House and Senate at odds over hotline funding

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota House has passed a proposal to require the statewide expansion of a crisis hotline designed for people in a mental crisis or struggling with addiction issues. But the House and Senate are at odds over who should pay for the bulk of its funding.

The Senate passed a version that would require the state to pay for counties to establish hotlines. The House version puts most of the financial burden on counties, pitching in 50 cents of state funding for every dollar that counties put towards their hotline. The difference will be settled this week.