In an era of digital accessibility, South Dakota’s Legislature is falling behind by not providing written transcripts of committee and floor testimony online. This oversight is an obstacle to ensuring our public trusts our Legislative processes.
Written transcripts are essential for informed citizenship. They allow residents — busy parents, students and business owners — to review debates without attending sessions in Pierre or sifting through audio recordings. For those with hearing impairments or limited internet bandwidth, written records ensure equal access. In addition, transcripts promote accountability: lawmaker comments and the words of those who appear in committee become searchable, helping journalists, researchers and voters hold officials to their promises.
Many states, like our neighbor Nebraska, already offer free online transcripts, fostering transparency without burdening taxpayers. South Dakota, with its small population and tech-savvy youth, can lead by example. Implementing this simple reform would cost little but yield immense benefits, enabling all citizens to participate in governance and be better informed.
Legislators, please prioritize openness. Make transcripts public now — our citizens deserve it.
Don Haggar
Sioux Falls (Public Utilities Commission candidate)
Thank you. Mr. Haggar. Transcripts ought be available within hours given the status of voice transcription software. Clearly we want near real time transcripts as opposed to the dressed-up nonsense that appears in the US Congressional Record.
Please demand transcriptions from your state senators and representatives.
This is a non-issue. Converting audio files to written transcripts is fast, inexpensive, and widely available using existing private-sector tools. There is no compelling reason for the state to be involved in this function. As long as audio files are provided in a standard format, individuals or organizations can independently convert them to text in minutes using readily available online services—many of them free. The market already solves this problem efficiently.
Examples of Free Audio-to-Text Transcription Tools
(This is only a partial list; there are many other comparable services readily available.)
• Otter.ai
• Whisper
• Sonix
• Descript
• Google Docs