comes from a Republican, so it’s not a partisan issue,” said Frerichs, the lone Democrat on the panel and a District 1 Senator. “This would be a $4 million investment and we can point to a number of examples that either will or will not be funded. The question is about what will be a priority and whether we can look for ways to keep there from being more of a burden placed on (students’) backs.”

On the topic of capital punishment during Saturday’s gathering at Northern State University, one Republican on the panel gave the idea some daylight.

“I was in the House last year when we debated this issue and it impacted me in a way that I didn’t think it would,” said District 3 Sen. David Novstrup of Aberdeen. "I don’t know what I’ll do this year.”

Read the report from Bryan Horwath linked here.

Thanks to @jasonfrerichs for bringing balance to @Business_AAN cracker barrel this morning.
— Susan Wismer (@SusanWismer) February 7, 2015

More on the debate about capital punishment linked here.

John Hult of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported on another East River legislative coffee.

Dakota Rural Action, which organized the rally Saturday, says the state is pushing for the wrong kind of development and trying to push local landowners out of the decision-making process.

Jonathan Ellis waxes philosophical about whether South Dakota's GOP governor even has the will or the mettle to govern.

West River, the Butte County Post reports that District 28 remains solidly Republican.

"The 900-pound gorilla in the legislature this year is highway funding," Rep. Gary Cammack said as District 28 and 29 legislators spoke to Butte County constituents of their districts. Cammack said, "It's 99 percent sure that we are going to end jup with additional funding for highways." Retired Belle Fourche clergyman Gail Arnold pressed the legislators on expanding Medicaid funding as promoted by the state's Democrat party, and to increase minimum wages further. Wink said he can't support the Medicaid expansion to single adults because he doesn't trust the federal government to continue its funding of the program. [Milo Daily]

Guns dominated the District 29 crackerbarrel.

At the District 31 crackerbarrel education was the focus of discussion Saturday morning at the first of three legislative fora in Spearfish. Many topics were brought up but reoccurring issues were education and wages.