Last week the South Dakota Senate voted 26 to 8 to send Senate Bill one over to the House. State Farm Bureau Lobbyist Mike Held says his group backs the measure which for the most part is identical to House Bill 1131, the Governor’s proposal to put $50 million toward infrastructure upkeep. He says the difference is the Senate measure puts limitations on the collection of property taxes at the local level for roads and bridges.

Held says that’s the diesel farmers use in their tractors. He’s optimistic about the chances for those pieces of legislation getting final approval.

Held says HB 1131 should come up in the House this week.

Held says funding for infrastructure is badly needed at the township and county levels especially in the Northeast part of the state where there’s a lot of need for bridge repair.