- 1
- 2
- next
- | single page
The vote was 24-10 in favor. The measure goes to the House of Representatives for consideration next.
The bet limit began at $5 after South Dakota voters in 1988 amended the state constitution to legalize Deadwood gambling, making South Dakota the only place other besides New Jersey and Nevada to allow it.
The limit was increased to $100 in 2000.
“Dozens of other jurisdictions now have legalized gaming in one way or another,” Sen. Tom Nelson, R-Lead, said. He is the prime sponsor of the legislation for the change to $1,000.
Another factor cited by Nelson was the smoking ban passed by voters in 2010, which was followed by the first full-year drop in gambling action at Deadwood.
He said it is doubtful there will be banks of $1,000 slot machines and $1,000 card tables.
No one testified against the legislation, Senate Bill 108, during its first committee hearing last week.
There is no social cost associated with going to a higher bet limit, said Sen. Stan Adelstein, R-Rapid City.
“These are individuals who have a whole different approach,” he said.
Day 21 (Feb. 14): The Senate rolled forward $27 million of excess general funds from the 2012 budget to be used in the 2013 budget that starts July 1.
Senators voted 34-0 in favor. The legislation, Senate Bill 192, was introduced on behalf of Gov. Dennis Daugaard and now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
The funding package earmarks about $3.9 million in one-time bonuses to public school districts. That money would be distributed on per-student basis using fall 2012 enrollment.
School districts would also receive about $8.4 million on a one-time basis for training and support to teachers and school leaders.
Public technical institutes would be allotted about $414,000, while the state university system would get nearly $6 million. Both would be one-time payments.
Social services providers would see their reimbursement rates increase on a temporary basis. The state-funded portion of the additional payments would total nearly $7.9 million. They also would get about $9.6 million more in federal funding.
Human services providers would get a similar package of one-time increases in their reimbursement rates. Those amounts would be nearly $1 million in state funds and about $1.2 million of federal aid.
There also would be various small increases for providers of Medicaid-type services to public schools, state prisons and the state court system.
Day 22 (Feb. 15): Counties are likely to be able to cremate indigent people who have died.
State law currently assigns counties the responsibility of paying for the burials of people who lack the money or means necessary and whose relatives and friends are unwilling or unable to do so.
