Annually, the Chamber appoints a public policy review committee.  It is the Committee's task to review the previous year’s existing policy manual and any positions adopted by the board during the year to determine whether each policy remains applicable/viable, needs to be modified or has been completed.  Additionally, new policy suggestions, which are received and examined by the committee, may be recommended for adoption to the Chamber Board of Directors as a public policy position.  This annual process concludes when the policies are reviewed and discussed.  Support of specific issues are outlined below.

Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce

2012 Legislative Agenda

Active

1.    Support the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and South Dakota Resource Conservation and Forestry to develop, fund, and implement an aggressive strategy to reduce the effects of the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic in the Black Hills.

2.    Support the continued funding and development of the Sanford Underground Research Facility.

3.    Work with local, state and federal components to support and enhance military missions in western South Dakota.

 4.    Support the increase in municipal term lengths of Rapid City Mayor and Aldermen.  To be enacted through council ordinance and to take after the next regular election cycle.

Support

1.     Support the expansion of the definition of ‘renewable biomass’ in federal legislation to include woody biomass originating from federal lands; specifically the Black Hills National Forest.

2.    Support the opposition of any legislation, such as the Employee Free Choice Act of 2009, which would limit an employee’s right of a secret ballot in deciding on union representation.

3.    Support the completion of the Heartland Expressway, South Dakota’s portion of the Ports to Plains Trade Corridor.  Encourage the Nebraska delegation to complete their portion of the Ports to Plains Corridor.

 4.    Support the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for 21^st Century Energy Partnership To Fuel America.  The Partnership promotes the development of North American energy resources.

 

Monitor

1.    Monitor legislation that enacts a local option wheel tax on vehicles registered in Pennington County to fund maintenance and improvements on Pennington County’s roads and bridges.

2.    Monitor any climate change legislation that increases energy and gas costs by taxing coal generated energy.

3.    Monitor recommendations enacted by the Budget Control Act of 2011.

4.    Monitor the permanent 1% sales tax increase initiated measure proposed by Moving South Dakota Forward.

 5.    Monitor the repeal of the Governor’s Large Projects Fund.