REPORTER NOTES: Republican Press Conference
Please note: These are not all direct quotes, but a paraphrased version of the press conference.
Republican Press Conference
– Senator Timothy Rave, Senate Majority Leader
– Senator Dan Lederman, Asst. Senate Majority Leader
– Representative Justin Cronen, Asst. House Majority Leader
– Representative David Lust, House Majority Leader
Lust: Everything we do on the floor is open to you (media)
I don’t know what the practical benefit would be
Given our size, I think it’s important that we can have Caucus meetings … to have that time together and to be closed.
Express their views confidently
– Confidentiality works
With size (of councils), there should be a meeting to discuss views with confidentiality.
The public response is what is creating momentum with the SD High School Association bill.
Lederman:
– protect identities, and protect some information involving state
As a knew legislator, you have a lot of dumb questions. It’s nice to have a place to ask those questions without being criticized.
– positive for new members to ask questions, be prepared for questions on the floor
Openness in government, but closed for safety
in order to have confidence, we need to know that stuff is getting done (reporter)
Rave:
Most of it is local issue, not stuff passed at the state level.
Some of it is just uneducation
we’ve done quite a bit. is there more to go? you bet.
– People don’t want to say dumb stuff, then show up on the front page from stuff spilling out.
Cronen:
Compared to a school board, do our job Jan. 14 to March _
It’s different how we get a hundred and odd emails on different bills.
Ask questions to prepare for fear that they don’t look like the senator/representative they were elected to be.
We are elected to be statesmen and make a practical decision and it’s hard.
– has to make decisions for all he represents
Public has time to come in and talk/give feedback.
Then we go to the floors and debate that bill if it comes out of committee
I have traveled around the country for stream line sales tax…
There’s no more access to a legislator that I have seen, or a citizen, or a reporter… you can ask us any question you want and we will tell you where we’re at.
I don’t know of any other state that is more accessible than the one I’m standing in right now.
Lust:
You’re saying it’s up to the legislation to solve all the problems, that’s not my perspective.
We’re 105 individuals but we are prompted to act by March.
We respond to the community.
– open government is where you (public) want it to be: You’ve got to keep pushing.
Keep doing what you’re doing, keep pushing, it’s gotten better.
Don’t say it’s a failure when it’s a work in progress.
