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Lawmakers heap competing tax cut bills on Appropriations Committee
The House Taxation Committee wasn’t willing to kill two tax cut bills during its Thursday morning meeting. Instead, the committee was forced to send the two bills to House Appropriations. The House Appropriations Committee will wrestle with at least six bills proposing various tax cuts for South Dakotans in the coming weeks. “I’m sure House […]
Opponents urge board to ‘go back to the drawing board’ for social studies standards
The public had a third opportunity to speak to the South Dakota Board of Education about proposed changes to the state’s social studies standards on Friday at The Rushmore Hotel in Rapid City, and many used the opportunity to criticize the current draft. Wade Pogany, executive director of the Associated School Boards of South Dakota, […]
Committee approves bill to lower costs for pharmacies
Over 20 pharmacies have closed across South Dakota since 2018. And over 55% of the state’s counties either lack a pharmacy or only have one. The industry is facing a pharmacy technician shortage, and a looming pharmacist shortage. South Dakota pharmacists believe a bill that would provide more transparency in prescription drug pricing by pharmaceutical […]
Legislator tables own bill that would define ‘life of mother’ during abortion
Taylor Rehfeldt wakes up afraid for herself, her unborn child and her family every morning. The registered nurse and Republican state representative from Sioux Falls is four months into a high risk pregnancy. She’s excited to welcome her third child, but also worried about current South Dakota law. After suffering a stroke in 2014, Rehfeldt […]
Bills regulating medical marijuana ‘pop-up’ clinics pass House committee
Two bills regulating medical marijuana “pop-up clinics” passed the House Health and Human Services committee Tuesday morning at the Capitol in Pierre. The bills, one that would regulate pop-up clinic locations and another that would regulate advertisements and restrict telehealth meetings to obtain a medical marijuana card, passed through the committee 10-2 and 9-4, respectively. […]
Workforce woes, nursing home closures pressure sustainability of long term care
Iley and Frank Petereit bought their burial plots two decades ago. Frank likes to think of himself as a planner, so he has most everything worked out for when they eventually, in his words, “kick the can.” The now 92-year-olds have a gravestone at the site, already etched with everything but the year of their […]
Legislative out-of-state travel reform bill fails on House floor
The House of Representatives shut down a Senate bill that would alter who approves legislative travel on the state’s dime. SB 68 sailed through the Senate with a unanimous vote last week, but was met with overwhelming opposition on the House floor, with 60 votes against and eight votes in favor. The bill was prompted […]
Committee approves bigger tax cut than Noem’s food tax repeal
A bill that would reduce the state sales and use tax by half a percentage point unanimously passed the House Taxation Committee and will head to House Appropriations. House Bill 1137 is one of many this session proposing to reduce taxes, including one backed by Gov. Noem to eliminate the food sales tax. Noem touted […]
House sends Medicaid work requirement ballot measure to Senate
A resolution that would put Medicaid back on the ballot in 2024 passed the House of Representatives and will head to the Senate. The House passed HJR 5004 with a 60-8 vote. The resolution would ask South Dakota voters to amend the state constitution to let the state impose work requirements on “able-bodied” people eligible […]
Committee passes resolution that would allow Medicaid work requirements
South Dakotans may find Medicaid on the ballot again in 2024. The House State Affairs Committee passed a joint resolution Monday morning 11-2. It would ask South Dakota voters to amend the state constitution to let the state impose work requirements on “able-bodied” people eligible for expanded Medicaid. South Dakota voters approved a constitutional amendment […]
Lawmaker seeks $5 million to expand adult day centers
South Dakota had 30 state-registered adult day centers scattered across the state at one point. The services provided low cost programming, care and supervision during the day for people who were elderly or disabled, and let them return to their homes and families at night. Now, there are only three left: one in Rapid City, […]
From prison to a payroll: Program trains inmates as machinists
Kimberlee Browne thought she’d die on the streets. The 40-year-old mother of six and former educator has been in and out of the South Dakota prison system twice since 2012. Each time she was released, something would happen to make her lose her confidence and faith; she’d fall back into bad habits and be arrested, […]