Suspension Over for Sen. Frye-Muller

After being placed on indefinite suspension, the South Dakota Senate voted to reinstate Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller following the recommendation of a committee regarding her comments to a staffer. This follows a complaint made on Jan. 25 against the Rapid City senator by a Legislative Research Council staffer in the wake of a conversation between her, […]

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​​Democrats Will Keep the Senate, Republicans Flip the House

Last week’s election yielded unexpected outcomes in many key races, but Republicans flipped the House of Representatives now that they have officially won 218 seats. It is projected that Democrats will retain a minimum of 50 Senate seats and thus their majority, with the Georgia Senate race going to a runoff next month.  Georgia election […]

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Legislation poses threat to transgender athletes in South Dakota

The South Dakota State Legislature is facing two bills which would eliminate the ability of transgender women athletes to play college sports in South Dakota Board of Regent (SDBOR) institutions. Senate Bill (SB) 46, “An Act to protect fairness in women’s sports,” and House Bill (HB) 1006, “An Act to promote continued fairness in women’s […]

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Legislature divided on trans rights, governor defends Opportunity Center

On Jan. 27 the state capitol held press conferences and multiple house and senate sessions to wrap up their third week. Reporters asked multiple questions about similar topics between the Democrats, Republicans and Gov. Kristi Noem.   Democrat Sens., Troy Heinert and Jamie Smith, discussed Senate Bill 46 which would not allow transgender women to […]

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South Dakota Department of Education cuts indigenous history, culture from draft standards

Educators and other South Dakotans working to craft new state social studies standards said Tuesday that Gov. Kristi Noem’s administration deleted elements dealing with Native American history and culture from their draft standards, according to the Associated Press. Members of the group, appointed by South Dakota’s Department of Education to review the standards, said the […]

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Former Executive Director Summoned after Noems Daughter Denied Certification

In July, Governor Kristi Noem summoned Sherry Bren, the former executive director of the South Dakota Appraiser Certification Program, to her office to discuss appraiser procedures after her daughter, Kassidy Peters, was denied her certification to become a real estate appraiser. Peters was at the meeting as well. In Nov. Four months after, Peters obtained her licenses.  After the meeting […]

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South Dakota Officials call for impeachment of Attorney General

A special session of the state legislature to discuss the possible impeachment of South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg, who hit and killed Joe Boever Sept. 12 2020, is set to start Nov. 9.  Enough South Dakota officials signed a petition to have the special session reaching a 47-member threshold. Petition signers names’ are not […]

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USD students march for reproductive rights

USD’s Students For Reproductive Rights hosted a rally in response to the new abortion restrictions in Texas and students and community members in support of their cause marched from the DakotaDome to Old Main Friday, Sept. 10.  Lexi McKee-Hemenway, president of Students for Reproductive Rights, said the rally was a response to several anti-abortion tweets […]

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New Freedom Scholarship is state’s first need-based scholarship

During South Dakota’s 2021 legislative session, the South Dakota legislature passed and Gov. Noem signed Senate Bill 171, which appropriated $50 million to contribute to the Freedom Scholarship fund. With the state’s funds in addition to other donors, the Freedom Scholarship endowment currently has $175 million of its $200 million goal. The Freedom Scholarship is […]

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SD Department of Agriculture will merge with Department of Environment and Natural Resources

The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources are merging into one department. “South Dakota will be the only state in the United States that doesn’t have its own designated environmental agency,” Ailee Johns, 2020 South Dakota state senate candidate for District 17, said. Gov. Kristi Noem and South […]

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