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Good Morning! I hope everyone is having a great week and enjoying what may be our last bit of warm weather. As you know, Congress has been busy over the last month negotiating their Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan, which was just signed into law by President Biden on Monday, as well as the larger Build Back Better Act. However, state legislators across the country have also been busy with special sessions focusing on redistricting. This happens every ten years following the US population census. The redistricting includes North and South Dakota, both of which held special sessions last week. The South Dakota Legislature actually conducted two special sessions that wrapped up last Wednesday, and the North Dakota Legislature concluded their five-day session on Friday. One major difference between North and South Dakota is that special sessions in South Dakota must be held for only one specific purpose, hence the need for two separate sessions. South Dakota Special Session The first special session held in SD (2021r) was to provide for the decennial redistricting of the Legislature. After three days of negotiations between the House and Senate, lawmakers were able to come to a compromise to pass a new redistricting plan, which will change the legislative boundaries for many of the state’s 35 districts. The plan truly was bipartisan, passing the house 37-31 and the Senate 30-2. With the new year just weeks away, these newly drawn district lines will go into effect for the 2022 elections and continue until this process is repeated in 2031. You can find a breakdown of the new districts here on the LRC website. The second special session held in South Dakota (2021i) was to consider the impeachment of Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg. The sole power of impeachment is held by the House of Representatives, which did pass a resolution appointing a nine member select committee to investigate whether articles of impeachment should be issued against the AG. The South Dakota Legislature has never formally considered impeachment, so this is definitely new territory. At least 36 of 70 house members, followed by 24 of 35 senators, would be needed for impeachment. Once the appointed select committee issues their report, both the full House and Senator will return to the process. North Dakota Special Session As I pointed out earlier, the North Dakota specially session is conducted slightly differently. Not only did the republican controlled legislature pass new redistricting legislation, but they were also able to pass bills focusing on COVID-19 vaccine mandates, critical race theory, a $350 income tax credit for North Dakota residents, as well as a measure appropriating the state’s $1.1 billion in federal coronavirus aid. However, redistricting was the legislature’s main focus, and while the newly approved map continues to maintain 47 legislative districts, it does appear to shift a few of the rural districts into more urban areas due to population shifts. Also approved as part of the redistricting process were two subdivided House districts around the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation and the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. These districts would only be divided in the House and would be served by just one senator. Be sure to stay tuned in to The Memo as we continue to break down the results of these special sessions in the upcoming weeks. Have a great week, and as always, don’t hesitate to contact me at jkruse@dakcu.org with any advocacy concerns.
Good Morning!
I hope everyone is having a great week and enjoying what may be our last bit of warm weather. As you know, Congress has been busy over the last month negotiating their Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan, which was just signed into law by President Biden on Monday, as well as the larger Build Back Better Act. However, state legislators across the country have also been busy with special sessions focusing on redistricting. This happens every ten years following the US population census.
The redistricting includes North and South Dakota, both of which held special sessions last week. The South Dakota Legislature actually conducted two special sessions that wrapped up last Wednesday, and the North Dakota Legislature concluded their five-day session on Friday. One major difference between North and South Dakota is that special sessions in South Dakota must be held for only one specific purpose, hence the need for two separate sessions.
South Dakota Special Session
The first special session held in SD (2021r) was to provide for the decennial redistricting of the Legislature. After three days of negotiations between the House and Senate, lawmakers were able to come to a compromise to pass a new redistricting plan, which will change the legislative boundaries for many of the state’s 35 districts. The plan truly was bipartisan, passing the house 37-31 and the Senate 30-2.
With the new year just weeks away, these newly drawn district lines will go into effect for the 2022 elections and continue until this process is repeated in 2031. You can find a breakdown of the new districts here on the LRC website.
The second special session held in South Dakota (2021i) was to consider the impeachment of Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg. The sole power of impeachment is held by the House of Representatives, which did pass a resolution appointing a nine member select committee to investigate whether articles of impeachment should be issued against the AG. The South Dakota Legislature has never formally considered impeachment, so this is definitely new territory. At least 36 of 70 house members, followed by 24 of 35 senators, would be needed for impeachment. Once the appointed select committee issues their report, both the full House and Senator will return to the process.
North Dakota Special Session
As I pointed out earlier, the North Dakota specially session is conducted slightly differently. Not only did the republican controlled legislature pass new redistricting legislation, but they were also able to pass bills focusing on COVID-19 vaccine mandates, critical race theory, a $350 income tax credit for North Dakota residents, as well as a measure appropriating the state’s $1.1 billion in federal coronavirus aid.
However, redistricting was the legislature’s main focus, and while the newly approved map continues to maintain 47 legislative districts, it does appear to shift a few of the rural districts into more urban areas due to population shifts. Also approved as part of the redistricting process were two subdivided House districts around the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation and the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. These districts would only be divided in the House and would be served by just one senator.
Be sure to stay tuned in to The Memo as we continue to break down the results of these special sessions in the upcoming weeks. Have a great week, and as always, don’t hesitate to contact me at jkruse@dakcu.org with any advocacy concerns.