SB 71: Kloucek, Dems Fight for Small-Town Drivers License Stations

Kloucek Pokes at Executive Branch

Senator Frank Kloucek (D-19/Scotland) is on the job for small towns. After South Dakota's executive branch closed 15 small-town drivers licensing stations, he's proposing Senate Bill 71 to reopen those stations, not to mention reassert the Legislature's authority on such matters.

Our man Rep. Mitch Fargen (D-8/Flandreau) is on board as a sponsor. So is Sen. Scott Heidepriem (D-13/Sioux Falls). Heidepriem's sponsorship is interesting, given that the small-town closures were done to divert resources for expanding drivers licensing services for his own Sioux Falls constituents.

There is one Republican among the sponsors, but the rest are all Democrats. Once again, Frank Kloucek and the Dems lead the charge as the true defenders of small-town South Dakota.

-----------------------------------------
Related: Senator Kloucek is also sponsoring SB 72, which adds an English language requirement to drivers license exams.

But here's a real kicker: Kloucek's SB 73 would provide funding for six full-time interpreters drivers license station interpreters, two each for Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Aberdeen. Where does he find the funding for these interpreters? By cutting six FTE's from the FY2010 appropriation for the Office of the Governor.