Irecentlymetwithseveral childcareprovidersinSioux Falls to discuss challenges their industry faces. One of the biggest challenges to filling the available jobs across our state is the lack of available childcare, and I knew that our childcare providers would be best at finding solutions to increase access and affordability. We had a fantastic discussion about streamlining regulations that are currently placed on our childcare industry and how to start fixing the broken business model. I was so movedbythesefolks’insight and passion. And I loved their emphasis on helping South Dakota families.

That’s at the heart of everything I do as Governor: helping families. Building stronger families leads to stronger communities. In turn, stronger communities buildastrongerSouthDakota. With every action I take, and every policy I pursue, I focusonmakingSouthDakota safer and stronger for our kids and grandkids. That’s what family is all about – setting our next generation up for success.

In the past few years, we have promoted families in South Dakota by extending paidfamilyleaveopportunities tostateemployees.Inmy budget for next year, I will include resources to help expand these opportunities to private employers across the state.

I will continue to work on increasingaccesstochildcare. We have awarded numerous grants to childcare providers across the state to help them cover costs and continue to help families, but we have more work to do. One of their biggest challenges is that they can’t provide benefits to their employees,soIwillbeworking on a solution that will make employmentinchildcaremore attractiveforpotentialemployees. We will also overhaul our child care rules and regulations, in partnership with the industry leaders.

And we will continue our work to recruit more foster families in our state. All kids deserve to grow up in a family where they are loved and protected, and foster families help provide that opportunity to many of our precious South Dakota children. We met our goal this past year of recruiting 300 new families tohelpkidswhoareincrisis, and we will continue working to meet our new goal of recruiting 900 families over the next three years.

So many of the folks moving to South Dakota are doing it for family reasons. Their kids didn’t have the opportunity to learn in the classroom. They couldn’t taketheirfamiliestochurch. When governments closed these families’ small businesses, it became harder to put food on the table. Some ofthemwerepreventedfrom saying “goodbye” to a loved oneintheirfinaldays.Forall of these reasons and more, they were moved by South Dakota’s Freedom, and they chosetomakeourstatetheir home.

Bryon and I love our family. Thehonorofourlifetimes has been raising three children who love their family andhaveanevendeeperlove for the Lord. And as a new grandma, I’m once again being reminded of the joy that children bring into the world. I want to continue to promote strong families for thesakeofmygrandchildren – and for kids and grandkids across the state of South Dakota.