By Bob Mercer, American News Correspondent American News

9:33 p.m. AKST, January 7, 2013

Q. Anything new in gambling?

A. Nothing from Deadwood yet, but the state Department of Revenue has filed legislation that would allow bets on video lottery machines to be as little as one cent. The minimum currently is 5 cents. The legislation, SB 52, also makes a variety of other clean-up and technical changes, but it doesn’t appear to attempt to increase the $2 bet limit.

 

Q. What is the response, if any, to the Anderson Seed Co. failure?

A. The state Public Utilities Commission has put together a package of possible reforms in HB 1017, including steeper bonds and financial reporting that is more thorough and timely.

 

Q. Is this the year South Dakota builds a new State Veterans Home?

A. The Daugaard administration seems headed that way with SB 27, which increases the authorized price to nearly $41.3 million from the previous $34.6 million and allows land to be purchased in Hot Springs.

 

Q. Will there be further modernization of the registration system for motor vehicles?

A. The state Department of Revenue hopes so. HB 1043 would authorize the department to establish an electronic title system for motor vehicles and change some of the existing laws for electronic filing of liens.