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South Dakota Searchlight
Noem approves out-of-state vehicle title fee, signs other bills
South Dakota is about to become a less attractive place for out-of-staters to title a vehicle. Gov. Kristi Noem signed a bill into law this week that will add a $100 fee to the process for anyone who does not have a South Dakota driver license or identification card, or an address in the state. […] The post Noem approves out-of-state vehicle title fee, signs other bills appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Biden, Trump set for massive delegate hauls in 16 nominating contests
WASHINGTON — Voters in more than a dozen states will cast their choice for U.S. president Tuesday in the largest single day of nominating contests on the 2024 election calendar. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, the clear Republican front-runner, are chasing more than one-third of their respective parties’ delegates during the “Super […] The post Biden, Trump set for massive delegate hauls in 16 nominating contests appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
‘Inexcusable’ to endorsable: Thune’s journey with Trump
In politics, just like in comedy, timing is everything. Consider this timeline: On Saturday, Feb. 24, Former President Donald Trump won the South Carolina Republican primary. According to The Hill, that night Trump got a call from South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the second-highest ranking Republican in the U.S. Senate. On Sunday, Feb. 25, Thune […] The post ‘Inexcusable’ to endorsable: Thune’s journey with Trump appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Noem signs ban on foreign-owned ag land; lawmakers busy as final week begins
PIERRE — Governor Kristi Noem signed a bill Monday that bans ownership of agricultural land in South Dakota by people, companies and governments from six countries, while legislators sent her a flurry of other bills as the annual legislative session’s final week began. The ban on foreign ownership includes China. “Their goal is to dominate […] The post Noem signs ban on foreign-owned ag land; lawmakers busy as final week begins appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Proposed carbon pipeline adds more ethanol plants as lawmakers debate regulations
A company hoping to build a carbon dioxide pipeline added eight more ethanol plants as partners Monday, while South Dakota legislators took action on bills that could affect the project. Summit Carbon Solutions announced a new partnership with Valero Energy. Valero is headquartered in Texas and operates 15 oil refineries in the United States, Canada […] The post Proposed carbon pipeline adds more ethanol plants as lawmakers debate regulations appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Petitions circulate in at least 18 counties to eliminate vote tabulators and require hand counting
South Dakotans who say they’re concerned about election security are racing to require counties to hand-count ballots in this year’s general election. Petitions are circulating or have circulated in 18 of the state’s 66 counties, according to a group coordinating the effort, and the group said people in eight more counties have asked for information […] The post Petitions circulate in at least 18 counties to eliminate vote tabulators and require hand counting appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Colorado 14th Amendment ruling, clearing Trump for ballot
Former President Donald Trump must be placed on Colorado’s 2024 ballot, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Monday, striking down a first-of-its-kind holding by the Colorado Supreme Court that the Republican front-runner is disqualified from office under a Civil War-era insurrection clause. “Because the Constitution makes Congress, rather than the States, responsible for enforcing […] The post U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Colorado 14th Amendment ruling, clearing Trump for ballot appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
As xylazine surges, some lawmakers want jail time for dealers and people who use the drug
Legislators in a handful of states are offering bills to address the rise in the misuse of xylazine, a cheap animal sedative not intended for human consumption. Xylazine, or “tranq,” can induce blackouts and cause lesions that sometimes result in severe infections or amputations, and it can even lead to death. The opioid overdose-reversal drug […] The post As xylazine surges, some lawmakers want jail time for dealers and people who use the drug appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Opposition to pipeline could derail landowner protections, House leader warns
PIERRE — With most of this year’s legislative session in the rearview mirror, some lawmakers are making a final push on a trio of bills they describe as an effort to balance the interests of both opponents and proponents of a carbon dioxide pipeline. In Republican-dominated South Dakota, the bills have pitted the party’s traditional […] The post Opposition to pipeline could derail landowner protections, House leader warns appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Legislative Roundup: Tuition freeze expected in budget as session enters final week
Lawmakers on a budget committee have agreed to another tuition freeze for state universities as South Dakota’s legislative session enters its final week and attention turns to the budget. If the agreement holds, it will be the third consecutive year that tuition has gone unchanged. The goal is retaining young South Dakotans and supporting workforce […] The post Legislative Roundup: Tuition freeze expected in budget as session enters final week appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Funding support for counties whittled down from summer recommendations
Out of 13 recommendations made by the county funding summer study committee — consisting of a dozen lawmakers who dedicated their summer to understanding how to support county governments in the state — a handful have passed into law or are still alive in the Legislature. Only two bills intended to bolster funding for counties […] The post Funding support for counties whittled down from summer recommendations appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Who wants the U.S. Supreme Court to limit abortion pill access? Here’s the list.
WASHINGTON — Anti-abortion groups, attorneys general from 25 states and more than 140 members of Congress have signed on to dozens of briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court during the past two weeks, encouraging the justices to revert use and prescribing of the medication abortion pill mifepristone to what was in place prior to 2016. […] The post Who wants the U.S. Supreme Court to limit abortion pill access? Here’s the list. appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Lawmakers unwilling to accept defeat on Medicaid expansion
Throughout the recent past, Republicans in the South Dakota Legislature have had a tempestuous relationship with Medicaid expansion. When the federal government offered a way to expand the pool of people who receive Medicaid benefits, the Republican supermajorities refused to go along. When Medicaid expansion became a constitutional amendment in the 2022 election, Republicans took […] The post Lawmakers unwilling to accept defeat on Medicaid expansion appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Presidential campaign moves to the border, as Biden urges Trump to back immigration deal
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump on Thursday afternoon paid competing visits to the nation’s southern border, where Biden called on Congress to reconsider a bipartisan border security deal that Republicans tanked at Trump’s direction. Biden traveled to Brownsville, Texas, while Trump journeyed to Eagle Pass, highlighting how immigration policy has […] The post Presidential campaign moves to the border, as Biden urges Trump to back immigration deal appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Thune, Rounds, Johnson vote yes as Congress passes funding extension, averts shutdown
WASHINGTON — Congress passed a short-term funding extension Thursday intended to give lawmakers a bit more time to wrap up work on the annual spending bills — dodging a shutdown despite election year politics and narrow margins. The stopgap spending bill, sometimes called a continuing resolution, or CR, would keep funding mostly flat for programs […] The post Thune, Rounds, Johnson vote yes as Congress passes funding extension, averts shutdown appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
CO2 pipeline opponents doubt certainty of $1 billion corn-based jet fuel project
The largest economic development project in South Dakota history hinges on two things: a carbon pipeline and a $950 million federal loan guarantee. If the former doesn’t happen, according to the company’s CEO, the money secured through the latter won’t land in South Dakota. But opponents of the project and the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline […] The post CO2 pipeline opponents doubt certainty of $1 billion corn-based jet fuel project appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Senate change to teacher-pay bill sparks House rebuttal and sets up final-week showdown
Average teacher compensation would only have to rise half as much as state education funding under the new terms of legislation advanced Thursday morning by a committee of South Dakota senators. Thursday afternoon, the state House reiterated its preference for the bill’s earlier language, which would require the rate of average teacher compensation increases to […] The post Senate change to teacher-pay bill sparks House rebuttal and sets up final-week showdown appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Election officials say verbal abuse is common as lawmakers reject bill to protect them
The assertion that election officials are not being threatened or intimidated in South Dakota helped derail legislation this week at the Capitol in Pierre that would have criminalized those acts. Yet a South Dakota county election official published an article last month detailing verbal abuse suffered by her staff. And another county election official said […] The post Election officials say verbal abuse is common as lawmakers reject bill to protect them appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
In clash over immigration, Biden and Trump both bound for the U.S.-Mexico border today
Surrogates for President Joe Biden dismissed former President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit to the U.S.-Mexico border Thursday as a political stunt, adding that the likely Republican presidential nominee was exploiting an issue that he has shown no desire to fix. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia of California, both Democrats, told reporters […] The post In clash over immigration, Biden and Trump both bound for the U.S.-Mexico border today appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Legislature approves higher private school scholarships, sends bill to governor
PIERRE — A bill that would increase tax credits for insurance companies to help low-income students attend private school earned final legislative approval Wednesday. The House of Representatives passed the bill 56-13 and sent it to the governor for her consideration. “This is about empowering students,” said Rep. Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids. “Particularly low-income students.” […] The post Legislature approves higher private school scholarships, sends bill to governor appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
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We use our journalistic searchlight to illuminate critical issues facing South Dakota, dissect the decisions made by state leaders, and explain the consequences of their policies and the role of politics on South Dakotans. We publish news and commentary that prioritizes accuracy, fairness, insight and civility. There is no charge to access our content, or to subscribe to our email newsletter. We invite and publish guest commentary that contributes to productive public discourse and adheres to our editorial policies. South Dakota Searchlight launched in 2022. We’re an affiliate of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. The staff of the Searchlight retains full editorial independence.
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