Current Office: Senator
First Elected: 11/02/2010
Next Election: 2012
Party: Republican

General

Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Sherry; 2 Children: Leif, Jeanette
Birth date:
Birthplace: Viborg, SD
Home City: Vermillion SD
Religion: Lutheran

Profession

Lawyer, 1976-present Farmer, 1983-present President, Valiant Vineyards Incorporated, 1999-present Assistant Professor, University of South Dakota, 1993-1999, retired United States Army/National Guard/Reserves, 1965-1997, retired

Education

JD, Law, Marguette University Law School, 1976 Bachelor's, University of Nebraska, Omaha, 1972

Committees

Commerce and Energy
Judiciary
Taxation

SB 157 Prohibits Cities From Limiting Outdoor Digital Billboards
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

HB 1228 Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: -

HB 1248 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 1253 Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 1228 Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: -

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SB 157 Prohibits Cities From Limiting Outdoor Digital Billboards
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

HB 1228 Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: -

HB 1248 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 1253 Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 1228 Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: -

HB 1248 Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 1253 Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 1206 Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Nay

HB 1206 Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HCR 1004 Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1001 State Legislative Redistricting
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1217 Requiring Counseling and a Waiting Period Prior to an Abortion
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 156 Prohibits Employment of Undocumented Immigrants
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 196 2010-2011 Budget
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1060 Wind Energy Facility Tax Refunds
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

SB 121 Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

HB 1231 Prescription Drug Registry
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: -

SB 169 Insurance Law Amendments
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 18 Restrictions on Retirement for Rehired Public Employees
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 89 Exempts Certain Firearms From Federal Regulation
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 63 Pilot Charter School
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Nay

SB 63 Pilot Charter School
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1083 Appropriations for the Sanford Lab at Homestake
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 1240 Need-Based Education Grant Fund
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1083 Appropriations for the Sanford Lab at Homestake
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

HB 1107 Driver's License Renewal by Mail
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1178 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1178 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1060 Agriculture and Business Facility Tax Refund Reductions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1300 2009-2010 Budget
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1197 Tax Changes Relating to Single Family Dwellings Under Construction
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

HB 1240 Smoking Ban
Stage: Concurrence Vote
Vote: Yea

SJR 3 Extending Senate Terms and Legislative Term-Limits
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

HB 1240 Smoking Ban
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1278 Ban on Local Firearm Restrictions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1171 Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1004 Legalizing the Killing of Threatening Mountain Lions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1233 Government Spending Database
Stage: Override of Veto
Vote: Yea

SB 126 Repealing Liquor License Cap
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 174 Railroad Eminent Domain
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

SB 173 Eliminating Restrictions on Corporate Dairy Farms
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 88 Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1124 Teacher Compensation and Performance
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1151 Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1124 Teacher Compensation and Performance
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1151 Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1085 Constructing Science Facilities at Universities
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1233 Government Spending Database
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1085 Constructing Science Facilities at Universities
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1233 Government Spending Database
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1085 Constructing Science Facilities at Universities
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1233 Government Spending Database
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1171 Hunting Mountain Lions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1250 Legislative Pay Raise
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1261 Firearm Possession on College Campuses
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1193 Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1048 Campaign Contribution Reform
Stage: Conference Report Vote
Vote: Nay

SB 207 Minimum Wage Increase
Stage: Passage With Amendment
Vote: Yea

SB 199 Mandatory School Attendance
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

SB 95 Control of Technical Institutes
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1082 School District Consolidation
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1293 Abortion Limitations
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1048 Campaign Contribution Reform
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1139 Tobacco Tax Funds
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1160 Physician Presence at Executions
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1139 Tobacco Tax Funds
Stage: Passage
Vote: Yea

HB 1175 Lethal Injection Reform
Stage: Passage
Vote: Nay

HB 1296 Pre-Abortion Sonograms
Stage: Passage
Vote: -

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