A record amount of bills were filed

Throughout history there have been moments marked by history-making speeches. On Feb. 14, during an 18-minute address in Munich, Secretary of State, Marco Rubio delivered remarks that received a standing ovation.
Notably, he did not speak of dismantling or undermining the efforts of our ancestors in Europe or America. Instead, he emphasized unity of purpose, the importance of collaboration and rebuilding together. If you have not had the opportunity to hear his remarks, I encourage you to search “Rubio in Munich” and listen for yourself.
In my opinion, it ranks right up there with speeches by Churchill, Reagan and JFK. Rubio’s speech reinforced what I have always believed: as legislators, as in life, we must keep the lines of communication open. Maintaining decorum and a working relationship with colleagues, is essential if we are to represent the constituents who entrusted us with their voices. Only by engaging respectfully, listening openly, and working collaboratively, can we craft solutions that serve our state and constituents well.
Thoughtful governance requires more than passing bills. Every session, the first question I ask about any proposal is simple: Does this truly need to be a state law, or is it better handled as a local policy? This year, that question has been pushed to its limits. The Legislative Research Council drafted more than 1,100 bills for this session. 
Of those, 570 were formally introduced; 325 in the House and 245 in the Senate. Each one receives a committee hearing, but not all will pass both chambers or reach the governor’s desk. What concerns me is that many of these bills were not written with citizens in mind. Instead, they seem designed to satisfy partisan scorecards that have increasingly lost their meaning.
Imagine if each session added 500 or more new laws. In 10 years, we’d be layering thousands of additional statutes on top of those already in place. That’s not limited government, that’s legislative clutter. Of course, laws sometimes need updating, and occasionally new ones are necessary. But responsible leadership requires restraint as much as action. This year set a new record for bill drafting. So much for less government.
Across the country and even in Pierre, we are seeing signs of fatigue with extreme rhetoric from both the far right and the far left. Voices are varied and not from the usual suspects. 
Stephen A. Smith is calling for leaders at the federal level to sit down and govern as adults. Whether one agrees with every approach taken by our current president or not, there has been an emphasis on direct, personal negotiation. Governing requires conversation. It requires listening. It requires maturity.
Early in my legislative career, I had the opportunity to speak with Sen. John Thune, who shared an important legislative lesson: it is all about relationships and collaboration is essential. There will be days of disagreement, he said, but the next day we must come back together and continue the work. He was 100 percent right! There is definitely a difference between campaigning and governing. Our responsibility to the people of South Dakota is not to campaign 24/7/365, it is to govern. I have always worked, and will continue to work to take a practical, common-sense approach to governing.
As legislators, we have the ability to drive meaningful change and propose real solutions but only through collaboration. This year alone, more than 29 different property tax proposals have been introduced. Consensus is fragmented with support spread out across 29 potential property tax solutions.
I am working to assemble a cohesive group to work together on the property tax issue just like we did last session when we worked with the governor on practical, common-sense legislation to establish a property tax freeze for seniors. That effort demonstrated that progress is possible when we take challenges one step at a time. Real progress happens when we collaborate, build consensus, and keep moving forward.
As I close, I want to take a moment to tell you that it is an honor to serve you, and I remain committed to governing with common sense, collaboration and respect for the people of South Dakota.