Pierre
South Dakota Has No Place for CO2 Pipelines
Last Wednesday, the state’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) denied a permit for a CO2 pipeline in five South Dakota counties. Earlier this year, Navigator CO2 Ventures, a Texas-based carbon management company, announced plans to build a carbon dioxide pipeline from North Dakota to Illinois. The pipeline would carry carbon dioxide from around two dozen facilities […]
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, […]
SHED lobbies South Dakota Legislature in Pierre
Students in Higher Education Days (SHED) is a student lobbying group that goes to Pierre during the legislative session to encourage the legislature to pass certain bills. SHED takes place on Jan. 30 and 31. The first day students get training on how to lobby and they get together for a social. On day two, […]
Legislature to reinstate diploma privilege for law school, bill killed in committee
House Bill (HB) 1073 was introduced to the South Dakota House of Representatives this legislative session by Rep. Mary Fitzgerald from Lawrence County. HB 1073 would have allowed people graduating from the law school at USD to practice law in the state without taking the bar exam. However, the bill was killed during the House […]
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 […]
South Dakota legislature redistricts Clay County
Every 10 years, legislators redraw the legislative districts of South Dakota. This year, the State House and Senate differed on their approaches. The State House’s draft plan, along with other differences from the final plan, included splitting the city Vermillion into three separate districts. Lee Schoenbeck, District 5 legislator and president pro tempore of South […]
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 […]
Anti-Trans bill delayed in South Dakota
South Dakota legislators introduced House Bill (H.B.) 1217 Feb. 2021, also known as the trans sports bill, which would ban transgender women from competing in women’s athletics. Transgender advocates marched at the capitol in Pierre, South Dakota March 11 in protest of the bill. Later that day, Gov. Kristi Noem amended her earlier statement that […]
Medicaid expansion campaign kicks off in South Dakota
The recent federal stimulus bill included provisions incentivizing states to expand Medicaid coverage. While states including Wyoming have moved Medicaid expansion forward legislatively, Dakotans for Health, a political advocacy group, is working to put the policy forward as a ballot initiative in South Dakota’s 2022 elections. The South Dakota ballot initiative process requires petitioners to […]
Legalization of medicinal marijuana in South Dakota moves forward despite lawmakers’ objections
Recently, the South Dakota state legislature failed to pass House Bill 1100, which would delay medicinal marijuana. Because of this, Initiated Measure 26 will go into effect on July 1, 2021, which will allow medicinal marijuana to be legal in South Dakota. People can visit site if they need options of medical marijuana. Associate professor of political science and […]