Michael Card
SB 45 Repeals the Annual Intellectual Diversity Report
Senate Bill (SB) 45, which would repeal the annual intellectual diversity report for South Dakota colleges passed the Senate Education Committee. The requirement for an intellectual diversity report was originally introduced in 2019. Shane Nordyke, a USD political science professor, said the bill was created in order to assess whether or not the intellectual activities […]
The VCDC hosts a Legislative Cracker Barrel at Vermillion City Hall
On Feb. 12, The Vermillion Area Chamber and Development Company (VCDC) held a Legislative Cracker Barrel at City Hall. This included South Dakota State Senate District 17 representative Sen. Arthur Rusch, and House of Representatives Sydney Davis and Richard Vasgaard. USD’s professor in political science Michael Card served as the question reader. Card said the […]
Pandora Papers reveal South Dakota’s role in the global financial system
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has recently begun publishing the Pandora Papers—11.9 million leaked documents showing the offshore accounts of 35 world leaders and more than 100 billionaires, celebrities and business leaders. The publication of these papers drew new attention to South Dakota’s role in the global financial system. Much of the Pandora […]
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 […]
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 […]
South Dakota legislators weigh impeachment for attorney general
South Dakota’s Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg has received calls for his resignation from both law enforcement groups and Gov. Kristi Noem since he struck and killed a man with his car in September. While Ravnsborg has refused so far to resign, some in the state legislature have made moves towards impeaching him. Impeachment at the […]
Federal stimulus bill: How will the American Rescue Plan impact South Dakota?
President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion stimulus and economic relief bill, into law March 11. The bill has a number of wide-ranging impacts, including short-term expansions of unemployment benefits, money for state and local governments, changes to health insurance exchanges, a modification of the Child Tax Credit […]