S.D. Democratic leadership focuses on workforce development

South Dakota’s Democratic leadership say their focus for the 2014 legislative session is workforce development. Among the issues they brought up was Medicaid expansion, a minimum wage increase, K-12 funding and decreasing college debt burden for SD students.

“We have to change our mindsets,” said Rep. Julie Bartling (D-SD). “We have restaurant workers who can’t afford lunch and health care workers who can’t afford insurance. That’s wrong.”

The leadership spoke in a press conference Thursday outlining their plans to strengthen the workforce in South Dakota.

Republicans also spoke the press earlier in the day. Questions focused on open government. A reporter’s notebook is to follow with more details.