What Strings? SD Senate OKs Unemployment Rules to Get Stimulus

Governor Rounds has argued that $5.9 million of stimulus money isn't worth the onerous strings attached by Washington. Neither his own Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council nor two-thirds of our Congressional delegation bought that argument.

Now the South Dakota Senate has weighed in, unanimously approving HB 1176, which was hoghoused to satisfy the requirements of the stimulus package to get the $5.9 million Governor Rounds would reject.

And now, for your enjoyment, here are the enormous strings attached to this chunk of stimulus money:

For an individual who fails to meet the minimum requirements of 61-6-7 due to insufficient wages, the base period is the four completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the individual's benefit year.

If I'm reading the bill right, that's it. One amendment to our unemployment insurance rules. One measly string.

This hoghoused bill rolls back to the House. Don't expect them to say no to $5.9 million dollars. They'll pass the buck to the Governor to see if he's really willing to put his veto pen where his mouth is.