Gov. Kristi Noem
South Dakota Legislature Passes Bill to Ban Some Hemp-Derived Products
The South Dakota House of Representatives voted almost unanimously to accept Senate changes to an act to prohibit the chemical modification of industrial hemp. These changes to HB 11125 were concurred to on Feb. 29. The bill would ban Delta-8, Delta-9, and THC-O products that were made legal by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, […]
Tuition Freeze Still in Question as the South Dakota Legislative Session Ends
Tuition increases might be another year away for South Dakota university students. On Wednesday, February 14, the Joint Committee on Appropriations announced the state’s revenue estimates, and it looks like 2025 could bring yet another tuition freeze for students attending SDBOR universities. The possibility of extra revenue allows the House and Senate to consider ongoing […]
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, […]
Noem’s Proposal Clarifies Expenses on Pregnant Parents
On Jan. 19, Gov. Kristi Noem requested amends to Senate Bill (SB) 75 that will provide for all pregnancy expenses to be covered by both of the child’s parents, which is clarifying an existing law. Gov. Noem along with Sen. David Wheeler and Rep. Mike Stevens, hope this new bill will lessen the financial burden […]
Grocery Stores Soon to Have No Taxes
On Jan. 17, a bill to remove South Dakota’s statewide grocery tax was introduced by Gov. Kristi Noem, Sen. John Wiik and Rep. Mary Fitzgerald. Currently, South Dakota is one of seven states that imposes a statewide sales tax on food. The other states include Alabama, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma. The language of […]
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 […]
Noem Plans to Cut Sales Tax On Groceries
Kristi Noem won re-election for South Dakota Governor on Nov. 8. During her speech, Noem focused on her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, South Dakota’s economic growth and critiquing the Democratic Party and President Biden. “The nation unfolding around us is Joe Biden’s America and it’s not the nation I want to leave to my […]
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 […]
South Dakota House and Senate bills set to impact surrounding rural area
South Dakota has several House and Senate bills from the 2021 session projected to impact the environment and rural community influencing tax breaks for land-owners, broadband networks and meat processing and packing. These bills include House Bill 1042, House Bill 1077 and Senate Bill 34. Information on these bills is sourced from the South Dakota […]
Editorial: Gov. Noem can do more
As the number of COVID-19 cases climb around the country and specifically in South Dakota, it’s clear more needs to be done to combat this novel virus. Ultimately, the person who can exercise the most power in our state government is Gov. Kristi Noem, but she hasn’t been doing enough to protect the people living […]