Legislature passes budget with a major funding increase for nursing homes

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) – South Dakota lawmakers have passed a roughly $4.9 billion state budget, providing a funding boost for education and state employees and larger-than anticipated spending hikes for nursing homes and community support providers.

The House voted 53-6 Wednesday to approve the budget, capping the main portion of the 2019 session. The Senate earlier voted 27-2 for the measure that sets state spending for the upcoming 2020 budget year.

It includes 2.5-percent increases for education and state workers.

The Legislature allocated big increases for nursing homes as recent closures have hit communities. State Medicaid reimbursement rates for nursing home providers will increase by 10-percent. Joint Appropriations Committee Co-Chair Sen. John Wiik says the funding hike is a “good start.”

The budget for the next fiscal year includes roughly $1.7 billion in general state spending, about $59 million over the current budget year.

Republican Sen. Stace Nelson, who voted against the budget, said lawmakers received it early in the morning and that he wanted more time to review it.

AP-WF-03-13-19 0749GMT