#Mike Vehle
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Governor Appoints Transportation Commissioner – Sen. Mike Vehle
PIERRE, S.D. – State Transportation Secretary Darin Bergquist announces that former Sen. Mike Vehle of Mitchell has been appointed by Gov. Dennis Daugaard to fill a vacant seat on the South Dakota Transportation Commission.
Sen. Vehle served the citizens of South Dakota as a member of the Legislature for 11 years (2005-2015). The last seven years of his tenure were spent studying the infrastructure needs of state and local governments.
“Sen. Vehle was instrumental in the passage of Senate Bill 1 during the 2015 legislative session, a bill which provided an increase in revenue for state and local highways and bridges,” says Secretary Bergquist. “His knowledge of highway needs and financing will be of great benefit to the department and the citizens of South Dakota.”
Sen. Vehle was selected for induction into the Transportation Hall of Honor in 2015.
Other commission members include: Rodney Fouberg, Aberdeen; Donald Roby, Watertown; Kyle White, Rapid City; Kim Vanneman, Ideal; Ralph Marquardt, Yankton; and Ronald Rosenboom, Sturgis.
For more information on the Department of Transportation boards and commissions, visit http://ift.tt/2m4CpyA.
The post Governor Appoints Transportation Commissioner – Sen. Mike Vehle appeared first on TheSiouxEmpire.com.
from Governor Appoints Transportation Commissioner – Sen. Mike Vehle
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The Original Surfaris - Bombora (1963)
Larry Weed
from: "Bombora!" LP
Personnel:
Larry Weed: Lead Guitar
Chuck Vehle: Rhythm Guitar
Al Valdez: Keyboards
Doug Wiseman: Saxophone
Jim Tran: Bass
Mike Biondi: Drums
Produced by Bob Irwin
#Surf#Instrumental Rock#Instrumental#Del-Fi Records#Bombora#Bombora!#60's#Larry Weed#The Original Surfaris
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DMV rule proceeds despite question of authority to implement rule
DMV rule proceeds despite question of authority to implement rule
Back on August 22 the Rues Review committee met in Pierre for its regularly scheduled meeting. One of the agenda items from that meeting was a rule being promulgated by the Department of Revenue: Division of Motor Vehicles to update and clarify procedures for rebuilt vehicles and VIN assignment. The proposed rule can be viewed here. There was some question about whether the department actually…
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Lawmakers pass texting ban compromise (updated)
Texting while driving is about to become illegal in South Dakota.
In an unexpected move just two days after talks collapsed in failure, the South Dakota Legislature resoundingly approved a compromise texting ban Thursday. It now heads to Gov. Dennis Daugaard, who supports the concept, for a signature or veto.
Under the deal, texting while driving would be illegal across the state, with a $100 penalty. Police wouldn't be able to pull drivers over just for texting, but cities such as Sioux Falls with tougher bans will be allowed to keep them. Police won't be allowed to seize someone's cell phone to prove they were texting without going through the normal search and seizure procedures.
"We finally did what we didn't think would happen this year," said Rep. Charlie Hoffman, R-Eureka, one of the lawmakers who negotiated the deal. "I'm just tickled pink."
The compromise resembles an offer made earlier this session by Sen. Mike Vehle, R-Mitchell, who has been the lead champion of a statewide texting ban. A House committee killed Vehle's proposal, but on Thursday it passed both the House and Senate with support from more than two-thirds of the members.
The difference? Public pressure.
"There was an enormous amount of pressure from home, and from people who talked in the last crackerbarrels, (saying) 'Why aren't you doing something about texting?'" said Hoffman. "People in this House and Senate didn't want to go back on their campaign and have to be badgered with, 'Why aren't you doing your job?'
Vehle said he'd prefer a stronger ban that allows police to pull people over for texting. But he's willing to accept a weaker ban as long as it allows stronger bans put in place by local governments to stand. Police in Sioux Falls, Mitchell and other cities are allowed to pull over texting drivers, and will retain that power under the compromise measure.
"If I was a benevolent dictator, I'd have a different bill," Vehle said. "But at this point I want something that is statewide, and they've done that... You've got to have something that's possible."
Throughout this session, Vehle has butted heads with House Speaker Brian Gosch, R-Rapid City, over the texting issue. Gosch opposes allowing police to pull over texters, and wanted to override local bans that allow that.
Thursday morning, hours before a conference committee met to discuss the ban, Gosch agreed to let local bans stand, Hoffman said.
"I was very concerned that Speaker Gosch was not going to allow us to take out (the override of local bans), and that's the big sticking point," Hoffman said. "Once we got Speaker Gosch on board with us this morning, I knew this was going to take off."
Gosch said the appointment of new lawmakers helped make the difference after he and Vehle couldn't agree. He endorsed the compromise despite differences from his preferred measure.
"There will still be people who want it to be stricter, and there are some people who think it's too strict," Gosch said. "It's a compromise."
Hoffman said he and Rep. Steve Westra, R-Sioux Falls, lobbied Gosch heavily to agree to a compromise.
Steve Allender, the Rapid City police chief who has aggressively pushed for a texting ban, said he's disappointed the ban won't allow police to pull over texters around the state.
"This bill, while better than nothing, probably, does not provide the enforcement tool necessary to be a complete success," Allender said.
Rep. Troy Heinert, D-Mission, called the measure "a true compromise between all of the (texting ban) bills that have been out there this year."
"If it's not perfect, we can come back and we can look at it again," Heinert said.
Sen. Blake Curd, R-Sioux Falls, credited Vehle's four-year battle to pass a texting ban.
"He's tried and failed many times to get a bill through both chambers," Curd said, provoking spontaneous applause from the audience. "Without his perseverance and dedication to this issue... I don't think we'd be able to sit here today."
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House Tax has a TIF bill and summer study discussion on Thurs Mar 3
House Tax has a TIF bill and summer study discussion on Thurs Mar 3
On Thursday, March 3, at 8:30 am the SD House Taxation committee will take on 1 bill and will also discuss possible summer study topics. This is compiled using the agenda at the time of composing this post. Agendas can and do change! One way to listen to these meetings live is via the audio links on the Schedule page of the LRC website. While there you can also view the status board for the…
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Senate Tax has 2 bills on Weds Mar 2, redistribution of fees and Art V convention
Senate Tax has 2 bills on Weds Mar 2, redistribution of fees and Art V convention
On Wednesday, March 2, at 10:00 am the SD Senate Taxation committee will take on 2 bills. This is compiled using the agenda at the time of composing this post. Agendas can and do change! One way to listen to these meetings live is via the audio links on the Schedule page of the LRC website. While there you can also view the status board for the meetings as they are going on. HB 1137 (SoDakLiberty…
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Senate Transportation has 2 bills on Mon Feb 22, infrastructure funds
Senate Transportation has 2 bills on Mon Feb 22, infrastructure funds
On Monday, February 22, at 8:00 am the SD Senate Transportation committee will take on 2 bills. This is compiled using the agenda at the time of composing this post. Agendas can and do change! One way to listen to these meetings live is via the audio links on the Schedule page of the LRC website. While there you can also view the status board for the meetings as they are going on. *** Wednesday…
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House Transportation has 2 bills on Thurs Feb 18
House Transportation has 2 bills on Thurs Feb 18
On Thursday, February 18, at 10:00 am the SD House Transportation committee will take on 2 bills. This is compiled using the agenda at the time of composing this post. Agendas can and do change! One way to listen to these meetings live is via the audio links on the Schedule page of the LRC website. While there you can also view the status board for the meetings as they are going on. HB…
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One tax increase Senate bill was killed and brought back during legislative week 5
One tax increase Senate bill was killed and brought back during legislative week 5
Yesterday I posted the list of Senate bills killed during South Dakota legislative week five. There is one bill I kept off the list that was killed in committee on Feb 8, and then brought back on Feb 10. SB 110 (SoDakLiberty Posts) – Increase certain fuel excise tax rates. SoDakLiberty Stance: Undecided Prime Sponsors: Sen Mike Vehle (R, Dist 20) and Rep Mike Verchio (R, Dist 30) are the prime…
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SD Ag Summit 2015 Part 1: State of Agriculture Address from SD Ag Secretary Lucas Lentsch
SD Ag Summit 2015 Part 1: State of Agriculture Address from SD Ag Secretary Lucas Lentsch
SD Ag Secretary Lucas Lentsch speaking in Deadwood. Photo by Ken Santema 07/10/15 On July 9th and 10th I attended the SD Governor’s Agricultural Summit in Deadwood, South Dakota. This will be first of several posts examining the various portions of the Ag Summit. For this post I will focus on the State of Agriculture Address from SD Ag Secretary Lucas Lentsch. Before going on I probably should…
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A look at the massive roads and bridges funding bill into law by Governor Daugaard
Senator Vehle speaking on the SD Senate floor. Photo by Ken Santema 02/11/15.
Today SD Governor Dennis Daugaard signed the massive roads and bridges funding bill into law. During the legislative session I’ve mostly avoided blogging too much about the bill. That is partly due to the fact there were two versions of the bill to begin with, one was Senate Vehle’s proposal (SB 1) and the other was…
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Senate Transportation committee has 2 bills on Weds Feb 25
On Wednesday, February 25th, at 8:30 AM the SD Senate Transportation committee will take on 2 bills.
HB 1121 – SoDakLiberty Posts – Authorize township boards to establish speed zones on township roads.
Rep Tona Rozum (R, Dist 20) and Sen Mike Vehle (R, Dist 20) are the prime sponsors. This bill passed through the House with no opposition. Current law states no person can go faster than 55 on…
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Two sides of texting ban dispute unable to agree, ban dies
An unsolvable dispute about enforcement sunk a statewide ban on texting while driving Tuesday in the Legislature.
Both the House and Senate had passed statewide texting bans. But the Senate version gave police the power to pull over texting drivers, while the House version did not. Senators were willing to accept weaker powers, but only if stronger texting bans in cities such as Sioux Falls were allowed to stand. House members insisted on overriding those bans in the name of uniform law across the state.
"It's clear to me that we're at loggerheads here," said Sen. Craig Tieszen, R-Rapid City.
Rep. Brian Gosch, R-Rapid City, had championed the House version. Gosch said he doesn't believe letting police pull over texters works to deter texting while driving — and might make it worse.
"I'm thinking if it's too strong, people hide the equipment too much, and they lose their peripheral vision on the road and it causes more accidents," Gosch said.
Sen. Mike Vehle, R-Mitchell, disputed that. A law that police can't enforce directly won't do much good, he said.
All six lawmakers on the conference committee appointed to resolve the issue recognized the impasse and voted to kill the bill.
Tieszen, a longtime champion of a statewide texting ban, said he was willing to accept the bill's demise because of the growing number of cities that have passed local bans. Doing nothing allows those local bans to continue.
"No bill is better than a bad bill," Tieszen said.
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Gosch in the driver's seat in texting ban battle
Earlier today, the Senate State Affairs Committee voted 5-4 to pass House Speaker Brian Gosch's version of a statewide ban on texting while driving. Some longtime supporters of texting bans oppose Gosch's measure because it's a "secondary offense" — which means drivers can't be pulled over for it, only given an add-on ticket for another offense — and because it overrides the stronger texting bans a number of South Dakota cities pass.
But ultimately it's no surprise that Gosch's bill is advancing while Vehle's heads into hostile territory tomorrow in the House Transportation Committee. In this political battle, Gosch holds all the cards.
Ultimately it comes down to this: Gosch doesn't care very much about banning texting while driving. He's opposed bans for years, arguing they don't do much good and aren't enforceable. He only came on board this year when he melded a texting ban to language overriding local texting bans. That override is where Gosch is passionate — he believes cities are already exceeding their legal authority by passing texting bans and wants to make that explicit.
In contrast, traditional texting ban supporters like Mike Vehle and Craig Tieszen want very much to ban texting while driving, which they believe is a scourge leading to accidents and deaths across South Dakota. So if the result of this legislative dispute is another year of no statewide ban, that's a defeat for them.
Because the status quo is more acceptable to Gosch than it is to Vehle and Tieszen, he's more willing to see both bills die — the likely outcome if the two chambers can't make an agreement. So Gosch has no incentive to make any concessions from his position. He either gets what he wants, or things stay the same — neither one a loss.
Underpinning this power is Gosch's support in the House, which has traditionally resisted texting bans. By being able to deliver a House majority for his statewide ban this year, and comfortable in the existence of a majority to defeat any versions he dislikes, Gosch can negotiate from a position of strength.
Vehle's position of weakness has been clear for weeks. Instead of sticking to his guns and getting the Senate to pass his ideal texting ban — where police can pull people over for texting and the penalty is stronger — Vehle preemptively watered down his bill with elements of Gosch's proposal. Today he pronounced himself undecided whether Gosch's bill would be better or worse than the status quo.
Presuming the House sticks to its guns and defeats any alternative to Gosch's bill, there are two potential outcomes here: either the Senate can acquiesce to Gosch's version and pass it, or it can amend it and set up a conference committee fight. But as Speaker of the House Gosch would appoint all the House members of the conference committee. Since bills before a six-member conference committee need support from at least two of the three members from each House, Gosch would be able to effectively block any proposal he doesn't like. With, as stated above, no incentive for Gosch to compromise, that would give Vehle two choices: surrender, or kill the bill.
The real strategic mistake on the part of texting ban supporters was not launching an initiated measure years ago. They cite polling showing overwhelming popular support for texting bans, but kept coming back year after year to bash their heads against the immovable opposition in the House. Now they're likely to get what they wanted — a statewide texting ban — but in a form they abhor.
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Senate committee approves statewide texting ban, overrides local bans
A legislative committee voted on Wednesday to ban texting while driving in South Dakota — but also to override stronger local bans in cities like Sioux Falls.
The proposal, sponsored by House Speaker Brian Gosch, was one of two competing texting bans moving through the South Dakota Legislature. Compared to a version sponsored by Sen. Mike Vehle, Gosch's version has a smaller $25 fine and specifically overrides any local texting bans.
Gosch said the state should have the same driving laws everywhere, not different laws in different cities.
"It makes sense with a state like ours that has as its number two industry tourism, as people travel into this state... they need to know that the rules of the road are going to be the same wherever they go," Gosch said.
On Wednesday, Gosch's bill divided traditional supporters of texting bans. Some, such as the South Dakota Trucking Association and the state medical association, said they support any texting ban, even if they might prefer a strong version.
"We don't care how you do it, just get it done this year," said Bob Miller, a lobbyist for the Dakota Transit Association, told lawmakers.
But the state's cities and police chiefs were "vehemently" opposed.
Steve Allender, Rapid City's police chief, said a strong texting ban would include a larger fine than $25 and crucially would allow police to pull someone over for texting. Under Gosch's proposal, police can't pull drivers over for texting, though they can issue an add-on ticket if they pull someone over for another violation. Vehle's bill, in a concession, also doesn't allow police to stop vehicles for texting, but it leaves in place local bans that do.
"This bill is nothing but a resolution asking the people to stop texting," Allender said.
But Sen. Larry Rhoden, R-Union Center, reminded supporters of a stronger texting ban of the arguments they had used to persuade him in years past: that South Dakotans are law-abiding and most will stop texting and driving just because it's illegal, not because of the penalty.
For a number of years, South Dakota's Senate has supported a texting ban, only to see it die in the House — with opposition led by Gosch. This year Gosch switched from opposition to supporting a weaker texting ban that overrides local ordinances.
Gosch's bill passed the Senate State Affairs Committee 5-4 Wednesday morning, with Sen. Jason Frerichs, D-Wilmot, casting the deciding vote. It now heads to the full Senate.
Vehle's alternative texting ban bill previously passed the Senate and is scheduled for a hearing before the House Transportation Committee Thursday.
A longtime crusader for a texting ban, Vehle said he doesn't know whether South Dakota would be better off with Gosch's bill or nothing.
"You're going to have (a ban in) the whole state then," Vehle said. "But you would be taking away the stronger ban in the communities. That's a tough call as to say whether that's a win or a loss."
Sioux Falls, Brookings, Huron, Mitchell, Vermillion and Watertown have all passed local texting bans.
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Keep 'dangerous' mentally ill from buying guns, committee says
Federal law prohibits the dangerously mentally ill from purchasing firearms. But South Dakotans who are involuntarily committed for being a danger to themselves or others dodge that law right now, because South Dakota doesn't submit lists of the dangerous mentally ill to the federal background check system.
That's on the verge of changing. On Tuesday morning, a Senate committee voted 5-2 for a bill to begin filing that mental illness information with the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS.
The measure, House Bill 1229, would require mental health officials to notify the federal government if someone were involuntarily committed for being a danger to one's self or others. Prosecutors would be required to tell NICS if someone were acquitted of a crime by reason of insanity, or declared unfit to stand trial.
HB1229 also sets up a process by which people who believe they are no longer mentally ill can ask South Dakota judges to restore their gun rights. Supporters say that bypasses a much more cumbersome process of appealing to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
South Dakota already reports other information to NICS, including when someone is convicted of a felony.
A similar measure was shot down last year. But with support this time from the National Rifle Association, it's having better luck this year. If the South Dakota Senate approves the bill, it will head to Gov. Dennis Daugaard for a signature.
"To me it's one of the reasonable, responsible responses we can make to all the issues of gun violence in our society today," said Sen. Craig Tieszen, R-Rapid City.
But while the NRA and the National Shootings Sports Association backs the measure, a different gun group is fiercely opposing it as an attack on the Second Amendment. The National Association of Gun Rights and its South Dakota affiliate, South Dakota Gun Owners, have urged their members to contact lawmakers and lobby for a no vote.
Neither group testified on Tuesday before the Senate committee.
"I've been deluged with emails and I'm kind of surprised there's no one here to oppose it," said Sen. Mike Vehle, R-Mitchell.
Several lawmakers found the law concerning.
Sen. Tim Begalka, R-Clear Lake, worried that it's too hard to get off the NICS registry, even with the new system set forth in HB1229. He opposed granting more power to the federal government and worried that veterans could find themselves unable to buy guns because they seek treatment for PTSD.
"I don't believe we have a problem in South Dakota," Begalka said. "We've gone years without this. I believe we're ostracizing the mentally ill."
Sen. Jeff Monroe, R-Pierre, said the rapid growth of mental illness diagnoses in recent decades makes him leery of barring gun purchases because of someone's mental health.
Tieszen, though, said the law is narrow and wouldn't apply to most people with mental health issues.
"If we have a veteran who comes home and is dangerously mentally ill and is a danger to themselves or their community, don't we want them to not have easy access to firearms?" Tieszen said.
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