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SDPB Radio Coverage of the South Dakota Legislature. See all coverage and find links to audio and video streams live from the Capitol at www.sdpb.org/statehouse

House Passes Native American Task Force Bill

The State House of Representatives passed House Bill 1213 Thursday, to establish a task force to analyze and promote economic development for Native American’s in South Dakota. Republican State Representative Don Haggar says improving the quality of life for the Native American population is a must.

"When you hear people from outside the state talk about us, they’ll mention Mt. Rushmore but they’ll also mention the high levels of poverty on our nine reservations," Representative Haggar says. "And that’s right, there is a significant level of poverty on the reservations; extremely high levels of unemployment. Some of the reservations have unemployment levels of over 70 percent."

Representative Haggar and other proponents to House Bill 1213 say this bill is a step in the process of empowering economic development on tribal lands. This bill passed the house unanimously, with two excused, and it goes next to the Senate.

Nate Wek is currently the sports content producer and sports and rec beat reporter for South Dakota Public Broadcasting. He is a graduate of South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism Broadcasting and a minor in Leadership. From 2010-2013 Nate was the Director of Gameday Media for the Sioux Falls Storm (Indoor Football League) football team. He also spent 2012 and 2013 as the News and Sports Director of KSDJ Radio in Brookings, SD. Nate, his wife Sarah, and two kids Braxan and Jordy, live in Canton, SD.