PIERRE, (KCCR) — Governor Kristi Noem’s budget highlighted support for a statewide public defender office to handle appeals, abuse and neglect and habeas cases but did not highlight any other specific funding to help ease the financial burden on counties. An interim summer study could bring 10 or so bills to the 99th session of the South Dakota Legislature this winter. District 24 Representative Mike Weisgram says county funding will be where the debate begins…
House Majority Leader District 24 Representative Will Mortenson says establishing the public defender office will help take some obligation off the counties plate…
District 24 Senator Jim Mehlhaff served on two interim groups looking at indigent legal services and county funding and is hoping an idea using the tax on alcohol sales can help counties….
The 99th session of the South Dakota Legislature begins when Noem returns to the House Chamber for the State of the State address on January 9th.
