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South Dakota Searchlight
‘A product that’s killing people’: Lawmakers chastise social media giants for harm to kids
Members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee castigated executives at leading social media companies Wednesday, calling for more to be done to shield children from sexual exploitation, drug dealing, self-harm encouragement and other damaging content. In one tense exchange, Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley demanded to know if Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, had […] The post ‘A product that’s killing people’: Lawmakers chastise social media giants for harm to kids appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
‘School safety 2.0’ bill focusing on locked doors, anonymous tip line fails in Senate
A revived and “fine tuned” bill to standardize minimum school safety practices in South Dakota – without requiring armed guards – failed to pass the state Senate on Wednesday in Pierre. The bill would have required schools to post information about the statewide anonymous school safety tip line, as well as lock main entrances or […] The post ‘School safety 2.0’ bill focusing on locked doors, anonymous tip line fails in Senate appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Cap on property tax valuations narrowly endorsed by state Senate panel
PIERRE — Fifteen years ago, Aberdeen Republican Senator Al Novstrup railed repeatedly against a proposal to tie ag land property taxes to crop production instead of land values. Detethering property taxes from the sticker price of the property itself was a deviation from reality, he argued, and one that would upset the tax apple cart […] The post Cap on property tax valuations narrowly endorsed by state Senate panel appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Effort to study child care costs in SD receives unanimous committee support
One of the first pieces in the long-term effort to address South Dakota’s child care needs cleared its first hurdle Wednesday at the Capitol in Pierre. A bill that would require the state to study the cost of child care across South Dakota was unanimously approved by the Senate State Affairs Committee and will head […] The post Effort to study child care costs in SD receives unanimous committee support appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
U.S. House Speaker Johnson decries antisemitism, urges protection of Uyghurs in China
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected antisemitism and called on the Biden administration to fully enforce the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act during brief remarks to the International Religious Freedom summit on Wednesday. The Louisiana Republican also argued that God, not the government, provides American citizens with their rights and that those ideas […] The post U.S. House Speaker Johnson decries antisemitism, urges protection of Uyghurs in China appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
U.S. House committee advances impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas to floor
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security early Wednesday voted 18-15 along party lines to send articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the House floor. Republicans argue the charges are legitimate. Members of the full House could vote as soon as next week to impeach Mayorkas, who is […] The post U.S. House committee advances impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas to floor appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Texas hasn’t repaid South Dakota for help at the border
Texas has not repaid South Dakota for assistance at the Texas-Mexico border even though similar mutual-aid agreements between South Dakota and other states have typically involved reimbursement, according to legislators and state officials. That revelation came Tuesday, one day before Governor Kristi Noem was scheduled to address a joint session of the Legislature about what […] The post Texas hasn’t repaid South Dakota for help at the border appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Bill would make it easier for Black Hills community to become a city
Black Hawk, South Dakota — a 137-year-old community with a population of over 3,000 — isn’t actually a city. The community has its own ZIP code, post office, water company, fire department, cemetery, businesses, churches and an elementary school that’s part of the Rapid City Area Schools system. But it doesn’t have a city government, […] The post Bill would make it easier for Black Hills community to become a city appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Targeted ‘diet weed’ ban clears first hurdle in House committee
PIERRE — There are at least three shops that sell products made from the legal, hemp-derived cousins of marijuana within a half mile of the state Capitol. On Tuesday, lawmakers took the first steps toward a ban on what’s sold there – and in every corner of the state. House Bill 1125 would ban most […] The post Targeted ‘diet weed’ ban clears first hurdle in House committee appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Committee passes ‘school safety 2.0’ bill onto the state Senate
A bill mandating minimum safety standards in public schools — without requiring armed guards — was unanimously approved Tuesday by the Senate Education Committee at the Capitol in Pierre. The bill is a modified revival of an earlier school safety bill that failed in committee due to concerns about staffing, costs and local control. That […] The post Committee passes ‘school safety 2.0’ bill onto the state Senate appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Free birth certificates, ID cards for homeless people endorsed by House committee
PIERRE — Homeless people would be in line for free South Dakota birth certificates and state ID cards under the terms of two bills that advanced out of a state House committee Tuesday morning. House Bill 1098 would allow for a waiver of the $15 fee attached to a request for a certified copy of […] The post Free birth certificates, ID cards for homeless people endorsed by House committee appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Poet’s ethanol plants shift to remaining carbon dioxide pipeline proposal
An ethanol production company headquartered in Sioux Falls announced Monday it will partner with the remaining company looking to build a carbon capture pipeline in South Dakota. Poet will collaborate with Summit Carbon Solutions to implement carbon capture technology at 17 Poet ethanol plants, including five in South Dakota and 12 in Iowa. The South […] The post Poet’s ethanol plants shift to remaining carbon dioxide pipeline proposal appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Short staffing leaves prisons running on overtime
PIERRE – For every pay period, the average correctional officer in a South Dakota prison works an average of 14 overtime hours. That’s an hour more than the last fiscal year and four more than 2022. Those hours will continue to pile up until the Department of Corrections can cut the workforce vacancy rate at […] The post Short staffing leaves prisons running on overtime appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
U.S. House Republicans set to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Homeland Security Committee is gearing up for only the second impeachment in U.S. history of a Cabinet member. The Republican-led committee on Tuesday will mark up articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, for what Democrats say is no more than a difference in immigration policy […] The post U.S. House Republicans set to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
U.S. Supreme Court schedules March 26 oral arguments in abortion pill access case
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on March 26 in the case that could significantly curtail access to a prescription drug used for both abortions and miscarriage care. The case centers on when and how patients can access mifepristone, a pharmaceutical the U.S. Food and Drug Administration originally approved in 2000. […] The post U.S. Supreme Court schedules March 26 oral arguments in abortion pill access case appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Agriculture built these High Plains towns. Now, it might run them dry.
This story, the first in an occasional series about water challenges facing the American heartland, is a partnership between Stateline and the Kansas Reflector. MOSCOW, Kan. — Brownie Wilson pulls off a remote dirt road right through a steep ditch and onto a farmer’s field. He hops out of his white Silverado pickup, mud covering nearly […] The post Agriculture built these High Plains towns. Now, it might run them dry. appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Legislative Roundup: Picking up the pace in Pierre
Lawmakers arrived in Pierre for the 99th session of the South Dakota Legislature earlier this month with an apparent will to challenge assumptions about the sluggish speed of government. Things are moving more quickly, as columnist Dana Hess points out – and celebrates – in his latest South Dakota Searchlight commentary. We can look to […] The post Legislative Roundup: Picking up the pace in Pierre appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
From sleepwalking to sprinting: Faster start to legislative session is a welcome change
After retiring from a career in writing and journalism, one of the freelance assignments I took was covering the Legislature in Pierre for Community News Service. Sponsored by the South Dakota Newspaper Association (now known as the South Dakota NewsMedia Association), CNS was legislative coverage designed for weekly newspapers, though some dailies did subscribe as […] The post From sleepwalking to sprinting: Faster start to legislative session is a welcome change appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Noem makes another visit to Texas-Mexico border
Governor Kristi Noem made another visit to the Texas-Mexico border Friday, which she described as a “warzone.” Noem’s office did not respond to South Dakota Searchlight questions about how she got to Texas and who paid for the trip. South Dakota’s capital city, Pierre, is 1,200 miles from the Texas-Mexico border. The trip came on […] The post Noem makes another visit to Texas-Mexico border appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Staking claims on unclaimed property: $175 million haul sparks budget battle
Governor Kristi Noem said during her recent budget address that she wants the state to return more unclaimed property to its rightful owners. She could start by claiming her own. She’s one of more than 2 million people with unclaimed money or property held by the state of South Dakota, according to the state’s searchable […] The post Staking claims on unclaimed property: $175 million haul sparks budget battle 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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