2021 Brookings/SDSU Day at the Capitol

Day at the Capitol is designed to allow individuals the opportunity to see how our state government works, to dialogue with state officials about relevant topics, and to promote the community of Brookings and South Dakota State University. This event is a collaboration between Brookings Economic Development Corporation, South Dakota State University, and the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce Public Affairs Committee.  With the ongoing pandemic, the 2021 event has been moved to a virtual event.

Participants have the option to participate on their own, or with a small group at the Ben Franklin event hall starting at 9AM on 1/20/2021.

How to participate
The 2021 Brookings/SDSU Day at the Capitol will take place virtually in Brookings this year via Zoom with an option to watch with others at the Ben Franklin (420 Main Ave) event hall in downtown Brookings.

IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION
You will have three options to choose from as you register. 
1. Virtual Registration
        You will participate virtually from your home/office on your own device.
2. In-Person Registration With Lunch
        You would join others at the Ben Franklin event hall in downtown Brookings to watch via Zoom. Lunch is provided at 12pm for an extra $10.00 if you choose this option. Leadership Brookings class (15 individuals) will be attending with this option. 
3. In-Person Registration Without Lunch
        You would join others at the Ben Franklin event hall in downtown Brookings to watch via Zoom with other members of the public as well as the Leadership Brookings class (15 individuals). With this registration option, you would prefer to figure out a lunch on your own.

Registration is due by Tuesday, January 19 at 1pm. 

 
Day’s Agenda
9:00 AM – Department of Transportation
        Joel Jundt, Interim Secretary of Transportation
        Mike Behm, Director of the Division of Planning & Engineering
        Craig Smith, Division Director, Operations Support

• Talking points:
  • Highway 14 corridor study
  • I-29 interchange project
  • Past, present, future 6^th Street work
  • Bike path funding opportunities

• Talking points:
  •  Technical college presence in Brookings
  •  CTE facilities and programming funding
  • Future of “Reinvestment Payment Program” and “SD JOBS Program” – change in requirements possible?
  • Future of EDPP Program
  • Economic development leveraging capacity of university research and education
  • What is being done to recruit value added ag businesses (dairies, processing plants, etc)

• Talking points:
  • Hemp legislation and rules
  • Combining of the departments – justification for doing so
    • Process for combining and who has authority
    • Will this have impact on permitting process on concentrated animal feeding operations?
  • DENR was responsible for clean water issues – who will do that now?
  • Expansion of CAFOs

• Talking points:
  • Pending bills
  • Bioprocessing
  • Needs-based scholarships
  • Marijuana
  • Additional COVID/CARES funding

• Talking points
  • Needs-based scholarships
  • COVID impact (enrollment -on campus, online - financial, etc)
  • Report on SB55
  • Per pupil funding formula (variance explanation)
  • Regents’ legislative priorities
  • University Center – impact on other institutions