• Criminal justice reform was tackled in Senate Bill 70.  Many non-violent offenders with alcohol and drug offenses will be given sentences such as community monitoring and treatment rather than going to prison.  These offenders will be given an opportunity at intensive probation but will be closely monitored.  If they offend again they will go back to jail.  The violent offenders will be locked up in the state prison.   Some of the funding normally going to the Department of Corrections will be redirected to counties and municipalities for the purpose of this reform. 
• Senate Bill 235 developed the Building South Dakota program to attract large businesses and companies to South Dakota.  A portion of the contractor's excise tax will be diverted to affordable housing, career technical education, and English

Language Learning programs.  Four legislators will be appointed to the Governor's Opportunity Economic Development board for oversight of the selected businesses.
• The Joint Appropriations Committee refused to add money to the state budget to cover an expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.  An amendment to add $1.5 million of state spending to receive $59.8 million in federal funds to cover an additional 48,000 low-income people was turned down.  Governor Daugaard, however, plans to set up a group to study whether South Dakota should expand the

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