celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary of the creation of the Legislative Research Council.

House Commemoration 8018
Introduced by: Representative Derby and Senator Otten

A LEGISLATIVE COMMEMORATION celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary of the
creation of the Legislative Research Council.
WHEREAS, the Legislative Research Council is celebrating its seventy-fifth year of service
to the South Dakota Legislature, having been established in 1951 by the Thirty-Second South
Dakota Legislature; and
WHEREAS, recognizing the need for permanent, nonpartisan staff to support the
Legislature, University of South Dakota government professor Dr. William O. Farber developed
the unique structure of the Legislative Research Council, later codified in state law, consisting
of "all members of the South Dakota Legislature", empowered to hire a dedicated staff, and
charged with the responsibility to "consider legislative policies between sessions of the
Legislature"; and
WHEREAS, from its humble beginnings with only one staff member, the Legislative
Research Council has developed into a professional agency of thirty-two full-time employees,
supported by numerous committee secretaries, front desk clerks, sergeants -at-arms, and
other session-only personnel; and
WHEREAS, while the role of the Legislative Research Council has evolved over the
decades, the Council continues to support and strengthen the legislative institution by
providing objective and vital services in legislative operations, information technolo gy, bill
drafting and research, and fiscal analysis; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature's permanent staff has supported hundreds of committees,
drafted thousands of bills, resolved complex legislative and operational challenges, assisted
in the completion of the state's budget, and worked to modernize the Legislature's operations
and technology; and

WHEREAS, much of the work performed by the Legislative Research Council occurs
behind-the-scenes so that members of the Legislature can focus their efforts on public
policymaking and representing the people of South Dakota;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT COMMEMORATED, by the One Hundred First Legislature of the
State of South Dakota, that the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Legislative Research Council
is celebrated and recognized, and its dedicated staff, both past and present, are commended
for their steadfast service to the legislative institution.