The final week of the 2023 legislative session ended Thursday, March 9, with passing the 2024 Fiscal Year Budget.

Funding for education and state employees will increase seven percent. Medicaid Expansion which was passed by the voters in the last election is being funded in the budget. Funding forhealthcareproviders will increase five percent. In addition, community providers including nursing homesandcommunitysupport providerswillbereceiving 100 percent of cost methodology. Cost methodology is a formula designed to show the cost of providingservices.Thisahuge step in supporting the nursing homes and providers that take of people with disabilities. I carried House Bill 1167 on the Senate floor to put in statute that 100 percent of cost would be covered every year. The bill was defeated, but since the legislature has now set the precedent for covering 100 percent in the coming year it should be something to strive for every year.

The budget bill was Senate Bill 210. There was strong unity on the budget this year; it passed the Senate, 29 to 3, and the House, 66 to 3; I voted in favor.

There were a number of tax proposalsthisyear.Theirfinal result was moving the state sales tax rate from 4.5 to 4.2 and this rate will be in effect forfouryears,expiringJune 30, 2027, if there is no further legislative action. The sales tax bill passed the Senate, 31-2, and the House, 70-0; I voted in favor.

Veto Day will be held Monday, March 27.

I can be contacted at 605-660-6468orkyle.schoenfish@ sdlegislature.gov