Two-thirds of this session’s education committee on the House side will be different than the year prior.
House Education, which will meet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:45 a.m., welcomes 10 new members – including four first time legislators – to the 15-member committee in 2019. Rep. Lana Greenfield will serve as committee Chair for the second consecutive year.
Let’s get to know the committee members:
Rep. Lana Greenfield (District 2) begins her fifth year in the legislature as Chairwoman of House Education. A business owner and former teacher from Doland, this is the first year Rep. Greenfield has served on the education committee. She sat on the 2018 legislative interim committee that studied the Extraordinary Cost Fund. Rep. Greenfield will also serve on the Local Government committee.
Rep. Bob Glanzer (District 22) returns for the first year of his second term of service in the legislature. Rep. Glanzer – with a background in education having taught business education classes at Wessington Springs High School – takes over as the committee’s Vice Chair after serving on House Ed. in 2017 and 2018. He will also serve on the Ag and Natural Resources committee.
Rep. Thomas Brunner (District 29) starts his third term in the House and 13th year in the legislature overall. Rep. Bruner is no stranger to House Ed. as this session marks his eighth year of service on the committee, which has included two years as Chair. He will also serve on the Agriculture and Natural Resources committee.
Rep. Fred Deutsch (District 4) revisits the legislature for his third year, each of which he has sat on the House Education committee. The former Watertown School Board Member and chiropractor from Florence, previously served on House Ed. in 2015 and 2016. Rep. Deutsch will also serve on the Health & Human Services committee.
Rep. Erin Healy (District 14) takes her seat in the legislature and on the House Education committee for the first time. A Data Analyst from Sioux Falls, Rep. Healy will serve the House as Minority Whip. She will also sit on the Health & Human Services committee.
Rep. Timothy Johns (District 31) enters the first year of his final term in the House, each of which has seen him sit on the House Education committee. An attorney from Lawrence County, Rep. Johns served as the committee’s chair in 2017 and 2018 and as Vice Chair in 2015 and 2016. Additionally, he will serve as Vice Chair of the Judiciary Committee.
Rep. Isaac Latterell (District 6) sits on the House Education committee for the first time in his legislative tenure, which sees him in the chamber for the seventh year. A technology consultant from Tea, Rep. Latterell served as a House Majority Whip in 2017 and 2018. He will also be a member of the GOAC and Judiciary committees.
Rep. Sam Marty (District 28B) continues his service in the legislature for the fifth year. Rep. Marty is new to the House Education committee after serving on the Ag. & Natural Resources and Local Government committees in his previous years in the legislature. He will again sit on the Ag. & Natural Resources committee this session.
Rep. Jess Olson (District 34) makes her debut in the legislature in 2019. A nonprofit executive from Rapid City, Rep. Olson joins three other first-time legislators on the House Education committee. She will also serve on the Taxation committee.
Rep. Tony Randolph (District 35) debuts in the legislature in 2019 out of Pennington County. Rep. Randolph is an electrical contractor and is one of two legislators from Rapid City sitting on the House Education committee. He will also sit on the Ag. & Natural Resources committee.
Rep. Nancy Rasmussen (District 17) marks the start of her fourth term in the House this year. Rep. Rasmussen, a retiree from Hurley, will sit on House Ed. for the first time in her legislative career after having previously sat on the Taxation and Transportation committees. She will also be a member of the Judiciary committee this year.
Rep. Rebecca Reimer (District 26B) commences her service in the legislature in 2019, which includes a seat on the House Education committee. Rep. Reimer is a former school board member in the Chamberlain School District. She will also serve on the House Local Government committee.
Rep. Ray Ring (District 17) serves in the legislature and on the House Education committee for the fifth consecutive year. Rep. Ring – who spent more than three decades as a Professor of Economics at the University of South Dakota – will also sit on the taxation committee in 2019.
Rep. Manny Steele (District 12) resumes his legislative career in 2019 after previously serving in the House for eight years. Rep. Steele served as a Majority Whip in the House in 2009 and 2010. A retiree from Sioux Falls, he will serve on the Transportation committee, as well.
Rep. Marli Wiese (District 8) sets out on her third year in the legislature in 2019. Hailing from Madison, Rep. Wiese will serve her second year as a member of the House Education committee. She will also serve as Vice Chair of the Health & Human Services committee.