District 7 Legislative Report: Accountability requires attendance by lawmakers

By District 7 State Sen. Tim Reed | R-Brookings

Crossover day is one of the most important milestones of the legislative session. It is the deadline by which most bills must pass one chamber to remain alive. In a short session, it forces clarity. Bills either have the votes to move forward, or they do not. It is a moment when legislators are expected to show up, cast their votes, and be accountable for their positions.

When session began on crossover day last week, one legislator was not in attendance. A procedure known as a “call of the house” was initiated, which is used to secure the attendance of members when their presence is required. During that process, the legislator could not be located. When a member will not be available for a vote or for a portion of session, it is expected that the presiding officer be notified. In this instance, State Sen. John Carley of Piedmont was not present and his whereabouts were not known during the call.

Crossover day is not a routine calendar event. It determines which proposals advance and which come to an end. On a day with that level of consequence, participation matters. Casting a recorded vote makes a position clear to constituents. Being absent leaves uncertainty about where that member stood when decisions were being made.

Disagreement is part of representative government. Close votes are part of representative government. But participation is fundamental to representative government. Voters send legislators to Pierre to engage, debate, and vote, especially on consequential days when decisions determine which proposals continue and which do not.

This session has involved serious issues; property taxes, teacher and state employee raises, Medicaid health care reimbursements, rural health funding, emergency medical services, and protections for vulnerable South Dakotans. Those decisions deserve full participation and transparency.

Crossover day should be about where the votes stand, not about who is missing.

As the session continues, I remain committed to showing up, voting my position openly, and ensuring that the record reflects where I stand on behalf of Brookings, District 7, and South Dakota.