South Dakota State Legislature

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The South Dakota State Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of South Dakota. It is a bicameral legislative body, consisting of the Senate, which has 35 members, and the House of Representatives, which has 70 members. The two houses are similar in most respects; the Senate alone holds the right to confirm gubernatorial appointments to certain offices. In addition, the Senate votes by roll call vote, whereas the larger house uses an electronic voting system.

The Legislature meets at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre. It begins its annual session of the second Tuesday of January each year. The legislative session lasts 40 working days in odd-numbered years, and 35 days working days in even numbered years. Generally, the legislature meets every business day until the session ends, excepting on last day which is delayed to allow for consideration of gubernatorial vetoes. In addition, the legislature occasionally meets on Saturdays to make-up for recesses on holidays such as Presidents' Day and Martin Luther King Day.

The legislature selects, from its membership, an Executive Board to tend to administrative matters during the time when the legislature is not in session. The administrative support for the legislature is provided by the Legislative Research Council.

Contents 1 Selection of state legislators 2 Senate 2.1 Membership 3 House of Representatives 3.1 Membership 4 See also 5 External links

[edit] Selection of state legislators

Members of both houses of the state legislature are elected in November of every even-numbered year to serve a two-year term. Since 1992, legislators have been limited to serving four consecutive terms in a single house. Vacancies in the legislature are filled by gubernatorial appointment.

State legislators are elected from 35 legislative districts; each district elects one senator and two representatives. In 34 districts, representatives are elected at-large from the entire district. District 28, however, is divided into two house districts, each of which elects one representative. This is meant to ensure greater representation of Native Americans in the legislature.

Legislative districts are redrawn every ten years, following the United States Census. The districts currently in effect were adopted by the legislature in 2001. Each district encompasses approximately 21,500 people.

As a result of a 2005 court order, several legislative districts in the southwest corner of the state were redrawn for the 2006 elections. District 26 was split into two single-member house districts, much like District 28. The state appealed the District Court decision that resulted in these changes, but the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court's ruling. The legislature decided not to appeal the decision.

[edit] Senate

The Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota State Legislature. It is made up of 35 members, one representing each legislative district. The President of the Senate is the Lt. Governor, currently Republican Dennis Daugaard. The president only votes in the case of a tie.

The senate elects one member to serve as President pro tempore; this officer presides in the absence of the president, appoints committees, and assigns legislation to committee. The current President pro tem is Senator Bob Gray, a Republican from Pierre.

At present, the Senate has 20 Republicans and 15 Democrats. Each party selects a floor leader. The current majority leader is David Knudson, a Republican from Sioux Falls; the minority leader is Scott Heidepriem, a Democrat who is also from Sioux Falls. In addition, each party also selects a number of whips, who assist the floor leader in leading their respective caucuses.

[edit] Membership

District	Senator	Party	Home
1	Gary D. Hanson	Democrat	Sisseton
2	Jim Hundstad	Democrat	Bath
3	Alan Hoerth	Democrat	Aberdeen
4	James R. Peterson	Democrat	Revillo
5	Nancy Turbak	Democrat	Watertown
6	Brock Greenfield	Republican	Clark
7	Orville Smidt	Republican	Brookings
8	Dan Sutton	Democrat	Flandreau
9	Thomas A. Dempster	Republican	Sioux Falls
10	Gene Abdallah	Republican	Sioux Falls
11	Jason Gant	Republican	Sioux Falls
12	Sandy Jerstad	Democrat	Sioux Falls
13	Scott Heidepriem	Democrat	Sioux Falls
14	David L. Knudson	Republican	Sioux Falls
15	Gil Koetzle	Democrat	Sioux Falls
16	Kenneth Albers	Republican	Canton
17	Ben Nesselhuf	Democrat	Vermillion
18	Jean Hunhoff	Republican	Yankton
19	Frank Kloucek	Democrat	Scotland
20	Ed Olson	Republican	Mitchell
21	Cooper Garnos	Republican	Presho
22	Tom Hansen	Republican	Huron
23	Jay Duenwald	Republican	Hoven
24	Bob Gray	Republican	Fort Pierre
25	Arnie Hauge	Republican	Canistota
26	Julie Bartling	Democrat	Burke
27	Theresa Two Bulls	Democrat	Pine Ridge
28	Ryan Maher	Democrat	Isabel
29	Kenneth McNenny	Republican	Sturgis
30	Jim Lintz	Republican	Hermosa
31	Jerry Apa	Republican	Lead
32	Tom Katus	Democrat	Rapid City
33	Dennis Schmidt	Republican	Rapid City
34	Royal "Mac" McCracken	Republican	Rapid City
35	William Napoli	Republican	Rapid City

[edit] House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Dakota State Legislature. It is made up of 70 members, two from each legislative district. The presiding officer of the house is the Speaker of the House, elected by the members. The current speaker is Republican Thomas Deadrick of Platte. In addition, the house also elects a speaker pro tempore, who presides in the absence of the speaker and traditionally succeeds the speaker in the next legislature. The current speaker pro tempore is Tim Rave, a Republican from Baltic.

The current House has 50 Republicans and 20 Democrats. Each party selects a floor leader. The current majority leader is Larry Rhoden (R) of Union Center; the minority leader is Dale Hargens (D) of Miller. In addition, each party selects a number of whips to aid the floor leaders in leading their respective caucuses.

[edit] Membership

District	Senator	Party	Home
1	Clayton Halverson	Democrat	Veblen
	David Sidgestad	Democrat	Pierpont
2	Burt Elliott	Democrat	Aberdeen
	Paul Dennert	Democrat	Columbia
3	Al Novstrup	Republican	Aberdeen
	Dave Novstrup	Republican	Aberdeen
4	Val Rausch	Republican	Big Stone City
	Steve Street	Democrat	Revillo
5	Al Koistinen	Republican	Watertown
	Bob Faehn	Republican	Watertown
6	Kristi Noem	Republican	Castlewood
	Paul Nelson	Republican	Hetland
7	Carol Pitts	Republican	Brookings
	Larry Tidemann	Republican	Brookings
8	David Gassman	Democrat	Canova
	Russell Olson	Republican	Madison
9	Deb Peters	Republican	Hartford
	Rich Engels	Democrat	Hartford
10	Roger Hunt	Republican	Brandon
	Shantel Krebs	Republican	Sioux Falls
11	Mark Willadson	Republican	Sioux Falls
	Keri Weems	Republican	Sioux Falls
12	Manny Steele	Republican	Sioux Falls
	Hal Wick	Republican	Sioux Falls
13	Phyllis Heineman	Republican	Sioux Falls
	Bill Thompson	Democrat	Sioux Falls
14	Joni M. Cutler	Republican	Sioux Falls
	Marc Feinstein	Democrat	Sioux Falls
15	Mary Glenski	Democrat	Sioux Falls
	Kathy Miles	Democrat	Sioux Falls
16	Joel Dykstra	Republican	Canton
	Margaret Gillespie	Democrat	Hudson
17	Jamie Boomgarden	Republican	Chancellor
	Eldon Nygaard	Democrat	Vermillion
18	Garry Moore	Democrat	Yankton
	Charlii Gilson	Republican	Yankton
19	Jim Putnam	Republican	Armour
	Gary Jerke	Republican	Tripp
20	Mike Vehle	Republican	Mitchell
	Lance Carson	Republican	Mitchell
21	Kent Juhnke	Republican	Vivian
	Thomas Deadrick	Republican	Platte
22	Quinten Burg	Democrat	Wess. Springs
	Dale Hargens	Democrat	Miller
23	Justin Davis	Republican	Ipswich
	Tom Hackl	Republican	Hoven
24	Ryan P. Olson	Republican	Onida
	Tim Rounds	Republican	Pierre
25	Dan Ahlers	Democrat	Dell Rapids
	Tim Rave	Republican	Baltic
26A	Larry Lucas	Democrat	Mission
26B	Kim Vanneman	Republican	Ideal
27	Jim Bradford	Democrat	Pine Ridge
	Mark DeVries	Republican	Belvidere
28A	Thomas Van Norman	Democrat	Eagle Butte
28B	Betty Olson	Republican	Prairie City
29	Tom Brunner	Republican	Nisland
	Larry Rhoden	Republican	Union Center
30	Gordon Howie	Republican	Rapid City
	Gordon Pederson	Republican	Wall
31	Tom Hills	Republican	Spearfish
	Charles Turbiville	Republican	Deadwood
32	Alan Hanks	Republican	Rapid City
	Brian Dreyer	Republican	Rapid City
33	Mike Buckingham	Republican	Rapid City
	Don Van Etten	Republican	Rapid City
34	David Lust	Republican	Rapid City
	Ed McLaughlin	Republican	Rapid City
35	Jeff Haverly	Republican	Rapid City
	Mark Kirkeby	Republican	Rapid City

[edit] See also

• South Dakota
• South Dakota State Capitol
• Governor of South Dakota
• Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota
• Legislature
• Bicameralism

[edit] External links

• Legislative Research Council - Official homepage of the South Dakota State Legislature
• Newspaper coverage: Sioux Falls Argus Leader, Rapid City Journal

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