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• Agriculture-
• Knowing that agriculture is our state's #1 industry with $20.9 billion dollars in annual economic impact, it is no surprise that a number of agriculture issues dominated the 2013 Legislative Session.
• Senate Bill 195 had tremendous bipartisan support and will provide economic development by adjusting the taxes paid by wind generating facilities. This is an interesting concept where we can reduce the upfront contractors excise and sales taxes in the form of a rebate for new wind generation. Along with this rebate, the bill will reduce the tax break on gross receipts taxes and accelerate the payment of those taxes to county, school district, and the state.
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• Tourism-
• We passed House Bill 1066 to permanently expand the gross receipts tax for tourism.  The Tourism Tax is a 1.5 cent sales tax on purchases made at visitor intensive businesses that generate most of their money in June, July, August, and September. Visitor intensive businesses collect the tourism tax during these four summer months.  Other industries such as lodging establishments, campgrounds, motor vehicle rentals, visitor attractions, recreational equipment rentals, recreational services, and spectator events collect and pay on the gross receipts the entire year.
• Medicaid Expansion-
• The Governor has recommended a Task Force to continue to study Medicaid Expansion. While we had hoped we could follow the example of so many other states and settle this issue during the Session, we continue to hope that this worthy program will be expanded.  We would be bringing in close to $200 million federal dollars to SD to care for those in need, make our citizens healthier, and keep them out of more expensive emergency care.
• It has been an exciting session and it has gone by quickly.  As we finish this year's work we look forward to the interim as we will be studying issues to address in next year's session.  If you have ideas and/or concerns please let me know so we can talk about them and put together plans to deal with them.  I have enjoyed my time with the legislators, pages, interns, and the many others that work to make the session successful.  Most importantly is the input we get from the constituents so please contact me with your concerns.  Also, please let me know what is going on in your communities so I can get out visiting you and your friends and families.   
• Senator Chuck Welke
• District Two
• Brown, Clark, Hamlin, and Spink Counties
• 605-229-1467 (H)   • 605-216-1467 (C)
• chuckwelke@abe.midco.net