Greetings from Pierre and the 88th Session of the SD Legislature from Senator Chuck Welke.
• This is my first term as the State Senator from District 2 and I would like to introduce myself and give you some information about the first week of the session.  I am originally from Redfield and have been a resident of Warner since 1977.  After having served for thirty-five years in the field of education I retired in 2010.    District 2 is made up of Brown, Clark, Hamlin, and Spink Counties.       
• We are proud to serve as citizen-lawmakers who take great pride in our accessibility to all of you as our constituents.  We return home each weekend and discuss the issues with the local residents.  We are truly the legislature of the people

and we do want to hear from you.
• This year the Governor's State of the State provided a shared optimistic outlook on the current status and future of our Great State. Stewardship is an understood concept by all of us who know how to pay our bills and be an asset to society. The criminal justice reform legislation will be a focal point for this legislative session, and we look forward to the potential this bill has for an increased focus on alternative sentencing, mental health, and integrating our prisoners back into society. All of this will require upfront investment of money and people, but we can hopefully avoid the

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