South Dakota Searchlight • 10th March 2025

Former Yellowstone, Rushmore, Badlands superintendents say DOGE wiped out a generation of leaders • South Dakota Searchlight

If Dan Wenk had been fired during his first year in a permanent job with the National Park Service, the agency would’ve lost his many later accomplishments.
He would not have gone on to help lead a public-private partnership that raised $75 million to redevelop visitor facilities at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, or a $300 million negotiation to improve amenities at Yellowstone National Park with private funds, or the acquisition of the United Flight 93 crash site in Pennsylvania for a nation...

South Dakota Searchlight • 6th March 2025

New version of bill to aid Ellsworth Air Force Base specifies $15 million loan for school • South Dakota Searchlight

The effort to win state financial support for a new elementary school necessitated by growth at Ellsworth Air Force Base won a legislative endorsement Thursday at the South Dakota Capitol in Pierre.
The state House of Representatives’ 41-28 vote was the latest twist in a multi-year struggle. Legislation to provide $15 million of state funding for the project failed last year.
Earlier this week, Sen. Helene Duhamel, R-Rapid City, tried a new approach. She convinced the Senate to pass a bill that...

South Dakota Searchlight • 5th March 2025

South Dakota should protect students from a dual-credit price hike, state Senate committee decides • South Dakota Searchlight

The state should maintain its subsidy for dual credit students, a group of South Dakota legislators decided Tuesday at the Capitol in Pierre.
The Senate Education Committee voted 4-3 to defeat a proposed reduction of the subsidy. That means the reduction is likely dead, barring the use of any procedural maneuver to revive it during the last two weeks of the annual legislative session.
Sen. Jamie Smith, D-Sioux Falls, was among the committee members who voted to retain the existing level of suppo...

South Dakota Searchlight • 4th March 2025

Bill would transfer $15 million from SD housing fund to support Air Force base growth • South Dakota Searchlight

The South Dakota Senate advanced legislation Monday at the Capitol in Pierre that would take $15 million from a statewide housing infrastructure program and put it in a fund supporting the growth of Ellsworth Air Force Base.
The base near Rapid City is undergoing an estimated $2 billion worth of construction to accommodate the future arrival of B-21 bomber planes, which are under development. That activity is expected to grow the base and its surrounding civilian population significantly, puttin...

South Dakota Searchlight • 4th March 2025

Lawmakers will ask SD voters for permission to end Medicaid expansion if federal support declines • South Dakota Searchlight

South Dakota voters will decide next year whether to continue requiring Medicaid expansion if federal support for the program declines.
The state House of Representatives voted 31-3 on Monday at the Capitol in Pierre to support a resolution that will send the question to voters. The Senate had already approved the measure, which does not require a signature from the governor.
The question will appear on the ballot in the November 2026 general election.

Medicaid is government-funded health insur...

South Dakota Searchlight • 27th February 2025

South Dakota lawmakers send Mickelson Trail e-bike limitation to governor • South Dakota Searchlight

The two chambers of the South Dakota Legislature agree that only the slowest class of e-bikes should be allowed on the scenic Mickelson Trail.
They sent that limitation Wednesday to Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden, who will decide whether to sign it into law.
The trail, named for the late Gov. George Mickelson, runs 109 miles through the Black Hills on a former railroad route. As Rapid City Republican Rep. Tim Goodwin said Wednesday in the House of Representatives, e-bikes were “not even thought of...

South Dakota Searchlight • 26th February 2025

Failure of task force bill complicates South Dakota’s prison construction impasse • South Dakota Searchlight

South Dakota lawmakers have reached an impasse on prison construction talks: They have a stalled $825 million plan, and no path to a new plan for replacing the aging penitentiary or addressing prison population growth.
The latest twist happened Tuesday at the Capitol in Pierre when the state Senate voted 20-15 against the formation of a task force to study new options.
Sen. Kevin Jensen, R-Canton, summarized the situation as he tried unsuccessfully to save his task force proposal.
“What next? We...

South Dakota Searchlight • 25th February 2025

SD House endorses student-teacher stipends to address educator shortage • South Dakota Searchlight

With about 200 teacher openings statewide and neighboring states aggressively recruiting young educators, South Dakota needs to step up, said Rep. Chris Kassin, R-Vermillion.
The South Dakota House of Representatives agreed, voting 59-11 on Monday at the Capitol in Pierre to budget $500,000 for the creation of a statewide student-teacher stipend program. The legislation goes to the Senate next.
“Folks, this is a simple and strategic step to strengthen our education workforce,” Kassin said.
The s...

South Dakota Searchlight • 22nd February 2025

It’s not hard to figure out why young South Dakotans don't want to be teachers • South Dakota Searchlight

The leader of South Dakota’s public universities gave a telling answer recently when a legislator asked him why the higher education system isn’t churning out enough teaching graduates.
“We’re seeing a drop-off in interest,” said Nathan Lukkes, executive director of the Board of Regents. “If you go back 10, 20 years and you look at the percentage of students that were coming and wanted to be teachers versus today, the interest is going in the wrong direction.”
Gee, I wonder why.
Maybe it’s becau...

South Dakota Searchlight • 21st February 2025

Lawmakers advance carbon pipeline moratorium and bill regulating land agents • South Dakota Searchlight

South Dakota lawmakers advanced bills Friday at the Capitol in Pierre that would put a moratorium on carbon dioxide pipelines until new federal safety rules are finalized, and would authorize landowners to sue pipeline companies for the alleged abuses of their land agents.
The bills don’t name Summit Carbon Solutions, but they’re a response to the Iowa company’s proposed $9 billion, five-state pipeline that would pass through eastern South Dakota. It would collect carbon dioxide emitted by more...