Republican leaders are discussing budget plans in light of the approximate $41 million surplus available in one-time funds.
House Majority Leader Will Mortenson said these funds could be used to improve aspects of South Dakota communities, such as cybersecurity, teacher apprentice programs, and prison infrastructure.
“We really need facilities that live up to the name. The Department of Corrections - and that there’s actual rehabilitation done there,” he said in a press conference Thursday. “Getting those prisons built, getting the money set aside for them is a real priority.”
Mortenson said the state is lucky to have one-time cash for these projects, to avoid cutting into revenue allotments like nursing home funds or teacher salaries.
Both Republican and Democratic leaders acknowledge the importance of continuing to bolster school funding and addressing teacher shortages.