Four new faces with plenty of experience join the Senate Education committee for the 90th Legislative Session.
The seven-member committee returns Senators Deb Soholot, who will again serve as Committee Chair, Blake Curd and Bruce Rampelberg. The trio is joined by the quartet of new faces, which includes Senators Alan Solano, who will assume the role of Vice Chair, Jason Frerichs, Brock Greenfield and Bernie Hunhoff.
Senate Education convenes on Tuesday and Thursday at 7:45 a.m. during session.
Let’s get to know a little bit about the members.
Sen. Deb Soholt (District 14) enters her third year in the legislature and second as the Committee Chair. Soholt, Avera McKennan’s Director of Women’s Health, also serves as a member of the Senate’s Legislative Procedure and State Affairs committees.
Sen. Alan Solano (District 32) is the committee’s Vice Chair. Sen. Solano was appointed to the legislature by Gov. Daugaard last year, which was his first as a legislator, and served on Senate Appropriations. Along with serving as Vice Chair on the Ed. Committee, Sen. Solano will serve on the State Affairs and Transportation committees. He is the CEO of Behavior Management Systems, Inc. in Rapid City.
Sen. Blake Curd (District 12), an orthopedic surgeon from Sioux Falls, begins his third term as a legislator and second consecutive year on the Senate Ed. Committee. Sen. Curd will serve as Chair of the Commerce and Energy Committee and is a member of the Health and Human Services committee. He was appointed to the legislature by Gov. Daugaard last year and previously served one term in the legislature in 2008 and 2009.
Sen. Jason Frerichs (District 1) begins his fourth term in the legislature in 2015. A farmer and rancher from Wilmot, Sen. Frerichs has filled many leadership roles while in the legislature, including Senate Minority Leader and House Minority Whip. He will serve as a member of the Ag and Natural Resources, Legislative Procedures and Taxation committees, in addition to being an Ed. Committee member.
Sen. Brock Greenfield (District 2), a veteran legislator, makes the jump to the Senate from the House – for the second time in his legislative career. Sen. Greenfield, who will serve as Vice Chair on the Senate Commerce and Energy and Taxation committees in 2015, has spent time in the classroom as a substitute teacher for schools in his legislative district.
Sen. Bernie Hunhoff (District 18), a prolific legislator from Yankton, joins the Senate after three terms in the House. The founder and editor-at-large of South Dakota Magazine, Sen. Hunhoff previously served in the S.D. Senate from 1993-98. He will serve as a member of the Retirement Laws, State Affairs and Transportation committees, in addition to his post on Senate. Ed.
Sen. Bruce Rampelberg (District 30), a retired banker, makes his fourth straight appearance on the Senate Ed. Committee. 2015 marks Sen. Rampelberg’s third term in the legislature and in addition to his duties on the education committee, he’ll serve as Chair for the Health and Human Services and Retirement Laws committees and is a member of the Ag and Natural Resources committee.
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