Transcripts For CSPAN2 South 20240704

Easier to do yours with xbox quite on the other Television Providers give you a front row seat to democracy. Republican kristi noem is in the middle of her second term south dakota governor shaver state of the state address back and generate she discussed Second Amendment rights, support for the Jewish Community and healthcare for mothers and children. Before becoming governor kristi noem served eight years in the house of representatives. Her speech is about 40 minutes. [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] good afternoon. [applause] go ahead and be seated. Lieutenant governor, mr. Speaker, members of the house and senate, chief justice, members of the Supreme Court justices, because additional officers we welcome you. To all of our fellow south dakota and my job today is to give you a report on the state of our stated. Our state constitution requires me too c appear before you and deliver the speech it gives little guidance on how long the speeches should be or what snacks should be served. I have decided to take a few liberties. On your desk you will find a bag of snacks from me because i like to eat you may find these snacks are reflective of this body. They are a little salty, sometimes they are sweet and there may be a net or two in the bunch. [laughter] with that lets get started. First we have with the several members of our south Dakota National guard. And they are rock stars read so incredibly proud of that with so many members of that military veterans in the state of south dakota would all of you please stand so we canwo give you the honor that is due to you and our service to the great state into the nation. [applause] [applause] speaking of great south dakota and tablet the jackrabbits . Backtoback champs, wright wasnt going to get countdown to three they were going to yell go jacksboro. Three, two, one. Go jacksboro perfect. The team will love that. We are at a different time than we were a few short years ago. We talk about what we believe as conservatives but weve doneon that to the importance of limited government. Low taxes, american values, personal responsibility but challenging times hit our state and our country and our world we had to decide just how conservative we were really going to be here in south dakota where we justt going to talk about limited government and freedom . Or will be going to fight for . Are we going to defend it . Even when it was on the popular thing to date we stood strong on our constitution and on our state motto. Under god the people rule. Stop the codes embedded in every state in this nation because we have embraced our conservative principles. Ive often called our state small, more like a Pilot Project for conservative reforms to prove that they really do work. Our people are thriving and our economy is growing. Our state has never been in a more fiscal situation that is stable. We have cut taxes separately have created jobs together we have maximized opportunities. We have also learned there is a trick to keeping that momentum going. We have learned that we have to tell our story in order to succeed we can govern conservatively but we also need to keep our foot on the gas but south dakota success has been unprecedented in the eyes of the entire nation are on our states. We cannot miss the opportunity to capitalize on that. South dakotaa has proved conservative policies help families thrive. We have shownwn freedom does wok here. During my second inaugural address last year i gave a top 10 list of things that surprised me about beinged governor. Time for another such top 10 slist cannot possibly cover for you today all the wonderful things going on here in our state. You can hit the highlights so today im proud to present to you the top 10 list of things we are doing in south dakota to ensure that Freedom Works here. So, lets get started. Number 10 the freedom to keep and bear arms. We protect our second member rights in south dakota. Constitutional kerri it was a very first bill i signed into laws governor. Two years ago, you all worked with me too make sure our state was the first in the nation to waive all fees to conceal carry permits. [applause] we even pay for peoples federal background checks but does not cost south dakota is a penny to exercise or Second Amendment right. Last year he signed an executive order which said the state will not do business with any Financial Institutions who infringes on the Second Amendment w rights. We have been able to market our state as a Second Amendment haven. My office of Economic Development isen actively workig to recruit firearms businesses from states that do infringe on our Second Amendment rights. Lastr year, california became te first state in america to levy a special tax on guns and ammunition. We immediately invited california gun manufacturers to move here to southly dakota. We have proven Freedom Works for the gunun manufacturers. They are moving here, they are growing, they are thriving. Call tac in rapid city, Silencer Center in sioux falls they both had leadership that moved to south dakota for bettero life. These folks have built Thriving Communities that help exercise their Second Amendment rights and other companies for precision and black hills ammunition. The custom precision rifles, they are all a big part of helping this industry grow in south dakota. Many of those leaders are here today with us. I would like to recognize them for being in an industry that is under attack for standing strong and believing in our Second Amendment right and for finding their home right here in south dakota. Would to stand and allow us to recognize you for all that you are doing for our economy in south dakota, that would be fantastic. [applause] [applause] we arent going to stop there. Just last Month Department of games fish and parks broke ground moving dirt on a world class shooting range west river. South dakotas shooting complex visit premier firearms range of the midwest but the Biden Administration is undermining project. They are changing the rules after they already signed off on it. So i am going to game fish and parks to continue to build this range we are going to host worldclass events here in south dakota that will impact our economy right here in our state longterm. Now the number nine oh eight Freedom Works heres the freedom to enjoy the outdoors. My administration has made a priority to enhance our outdoor opportunities. Every year we are ranked one or two for the most hunting licenses sold per capita. My Second Center initiative is niexpanding opportunities for animal habitat across the states. South dakota has more than 5 million acres of Public Access hunting opportunities. Even though 80 of the land is privately owned. In 2023 we broke the record for the most private land enrolled in public hunting access. The reason is very simple it is respect. We respect each others private property rights. The creditor program is aimed at teaching respect for the outdoors and for the wild life to our kids into our grandkids. Every year participants turn in 50000 tales of predators that would otherwise devastate our wildlife population. This l last year 46 of the programants and that were under the age of 18. That number continues to steadily increase every single year. We are getting more south dakota kids involved in it trapping and fishing and hunting and that is a really good thing. [applause] and fact, i have a fun story for you. Department of game fish and parks works everyday with families to teach them and their kids had a hunch. For example this one family, the gingrich family have three children. Would you please stand, it gingrich family, think youre right over here, so i can talk about you and everyone can stare at you like tell your story but morgan is 16, or get waive a little bit. Samantha is 15 and will amos 13. This family signed up for the hunting 101 program to the department of game, fish, and parks they learned how to navigate comical outdoors to get their licenses. They learn firearms safety and when they went to practice at the range, they celebrated hitting the 200yard target by having ice cream. Which is right after my own heart rate that is a celebration i can get behind. Game fish and parks with help of volunteer mentor walk with them one by one to attempt to fill their deer tags. Successful harvest games and fish work with samantha and samantha did not get her dear the first time i heard she might have been a little too chatty. [laughter] morgan harvested and then samantha again got her opportunity and she was successful. Finally at mom, danielle, all five hundreds got their deer as a family they learn how to process the deer together. Prepare the wild gave for the table and now they have the tools and the skills to get back in the field together, make memories and continue to put that food on their kitchen table. They are still taking classes at the outdoor campus they gingrichs are here with us today please give them a round of applause for allowing us to tell their story. [applause] these kinds of stories are possible because in south dakota we respect the freedom to enjoy the outdoors number eight way south dakota can improve Freedom Works here is we have the freedom to farm andnd ranch. Hunting is fundamental to south dakota way of life but i can think of one thing that is more fundamental, farming. Top 10 in the country for production of 25 different agriculture communities and 2commodities. Our farmers, our ranchers provides, about 30 of our stats economic output. South Dakota Farmers are free to farm and our ranchers are free to ranch. Lester brought forward legislation that would have stopped foreign adversaries from purchasing eggplant infr south dakota. China and other evil evil foreign governments are executing a plan to own our ag land and control our food supply. Although it last years proposal to regulate these purchases did not pass we continued to discuss solutions from all of the folks involved in impacted. Congress has not taken action. We cannot really afford to wait another year and in just the past decade at chinas ownership of american ag land has increased by over 5003 100 . It is too important of an issue to our National Security to let another year go by and do nothing. Let our enemies gain a larger foothold and our economy and Food Supply Chain but south dakota respects the freedom to farm and to ranch for that freedom should not extend to our enemies. Which leads us to number seven the freedom to be secure. One of the biggest reasons we cannot allow americas adversaries like china to own south Dakota Ag Land is Ellsworth Air force base is soon going to be the next generation bomber. It willom keep america safe for decades to come. They beat 21 took its first test flight just two months ago. Our enemies are going to do everything they can to get intelligence on that bomber. It is our duty to do what we must do here in south dakota to make sure they fail and we succeed at keeping america safe. Sometimes keeping people safe means we need to extend our efforts beyond south dakota. Bidens Administration Failures at the border have been so well documented i dont need to talk about them in great length here. For the third time in less than three years south Dakota National guard troops have gone there to help. I was there with our soldiers at the border i saw the inhumanity of bidens failed policies. Untill those policies that change, the lack of security at our southern border is making south dakota less safe here att home. Devastating our communities are now caused by fentanyl south dakota is not immune to this. We have it lead the nation and the decrease in Overdose Deaths two out of the last three years. We are Second Lowest in the nation overall. That does not mean we stop there. We have to tackle the rising challenge of fentanyl and this new drug that is being utilized cold as i louisiana. Otherwise known and you have heard it referred to as zombie drug. When its mixed with a fentanyl and makes an already deadly drug even deadlier. It brings without a whole host of negative health consequences. My department of health is working with our attorney general on drafting legislation to schedule it as a schedule three controlled substance to combat the challenge right here in south dakota. Now, Freedom Works here because we have the freedom to also get a Second Chance. That leads us to our next bullet point. If south dakota and still get involved in drugs or another ant of crime that should not be the final word on their life. Ththe punishment should match te crime, always but they should also have the ability to be rehabilitated, to become better, to become capable members of our society. The new prisons we are working on together will help us achieve that. There will be constructed to provide Second Chances for people, gives the space to maneuver different Treatment Options and learn skills late spoke at a graduation for the sixth circuit problem solving courts it changed my life to hear the stories they told that day. There were eight different graduates that were there. All of whom had been sober for a year or more but some alcoholism, some differentnt drugs. They stood up, they shared their stories, they share their hopes and dreams for their future. Andnd in fact more than one or 0 south dakota ends graduated from this Initiative Last year. It is a rigorous program it includes a five different faces and requires frequent alcohol and drug testing. It is a proven strategy that reduces recidivism that saves tax dollars in the long run and it resolves or restores hope and dignity for all of those individuals. We have settlement with us today, where are you . There you are. She is a wonderful woman has done incredible things throughout the community. When i spoke at the problemsolving Court Graduation for her contribution of volunteer work, thank you for supporting all of those individuals and walking with him through life. Thank you for what you do for people in ourur state to be ther mentor, their support, their prayer partner, and we need more people like you helping us out of this world to help people recover and support them to the process of healing. Will you all join me and giving her a round of applause . [applause] [applause] i think Everybody Knows her. And shes a hug or who i love. Unfortunately cannot have this program in her p old and crowded prisons last month i commuted the sentence of a number of inmates who are qualified and giving them hope of the future. They had been incarcerated with ingestion as the highest defense they are now on parole. Now they can begin working with their supervised parole supervisors transitioning back into their communities we will continue to evaluate the Second Chance opportunities for those who prove they deserve them. Once individuals are out of custody and backk into society want them to have the opportunity to build a career so they can provide for themselves and their families. In the last several years we have advanced reform as a variety of different ways and paths forward. Ayar there is another path that we should take during this legislative session. My department of labor and regulation is bringing legislation to provide a Second Chance licensing opportunities. This bill creates a set of standards to consider criminal histories and a possiblean rehabilitation by applicants and licensees. We need more plumbers, we need more electricians, more welders and on related criminal paths should not stop qualified applicants refilling these roles. Ng[applause] number five the freedom to be respected. Providing these kinds of opportunities is about dignity but its also about respect. We should respect every Single Person as an individual, as an equal, as an american. Tomorrow is state tribal relations state we will advance and effort that i have been working on since i become governor. Tomorrow well hang tribal flags in the rotunda of this capitol. Three years ago i signed legislation that allows our states and nine native american tribes of the respective tribal flags hanging on or in our states. Will hang that first of those of Standing Rock sioux tribe in the rosebud sioux tribe. Our tribes are part of who we are in south dakota. We respect their heritage i invite you all to attend that ceremony tomorrow. Who also continued to support the freedom ofup our jewish and israeli neighbors who need to be respected. On october 7, hamas terrorist committed atrocities against the nation of israel some of which are so savage they are unspeakable. Since then further hate and discrimination have occurred in america at an increased rate of 388 over the last year. College campuses across the country have become breeding grounds for discussing antisemitic acts. Recently there have even been isolated incidents right here in south dakota. The more it happens, the more it will be normalized. We must stop it before that happens i am so proud to support legislation that t will come ths year to define antisemitism to make it easier to prove when conduct is motivated by antisemitism. That strengthens our antidiscrimination laws. It ensures our allies and citizens are safe and they will be protected. [applause] number for the freedom to learn it. This includes supporting the teachers who give our kids the opportunity to learn. Teacher salaries have not kept up with increased funding to w education. After this year we will have rates of funding to k12 in south dakota by more than 26 since ive been your governor for the teacher pay lags f behind our teachers deserve better. Yes, i know schools have their own challenges. But i also know this, the blue ribbon recommendation was not just teacher pay would gome up. The blue ribbon promise was teachers would be the firsthe priority that they would be paid more, so lets do it. In my budget address last month i discussed particular success of a program called the jobs for americas graduate t program. Which is preparing at Risk High School Students for college or career oncee they graduate. These. Students are accomplishig incredible things we have with us here today one student i am confident will accomplish fantastic things in the life that is ahead of her. Melina shields she said i could call her mel she is sitting right appear today if you want to stand is a first and current statewide president jagged south dakota. Shes a junior at lyman high school. She has represented south dakota at the jag National Leadership conference in washington d. C. P twice. And, because of our visits to d. C. Shes interested in pursuing a degree in Political Science in business it. And perhaps a one date representing south dakota in a leadership role. Maybe you could have this job, right . T . She is working with other students toer coordinate a Community Meal for the town which will be held this month. Now lets she has faced challenges in her life she could let that stop her from succeeding but because of her own hard work the support of the initiative shes setting herself up for a lifetime of success in a bright bright future. Please join me and giving mel a round of applause today. [applause] when the students graduate of every opportunity available to them someone jump right into a career in that his greats. Some wont go to one of our tech colleges we have some of the very best of tech colleges in the nation. Some will go to college but some might even join our National Guard and then go to college for the young adults that make up the brave choice to raise their right hand and serve our nation deserve our utmost respect. They deserve our thanks and our support. [applause] last year this product work of matrixed intuition for nationall guards men and women to one 100 of the state universities. I am asking you to finish the job and toin extend that opportunity to soldiers and airmen who choose to go to private colleges here in south dakota as c well. That leaves me too number three, the ways Freedom Works here is the freedom to be healthy. South dakota we value the healthy life no matter where you live every south dakota and should have the freedom to live where they want but they should not have to choose between a rural way of life and good Successful Health outcomes. And Rural Communities emergency respondersre are sometimes the only local Healthcare Providers that they have. They often show up at our very worst moments. Nation my em teacher andat overweight is at 36 in south dakota nearly 90 of Emergency Medical Services are done by volunteers. Er ipo work to support the dedicatd men and women of this critical workforce. For the past two years my department of health is been working to advance access to our state with a 20 million investment. Wewe have put brandnew stateoftheart life a pack of 15 inte the back of ambulances across south dakota. We work with Indian Health services to get the devices at no charge and ambulances and in their crews and buttes in pine ridge. We had over 400 stakeholder meetings over the course of eight months. Later this Year Department of health a route 7. 5 Million Grant Program to Ambulance Services. This effort is going to support the implementation of regional hubs and much more. Emf transport times range from a few minutes to over an hour. During transport professionals on the back of the ambulance, they are caring for a patient often times they arenc alone. South dakota change that we are the first state in the country to implement telemedicine and motion. Telemedicine to connect physicians, nurses and paramedics with the ems personnel in the field but we work with ourhe partners in e ce to do it and there is nothing elsese like it in the country. Nearly 90 Ambulance Services throughout the state have installed telemedicine and motion but while the first major calls to telemedicine came last december. A rancher who is out caring for his buffalo was attacked by one of his animals. His injuries were lifethreatening. He had dozens of injuries from the horns and the hosts of the animal multiple broken ribs a lungs were filling up with the blood. His neck was broken and much more. After pulling himself into his front end loader and driving back home for help he was picked up byck the local ems agency who connected with the team via telemedicine. On Board Certified physician and nurses were available on camera to helpel stabilize the rancher. They coordinate with receiving hospital, the activated care flight team to expedite the transfer to the patient to sioux falls. The crew arrived at the hospital. After the patient recovered he should feedback with his care team. They held their life and my in my handsand then they gave io me. Something that i will forever be grateful for. Ladies and gentlemen, lets welcome that buffalo rancher and outfitter along with his wife, cindy, who is here with us would you please stand . [applause] jim is still here with us today thanks to the dedicated work of ed and today i have a very special announcement that i would like to make. I would like to hon or ed and dr. Katie and casey with the governors award of heroism for thanking them for the incredible action they took that day for tisaving jims life and all that they do here for the people in south dakota, so congratulations, thank you so being this years recipient of the governors award ofs heroism. Please stand. [applause] these efforts are an investment in the future of ems but more importantly they are saving lives. We are down to number 2. The second wave at Freedom Works here is to provide freedom for life. In order to have a healthy life we must first have the freedom to get off to the right start. The freedom extends to every single listen to that. Thats perfect, isnt it . That freedom extends to every single south dakotan before they are born and until the day that they die. Later this weekly proclaim the 2024 will be the freedom for life year in south dakota the most important way to advance this is takingan care of moms ad babies before birth and after. Being prolife doesnt mean that you value the childs life before their birth and throughout their life, it means that youreng valuing and protecting that mothers life as well. [applause] the first one thousand days of a childs life from the moment they are conceived until the second birthday are the most significant days of their development. For instance, poor nutrition in the first one thousand days can cause irreversible damage to ars childs growing brain. It affecting their future in school and beyond. Lack of prenatal care and if the childs mother is abused, if the child does not have a sleep environment, each of these can have countless negative impacts on that babyies future. We have dedicated resources and time to this. We can still do more to prevent the rising death rates of south dakota moms and babies particularly among your native americans living in tribal lands. So what we are doing in southak dakota we are offering the bright star program and to get oneonone to nursing until pregnancy to childs second birthday. These moms have also access to prenatal and post natal coverage. The majority of infant deaths can be tied to unsafe sleep departments. So department of health has provided safe sleep recommendations and education to new and expecting parents. We help mothers and dss will provide help for pregnant moms struggling with Substance Abuse disorder along with them and holding them accountable through their treatment as well. We are doing all of this and so much more to help moms and families and their babies before their birth and after. You can find all of this information on lifesd. Gov. Rmom can go about parenting, adoption and more. Number one way that we here in south dakota can show and can talk about the fact that Freedom Works here is by providing an opportunity for people to have the freedom to work. Ings this what america was built on. South dakota will continue to remind the rest of the country the value of hard work and the dignity that it brings when you do. We have the freedom to get up every single morning and to provide for ourselves and for our families, thats the american dream. [applause] i always say that south dakotans are some of the hardestworking people that we kknow. We understand value of hard work and my goal as governor has never been to create a government that does everything for people but to create a government that empowers our people to do the things for themselves. When a Global Pandemic hits many states close down, south dakota, we just kept work while other states were experiencing record high unemployment rates we broke the National Record for the lowest state unemployment just last year. We are creating opportunities for people to get into the career of their dreams. Last year we announced an effort to expand apprenticeship opportunities for professions across the state. We want today give workers an opportunity to get trained for a career while still bringing home aa paycheck to their families. We want today give businesseso the support that they needed to start and extend apprenticeship programs. In the first two quarters since launching the expanded effort, we have more than doubled the amount of apprenticeships from recent years and we are just getting started. I knew that if we could tell our story thatt freedomloving americans from across the country would want to be a part of what we are doing here. I knew that we need today celebrate our success and then take the opportunity to capitalize on it, to build on it. I knew we had to show that all of america that freedom does work here in south dakota. We are continuing our workforce recruitment campaigns. This campaign is only six months old. Weve received thousands of applicants interested in moving to our state through our program, not counting those who independently made the move. Thousands have alreadydy moved here and the ads have been viewed by more than 850 Million People in times nationwide. Wee did the research in some of the mostneeded professions in south dakota, the results were professions like electricians, plumbers, welders and even accountants and we targeted ads towards those professions. After first round of ads i had businesses asking how to keep the campaign going. It quickly became clear that the ads were working and that we need today do more. That is the single highest number of hopings that we need to fill. The ads are so successful because all they do is tell south dakota story. 43 increase in accountants. Our labor force has grown by more than 10,000 people in just the last year. Our license recognition bill combined is a powerful tandem to fill the muchneeded jobs, thats a story that many people across the country have never heard before. Folks are moving here in record numbers to become part of winning way of life. Californians and new yorkers have never seen a state like ours, a state that actually trusts its people and one that embraces and promotes liberty and freedom. There you have it. Top 10 reasons why Freedom Works here in south dakota. Im sure there are more though, in fact, there are probably a hundred thousand more reasons because every single resident of south dakota represents our way of life, godgiving rights and our freedoms that we hold so dear. I will continue to challenge the status quo. I will continue to push for innovation, i will look for out of box solutions, be prepared. Look at everything our state has accomplished in the last five years. We would not be where we are today experiencing the growth thathe we have been experiencing the last several years if we had not figured out a way to keep momentum of success going. I am not going to slow down. We cant afford it. Not when people are flocking by the thousands to be like us. May god richly bless you and your family and may god continue to bless the great state of south dakota, have a wonderful day. [applause] followed by speeches governors of oklahoma and hawaii, respectively. On thursday, march seventh, president joeiden delivers thestate of the state union address. We are funded by these Television Companies and more including cox