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Ernie Otten won his 4th term for the District 6 State Senate seat on November 6th, 2018. This will complete his full term in the Senate and is now running for the District 6 House of Representatives.

SD Legislature Home Page – Sen Ernie Otten

Senator Otten was elected Majority Whip in his 2nd term. He was also selected to attend the bi-partisan Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development with other Midwestern & Canadian legislators at no cost to taxpayers; and Senator Otten represented South Dakota at the Republican State Leadership National Meeting in Boston – again, at no cost to taxpayers.

Senate Accomplishments:

  • Served on the following 2019-2020 Senate Committees:
    • Chair, Senate Transportation; Ag & Natural Resources; Taxation
  • Had served on State-Tribal Relations
  • Had also previously served on Senate State Affairs
  • Appointed Chair of Senate Taxation Committee at the beginning of the second year of his first term
  • Chaired the summer Consumer Protection Taskforce which included bi-partisan legislators, statewide businesses & organizations
    • The resulting bill, SB 23, revised Consumer Protection Laws which passed both Chambers almost unanimously
  • Co-sponsored bills which protects small school districts’ boundary lines & prevents loss of tax revenue. Passed with bi-partisan support
  • Sponsored SB 63 which protected private student data from being shared with the Federal Government and from being sold to 3rd parties. The bill passed both the Senate and House unanimously
  • Common Core: Sponsored SB 64 which provided a 2-yr waiting period for the adoption of new standards & provided for public comment. Passed both Chambers with almost unanimous bi-partisan support
  • Co-sponsored SB 70 which reformed Criminal Justice Laws. Passed both Chambers with bi-partisan support
  • Primed and co-sponsored several bills to protect 2nd Amendment rights in South Dakota. Constitutional Carry signed into law in 2019.

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