SOUTH DAKOTA NEWS NOTES: January 26, 2024:
Kristi Noem Offers to Drive Greg Abbott More Razor Wire South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem offered to deliver razor wire via car to her Texas counterpart and fellow Republican, Greg Abbott, to use along the U.S. southern border amid Abbott's ongoing fight with the federal government on border control. Speaking with Fox News' Martha MacCallum on Thursday, Noem defended Abbott's use of razor wire and other barriers to fortify Texas' southern border along the Rio Grande. The Biden administration has argued that the barriers prevent federal Border Patrol agents from reaching migrants as they cross the river, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the federal government is allowed to remove the razor wire. (Kaitlyn Lewis/Newsweek) READ MORE>>>>> |
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“The courts have recognized the right to counsel is a pervasive right, because it impacts all other rights and our ability to assert those rights,” Sattizahn said. “South Dakota has had a very long tradition of recognizing the importance of counsel.” |
Bill to establish statewide oversight, funding for public defense passes House State Affairs Committee
The South Dakota House State Affairs Committee unanimously passed a bill Friday laying the groundwork for the state to begin to oversee and fund criminal public defense, a responsibility historically shouldered by counties. House Bill 1057 outlines the creation of a Commission on Indigent Legal Services and an Office of Indigent Legal Services. (Shalom Baer Gee/Rapid City Journal 1/20/24) READ MORE>>>>> |
Will Kristi Noem's proposed 4% increase in state aid to education increase teacher pay?
Gov. Kristi Noem has proposed a 4% increase in state aid to education for fiscal year 2025, which will affect teacher salaries and other parts of education in the 2024-2025 school year. Right now, state aid to education is at 7% for FY24. If the Legislature adopts the 4% increase in state aid to education Noem proposed this year, state aid to education will have increased more than 26% since she took office during FY19, she said in her budget address. (Morgan Matzen/Rapid City Journal 1/20/24)
READ MORE>>>>>
Gov. Kristi Noem has proposed a 4% increase in state aid to education for fiscal year 2025, which will affect teacher salaries and other parts of education in the 2024-2025 school year. Right now, state aid to education is at 7% for FY24. If the Legislature adopts the 4% increase in state aid to education Noem proposed this year, state aid to education will have increased more than 26% since she took office during FY19, she said in her budget address. (Morgan Matzen/Rapid City Journal 1/20/24)
READ MORE>>>>>
Trump’s violent talk shows signs of taking over Congress
“It’s not the route that I’d like to see any of us go,” said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). “I understand the reason why there was anger.” But he said “both individuals should have had a different approach to resolving it.” Rounds, who endorsed Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-S.C.) now-defunct presidential campaign because he liked its positive message, said “you’re seeing folks on both sides of the political spectrum being less respectful of other people.” (Alexander Bolton/The Hill 11/16/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
“It’s not the route that I’d like to see any of us go,” said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). “I understand the reason why there was anger.” But he said “both individuals should have had a different approach to resolving it.” Rounds, who endorsed Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-S.C.) now-defunct presidential campaign because he liked its positive message, said “you’re seeing folks on both sides of the political spectrum being less respectful of other people.” (Alexander Bolton/The Hill 11/16/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
April 5, 2023:
The 98th Session of the South Dakota Legislature wrapped up Monday with Veto Day. Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported: "Winner: Criminal Justice.' The state is funding the construction of two new prisons to ease overcrowding at the women’s facility in Pierre and the men’s facility in Sioux Falls. Construction on the women’s prison in Rapid City is slated to start in the summer. Meanwhile, the Department of Corrections will start the process to design and find the next location for the men’s penitentiary in the Sioux Falls area."
Yet the prison population of South Dakota is about twice that of North Dakota. Before they spend money to build a new prison, they might try using North Dakota as a template to reduce prison population to half of what it is now.
The Leader writes "Reducing the prison population by half should solve our short and long term prison problems. A rough calculation suggests that half the prison population would need half the space, half the staff and a lot less expense. This should be very attractive to fiscal conservatives.The prisons are currently managed by the Department of Corrections. The high numbers of people who return to our prison system suggests they are not correcting much."
The 98th Session of the South Dakota Legislature wrapped up Monday with Veto Day. Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported: "Winner: Criminal Justice.' The state is funding the construction of two new prisons to ease overcrowding at the women’s facility in Pierre and the men’s facility in Sioux Falls. Construction on the women’s prison in Rapid City is slated to start in the summer. Meanwhile, the Department of Corrections will start the process to design and find the next location for the men’s penitentiary in the Sioux Falls area."
Yet the prison population of South Dakota is about twice that of North Dakota. Before they spend money to build a new prison, they might try using North Dakota as a template to reduce prison population to half of what it is now.
The Leader writes "Reducing the prison population by half should solve our short and long term prison problems. A rough calculation suggests that half the prison population would need half the space, half the staff and a lot less expense. This should be very attractive to fiscal conservatives.The prisons are currently managed by the Department of Corrections. The high numbers of people who return to our prison system suggests they are not correcting much."
Feb 21, 2023: Aberdeen News: Gov. Kristi Noem's foreign ag bill dies in South Dakota Senate
Gov. Kristi Noem's foreign agriculture bill reached as far as the South Dakota Senate floor, and that's where it died.
Legislators killed the bill on a 11-23 vote on Tuesday, which means the state will have to rely on the current statute that's in place to restrict ag land purchases in South Dakota.
This follows more than half an hour of dialogue between from Senators, who went back and forth on the bill.
Gov. Kristi Noem's foreign agriculture bill reached as far as the South Dakota Senate floor, and that's where it died.
Legislators killed the bill on a 11-23 vote on Tuesday, which means the state will have to rely on the current statute that's in place to restrict ag land purchases in South Dakota.
This follows more than half an hour of dialogue between from Senators, who went back and forth on the bill.
Jan 26, 2023: Mitchell Republic: Proposed South Dakota grocery tax repeal passes first procedural hurdle, nursing some concerns
A cut to the state sales tax on food, the central promise of Gov. Kristi Noem’s campaign for a second term as South Dakota’s chief executive, has passed its first hurdle in the legislative process, emerging from the House Taxation committee by a 12-1 vote on Thursday, Jan. 26.
A cut to the state sales tax on food, the central promise of Gov. Kristi Noem’s campaign for a second term as South Dakota’s chief executive, has passed its first hurdle in the legislative process, emerging from the House Taxation committee by a 12-1 vote on Thursday, Jan. 26.
Dec 16, 2022: Dakota News Now: Ethics board dismisses Noem plane case, says law is unclear
South Dakota’s ethics board dismissed a complaint against Gov. Noem for using state government aircraft to attend events hosted by political organizations because state law does not define what is meant by “state business.”
South Dakota’s ethics board dismissed a complaint against Gov. Noem for using state government aircraft to attend events hosted by political organizations because state law does not define what is meant by “state business.”
Dec 16, 2022: Dakota News Now: Kristi Noem orders Health Department to terminate Transgender group contract
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem instructed the S.D. Department of Health to terminate their contract with The Transformation Project, which is a transgender activist group, according to The Daily Signal
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem instructed the S.D. Department of Health to terminate their contract with The Transformation Project, which is a transgender activist group, according to The Daily Signal