PIERRE – Applications are currently being accepted from South Dakota high school students interested in serving as pages for the 2023 Legislative Session.
Pages are appointed to serve in the House of Representatives or the Senate for one of five terms during January, February, and March. The 98th South Dakota Legislative Session runs from January 10, 2023, to March 27, 2023, with a recess from March 10-26. Pages are assigned to committee meetings in the mornings and Chamber floor sessions in the afternoons, and assist legislators, as needed. Pages receive $55 for each legislative day they serve.
Representative Spencer Gosch, Speaker of the House, says the program is a good opportunity for students from across the state to experience the legislative process firsthand.
“The students who serve as legislative pages come from school districts of all sizes, from all parts of South Dakota, and have included home-schooled students, too. During their term, they’re actually part of the legislative process on a daily basis. That’s an experience you can only get in Pierre, only during Session,” said Gosch.
Senator Lee Schoenbeck, President Pro Tempore, says being a page is a social as well as educational experience for the young people who take part in the program.
“Students who serve as pages get to know the legislators who serve their district, meet with the Governor, and make lasting friendships with other young people who may share their interests. Some former pages go on to become legislative interns and even legislators. It’s the kind of experience that can really shape a young person’s future,” Schoenbeck said.
The preferred application deadline is October 7, 2022, with a final deadline of October 21, 2022. Information on the Page program, including an application, can be found on the Legislative Research Council’s website.
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