House Approves Long-Term Planning Committee

PIERRE, SD - The South Dakota House has approved a proposal to set up a long-term planning committee that would study education, and other key issues.

House Republican Leader David Lust of Rapid City says the new panel would strengthen the Legislature's ability to set long-term policies and goals. He says the part-time Legislature now is at a disadvantage to the full-time executive branch.

But opponents say the new committee is not needed because the Legislature already appoints special committees every year that study issues during the summer. They say the new planning committee would make legislative leaders even more powerful than they are now.

The planning committee would include House and Senate leaders and other lawmakers. It would study demographics, education, labor, revenue, natural resources, state revenue, trends and challenges.