Issued Bi-Weekly from State Headquarters at Watertown, SD 57201
Ron Boyd – Department Adjutant – Public Relations Officer
www.sdlegion.org Email sdlegion@dailypost.com
No. 2941 January 23, 2006
FROM PIERRE
This is the first in the series of reports on the 2007 Session of the South Dakota State Legislature which convened on Tuesday, January 9 in Pierre. Legion Legislative Lobbyists Ron Boyd of Watertown, Warren Aas of Watertown and John Dewell of Pierre will be monitoring the activity in Pierre and reporting on issues relevant to veterans and veteran service organizations.
The following bills of interest have been introduced thus far in the session:
HB 1003 – This bill is essentially an update to SDCL §33 which deals with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The bill basically changes all references to the Adjutant General to read Adjutant General instead of he or him and makes other style and form changes to administratively streamline the section. The bill received a Do Pass as Amended from the House State Affairs Committee on 1/12/07 (11-0) and Passed the House of Representative 1/17/07 (70-0). The bill is now in the Senate State Affairs Committee and is scheduled for a hearing on 1/24/07.
HB 1010 – This bill requests an appropriation of $1,082,783 from the general fund and $1,807,526 in federal fund expenditure authority to provide for the renovation of the nursing care building on the campus of the South Dakota Veterans Home in Hot Springs. The renovation would include the installation of fire retardant doors, a fire pump, and a sprinkler control system, the replacement of fire escapes on the building exterior, and the upgrade of the nurse call system. The bill has been heard in the House Appropriations Committee where it received a Do Pass recommendation 1/19/07 (8-0). The bill is now on the House floor.
HB 1011 – This bill requests a $200,000 appropriation to provide for the renovation of the National Guard Armory in Brookings. The renovation would include locker room upgrades, restroom additions, and an upgrade of mechanical systems to support additional soldiers utilizing the facility. The bill has been heard in the House Appropriations Committee where it received a Do Pass recommendation 1/19/07 (8-0). The bill was Passed by the House of Representatives on 1/22/07 (66-0). The bill now goes to the Senate.
HB 1012 – This bill revises the statute covering the appropriation that was made under the original bill to pay veterans bonuses to veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Under the original bill the money left over at the end of the fiscal year would have to be returned to the general fund at the end of the fiscal year. This bill, if passed, would extend the period of funding until four years after a date determined by the South Dakota Legislature. The bill received a Do Pass recommendation from the House State Affairs Committee 1/17/07 (13-0). The bill was Passed by the House of Representatives 1/22/07 (66-0).
HB 1081 – This bill would change the motor vehicle license plate system in South Dakota to a system where the license plates are tied to the owner of the vehicle instead of being tied to the motor vehicle itself. This means that persons purchasing specialty plates (like the new veterans license plates) would no longer have to purchase a regular license plate prior to getting their specialty plates. This bill received a Do Pass Amended recommendation from the House Transportation Committee 1/16/07 (12-1). The bill was Passed as Amended by the House of Representative 1/18/07 (53-17). The bill is now in the Senate Transportation Committee and is scheduled for a hearing on 1/23/07.
SB 96 – This bill would make $100,000 of the full and true value of the total amount of a dwelling or portion thereof that is owned and occupied for the full calendar year in which a tax is levied by a veteran who is rated as permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability exempt from property taxation. The bill has been introduced in the Senate and has been assigned to the Senate Taxation Committee for hearings.
The South Dakota American Legion Legislative Reception is scheduled for Tuesday, February 13, 2007. The last Up To Now erroneously reported the scheduled date as the 14th. February 13, 2007 is the correct date. The reception is scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m. All members of The American Legion Family are encouraged to come to Pierre, meet with your Legislators and personally invite them to join us at the Pierre Legion Cabin for the event the evening of February 13.
HATS IN THE RING
Clay Kiser American Legion Post 92 in Redfield has endorsed Larry Price for re-election to another term as Alternate NEC for The American Legion Department of South Dakota.
Hunt-Newell American Legion Post 213 of Cresbard has endorsed Larry Lindhorst for the office of State Vice Commander for the Area comprised of Districts 2, 5 and 6.
Andrew and Harold Schauer American Legion Post 259 of Roscoe has endorsed Ron Hoffer for the office of State Vice Commander for the Area comprised of Districts 3, 4 and 14.
JOURNALISM CITY
This is the final reminder that applications for participation in Journalism City, held in conjunction with South Dakota American Legion Boys State, must be received by Gene Schumacher, Boys State Registrar no later than February 2, 2007.
Applications were mailed to all South Dakota high schools just before the end of December 2006. Applications should be forwarded to:
Gene Schumacher, Boys State Registrar
924 N. Main Street
Aberdeen, SD 57401
The registration fee for Journalism City is $150 per student. Do not send the registration fee with the application. After the applications are screened, those students selected for the program will be notified and the local American Legion Post will be informed of students selected from within your local Post area. Journalism City students do not count against the local Posts quota for South Dakota American Legion Boys State.
LEGIONNAIRE OF THE YEAR
All American Legion Posts are reminded that now is the time to select your Post Legionnaire of the Year. This is an excellent opportunity to recognize one Legionnaire from within your Post for his/her special efforts, initiative, and performance during the past year.
Forms for nominating your local Post Legionnaire of the Year for District Legionnaire of the Year competition are included in the 2006-2007 Post Adjutant’s Administrative and Awards Manual. Rules require Posts to submit nominations to the District Commander at least 15 days prior to the Spring District Convention.
District Legionnaires of the Year will be recognized at the Spring District Conventions and at the Annual Department Convention. District Legionnaires of the Year will be eligible for competition in the Department Legionnaire of the Year competition.
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF THE YEAR SELECTED
Congratulations to Officer Keith Theroux of the Aberdeen Police Department who has been selected as The American Legion Department of South Dakota Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.
Officer Theroux’s nomination will be forwarded to the National Security-Foreign Relations Division in Washington, DC and entered into the National Law Enforcement Officer of the Year competition.
Officer Theroux is a 5-year veteran of law enforcement. In February 2006, Officer Theroux assumed the duties of crime prevention community policing officer. He was instrumental in planning and organizing the first ever National Night Out in Aberdeen in 2004. National Night Out is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness. This activity has continued and the annual event draws more than 1000 citizens. He has organized and garnered support for and started several new Neighborhood Watch programs in Aberdeen.
Officer Theroux has received specialized training and certification in “CPTED” which is Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. With this specialized training he evaluates surroundings and community layouts for safety, security and crime prevention.
Officer Theroux is also a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Officer and educates the youth of Aberdeen on peer pressure and the dangers of drugs.
Officer Theroux will be recognized at the 2007 Annual South Dakota American Legion Convention in Spearfish in June of this year.
TEN TO TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
Seven South Dakota Legionnaires have been called to Washington, D.C. to attend the Forty-Seventh Annual Washington Conference of The American Legion. The conference will open at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 4, 2007 at the Renaissance Washington D.C. Hotel.
Those called to participate in the Washington Conference include NEC Paul Evenson of Sioux Falls (member of the Garretson American Legion Post), PDC Bill Dolan of Beresford (member of the Public Relations Commission), PDC Gerald Goetzinger (Vice Chairman of the Membership and Post Activities Committee), PDC Don Mason of Platte (member of the Internal Affairs Commission), Alt NEC Larry Price (Vice Chairman of the Americanism Commission), PDC Gene Schumacher of Aberdeen (member of the Employment Committee) and PDC Ron Tolrud of White (member of the Children and Youth Commission). Also attending the conference will be Department Commander Gunner Baatrup of Huron (member of the Virgil American Legion Post) and Department Adjutant Ron Boyd of Watertown. Department Service Officer Warren Aas of Watertown will be attending the Annual Department Service Officer Training which will be held four days prior to the arrival of the other members of the South Dakota American Legion Delegation.
Tuesday, March 6 has been designated as Hill Day. On that day, the members of the South Dakota American Legion Delegation will travel to Capital Hill where they are scheduled to meet with the three members of the South Dakota Congressional Delegation – Senators John Thune, and Tim Johnson and Representative Stephanie Herseth. Due to the health of Senator Tim Johnson, the Legionnaires will meet with members of his staff. During these visits, the Legionnaires will provide the members of the Congressional Delegation with a list of The American Legion’s Legislative Priorities for the coming year.
COMMANDER BAATRUP SPECIAL PROJECT
STATE VETERANS HOME BARBER SHOP
During a visit to the Michael J. Fitzmaurice State Veterans Home in Hot Springs not too long ago, Department Commander Baatrup noticed the poor condition of the barber shop that serves the needs of the residents at the home. After some discussions with the barber and with State Veterans Home Superintendent Larry Wilcox, Commander Baatrup decided that it would be a great project for The American Legion Department of South Dakota to undertake financing the rehabilitation of the barber shop.
The State Home is already working on the project. The current barber shop will be closed and removed and the new barber shop will be relocated to the third floor of the building and will re-open with all new fixtures and equipment – to include a striped barber pole at the door. This is a great opportunity for The American Legion of South Dakota to show our generosity and our commitment to the lives of our veterans.
Posts, Units, Squadrons or individual members of The American Legion Family are encouraged to make generous donations to this most important project. Donations may be sent to State Headquarters, PO Box 67, Watertown, SD 57201. Please indicate that the donation is for the State Veterans Home Barbershop Project on your check.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
2007 membership stands at 23,719 or 91.14 percent of the Department’s 2007 membership goal.
Fifty-nine Posts within the Department have already met or exceeded their 2007 membership goals. Eleven of the fourteen Districts are over 90% of membership goal and all five Areas have exceeded 90% of their membership goals.
“Reaching the Summit” is a true possibility this year. Keep up the great job on membership.