Senate Bill 41 the Workforce Housing bill was on the fast track for an emergency clause in the South Dakota Legislature this year. The measure was touched up after the 2022 South Dakota Legislature failed to pass the measure. A prime sponsor of the bill Representative Roger Chase of Huron was chair of the Workforce Housing Summer study committee in 2021. At a Coffee with the legislators forum Chase took the opportunity to responded to a question asking about Governor Noem’s use of state resources by defending his own vote on Senate Bill 41.
Chase said elected representatives need to be given the opportunity to use the knowledge from their work without making the claim of a conflict of interest.
Chase said that with the states legislators in careers away from their elected post a personal involvement will always be possible.
Senate Bill 41 passed both houses with the two thirds vote needed to become active on the signature of Governor Noem.