Noem Approves a Balanced Budget for FY2020

PIERRE, South Dakota, March 29 -- Gov. Kristi Noem, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release:

This week, Governor Kristi Noem signed final appropriations bills for FY2020.

"When I took office in January, I promised South Dakota that my administration would remain rooted in fiscal integrity," said Noem. "This week, I signed budget legislation that is balanced, addresses critical needs, and invests in the next generation. This budget does not spend money we don't have, and it doesn't increase taxes."

"In South Dakota, our system of budgeting works," said Liza Clark, South Dakota's Chief Financial Officer. "The three branches of government work together to prioritize our citizens while responsibly using the resources available to us. South Dakota is on the right track, and this budget positions us well for the future. We should be proud of our hard work."

The final appropriations bills Noem signed this week include:

* 10% inflation for nursing homes. This equates to nearly $18.1 million in total ongoing funds for nursing homes.

* 6.5% inflation for community support providers (CSPs). This equates to over $9.0 million in total ongoing funds for the CSPs.

* Other community-based providers will get 3-4%. Non-community-based providers will get an average of 1.5%.

* A 2.5% increase to the target teacher salary for K-12 general education and special education.

* 2.5% for technical institutes.

* 2.5% increase in salaries for our state employee workforce, plus funding to structurally balance the state's health plan.

* Funding to confront the meth epidemic, including: education, enforcement, and treatment.

* Match funding for Statewide 211.

"After months of committee meetings with state agencies, meeting directly with agency staff to dive deep into the budget details, and a thorough review of our available revenues, we created a balanced budget. Our state constitution requires a budget that is balanced, and SB191 accomplishes this for the 130th consecutive year," Noem concluded.

Noem signed the following bills on March 27:

* SB8 - An act to provide for a statewide resource information system

* SB118 - An act to establish certain provisions regarding advance care planning

* SB123 - An act to provide for the adoption of privacy protection policies

* SB128 - An act to make an appropriation to the gaming commission fund, to provide for the transfer of funds to the special racing revolving fund and the South Dakota-bred racing fund, and to declare an emergency

* SB136 - An act to provide for the utilization of telehealth by a health care professional

* SB137 - An act to provide for the payment of claims for covered services provided by a health care professional via telehealth

* SB140 - An act to provide for the increase of higher education enrolled members of the nine federally recognized tribes in South Dakota at regental institutions

* SB146 - An act to revise certain provisions regarding licenses for speech-language pathology services

* SB167 - An act to establish a legislative study to study offenses regarding controlled substances

* SB172 - An act to make an appropriation for costs related to disasters in the state and to declare an emergency

* SB178 - An act to make an appropriation to the Department of Game, Fish and Parks to fund certain improvements to Palisades State Park and to declare an emergency

* SB179 - An act to revise the property tax levies for the general fund of school districts and to revise the state aid to education formula

* SB180 - An act to revise the General Appropriations act for fiscal year 2019

* SB181 - An act to provide for the transfer of funds from the budget reserve fund and to declare an emergency

* SB182 - An act to revise the special education property tax levy for school districts and to revise the state aid to special education formula

* SB187 - An act to define electric bicycles and to provide for the regulation of electric bicycles

* SB191 - An act to appropriate money for the ordinary expenses of the legislative, judicial, and executive departments of the state, the expenses of state institutions, interest on the public debt, and for common schools*

* HB1084 - An act to provide for specific classification of affordable housing structures for purposes of taxation

* HB1099 - An act to provide for the designation of a caregiver to receive information regarding residents of treatment facilities

* HB1187 - An act to authorize the Bureau of Administration to conduct a study of the Flaming Fountain on Capitol Lake, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency

* HB1189 - An act to provide for a period to cure certain campaign finance violations

* HB1201 - An act to revise provisions regarding group pheasant hunts for disabled veterans

* HB1204 - An act to exempt certain sales of goods and services by minors from the sales tax

* HB1209 - An act to revise certain provisions regarding vapor products

* HB1216 - An act to increase certain civil penalties for fleeing from police

* HB1219 - An act to revise certain provisions regarding surplus line insurance

* HB1254 - An act to make appropriations from the water and environment fund and its revolving fund subfunds for various water and environmental purposes and to declare an emergency

* HB1256 - An act to make an appropriation to fund tax refunds for elderly persons and persons with a disability, to revise the income eligibility requirements for property and sales tax refunds, and to declare an emergency