The halfway point of session came and passed last week. There are no specific deadlinesthatcomewiththat day, but it is a mark in time that predicts less easy votes and more difficult votes will remain.

Twobigbillsthatwerevoted on in the House chamber were HB 1198 and HB 1099. HB 1198 was defeated and HB 1099 passed. I spoke in favor of both.

HB1198wasacompromise bill. ItwouldallowtheGovernor toselecttheirLieutenant Governor candidate, and it would also put the Secretary of State and Attorney General candidates from each party on the primary ballot to be selected by all registered voters eligible for

the Republican and Democrat primary. The bill would leave the election of State Treasurer, Auditor, School and Public Landscommissioner,andPUC commissioners to the state conventions. Currently, only county party officers or precinct committee persons can vote at convention.

Over the last decade, I have been one of two to four people in McCook County to be able to vote for these candidates at convention. Everyone else in the county has and continues to be disenfranchised by this process. In 2022, 10 counties did not have representation to vote at the convention. It’s my view that all registered voters should have the right to select these candidates within their party. On the House floor I

posed the question, “Imagine all of our voters got to vote for Secretary of State right now. Every year, they are used to that.Imaginestandinguphere today arguing we should take that vote away from them. Just because it’s status quo doesn’t mean it’s right.” I’m proud to say I took a vote to give you the right to vote.

HB 1099 expands the scope of practice for Optometrists. It adds four procedures to their scope of practice such as removing a skin tag and clearing blurring following cataract surgery. This bill has been brought in years past and defeated. This year it passed by a widemarginontheHousefloor, andIpredictsimilarsuccessin theSenate. Inmyfloorremarks I commented, “I believe my local optometrist when she says she is educated and trained to perform these procedures. She has diagnosed, treated, and managed eye diseases and complicationsfromtreatments her entire career.” This bill provides better access to care for our citizens in our rural district. Instead of having to

make an appointment and take a day to drive to Sioux Falls with blurry vision following cataract surgery, optometriststhataretrained andcertifiedtopracticethese procedures can take care of the problem at the time of the patient’s checkup in our hometowns.

As always, please reach outtomewithanycomments, questions, or concerns at 605-530-6248 or drew.peterson@ sdlegislature.gov. I appreciate the opportunity to serve you. Best regards, Drew Peterson State Representative District 19 Salem