My legislative priorities focus on things that matter and impact us all. Regardless of political affiliation, we all benefit from these principles:
Priorities
Properly Funded Education
Strong public education is the key to success across the board. Every child must have all the tools available in their toolbox. It is our responsibility to properly support education.
Rural Healthcare Resources
In South Dakota, we value our rural communities. Elected officials ensure our rural citizens have access to the healthcare they need, where and when they need it.
Tracking Ever-Changing Digital DEMANDS
It’s complicated. You are reading this on a phone or tablet. I’ll email you back (right away!) from my iphone. Technology is changing and communities are concerned about environmental impacts and taxpayer subsidies for private businesses. Leaders need to learn, lead, and communicate about technology shifts and impacts.
For every piece of legislation, I’d love a scale of “how many does this help vs. how many does this hurt?” Let’s look at what helps and what hurts and go from there. Ideas for legislation should help many and it should’t hurt targeted people in the process.
HELPING THE MOST
true Concerns of South Dakotans
We know our current political climate can be tense. I’m known for standing up and speaking out, with respect and civility, to hold elected officials accountable—it’s a reason I decided to run. I believe to adequately represent our communities, leaders must prioritize the real needs and true concerns of the people in those communities.
Real QuestionS
How many recent legislative bills have impacted you, your family, or your community?
After South Dakota legislators went home from Pierre, how did your life change or improve? How did it not?
Seriously, tell me! Knowing your story helps me represent you better. Email me at leslieforsd@gmail or contact me at 605-496-9642
No time to Play Politics
Friends, the South Dakota legislative session is only 35-40 days long.
That means major decisions—where our tax money goes, what laws are debated and passed—are made in less than 2 months! In other words, South Dakotans literally don’t have time to play politics.
As a citizen-based legislature, each and every bill in Pierre gets a hearing—and each session sees nearly 500 of them. South Dakotans want an effective and productive legislature. That’s difficult to achieve when a supermajority clogs up the works with unnecessary or silly bills.
Like most South Dakotans, I know you gotta put in the work. My neighbors have bills to pay, families to feed, and futures to secure. As your state house representative, my work is to make sure yours gets easier.