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South Dakota Searchlight
In CPAC speech, Trump predicts ‘losing World War III’ if he is not elected
Former President Donald Trump painted a bleak picture Saturday of what would happen to the United States should voters reelect Joe Biden to the Oval Office in November. The front-runner in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, who made similar predictions ahead of the 2020 presidential election, told attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference — […] The post In CPAC speech, Trump predicts ‘losing World War III’ if he is not elected appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
On its second try, civics exceptionalism bill goes stealth
According to some South Dakota lawmakers, college students need a big, fat lesson in civics. By “civics” they mean a lesson in the greatness of America. That lesson keeps getting closer to a reality as House Bill 1213 makes its way through the Legislature. HB 1213 would create a civic engagement center at Black Hills […] The post On its second try, civics exceptionalism bill goes stealth appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Trump comes out against Alabama IVF ruling as national Republicans scramble for distance
Former President Donald Trump called on Alabama lawmakers Friday to “find an immediate solution” to remedy a state Supreme Court ruling that threatened the availability of in vitro fertilization, and national Republicans running for Congress sought to distance themselves from the Alabama decision as well. In a post to his social media site, Truth Social, […] The post Trump comes out against Alabama IVF ruling as national Republicans scramble for distance appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Phonics training is among the winners as budget panel plows through spending requests
PIERRE – The Legislature’s budget committee endorsed a bill Friday to spend $3 million on phonics-based reading instruction for elementary teachers, and the committee also dealt with a raft of other proposals ahead of a deadline to advance spending bills to the House and Senate. Earlier in the week, state Education Secretary Joe Graves told […] The post Phonics training is among the winners as budget panel plows through spending requests appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Bills simplifying removal of tenants clear legislative panel
PIERRE — Two bills that streamline the process of removing tenants from their homes are on their way to the state House of Representatives after earning an endorsement from a House commerce panel Friday morning. Senate Bill 90 would remove the requirement that landlords issue a non-binding three-day “notice to quit” on tenants before starting […] The post Bills simplifying removal of tenants clear legislative panel appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
State Senate committee OK’s creating new Indian Child Advisory Council
PIERRE — An effort to establish an advisory council to host formal conversations and gather data on the high number of Native American children in South Dakota’s foster care system was approved by a Senate committee Friday morning. The bill now heads to the Senate floor. HB 1232 creates an Indian Child Advisory Council made […] The post State Senate committee OK’s creating new Indian Child Advisory Council appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Here’s hoping better angels will prevail against mean-spirited legislative proposals
In South Dakota, we like to be good neighbors, helping when we can. We send nice people to the Legislature. So why is their legislation so hard on our low-income population? Legislators rejected good bills that could help, like expanding free and reduced price school lunch eligibility, eliminating the state sales tax on food, increasing […] The post Here’s hoping better angels will prevail against mean-spirited legislative proposals appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
West River lawmakers want state cash to prevent East River-level pollution in Black Hills waters
PIERRE – Water quality advocates want lawmakers to pump $5 million into the creation of a Black Hills watershed program that would prevent its streams from turning out as polluted as those in eastern South Dakota. House Bill 1235 came from Rep. Scott Odenbach, R-Spearfish, and Sen. Red Dawn Foster, D-Pine Ridge. Its impetus is […] The post West River lawmakers want state cash to prevent East River-level pollution in Black Hills waters appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Legislators seek health care workforce report to address impending shortage
A resolution that would instruct the state Department of Health to issue a report on the state of South Dakota’s health care workforce is sailing through the Legislature. The resolution, recommended by a group of legislators that studied South Dakota’s long-term care industry last summer, passed unanimously out of the House Health and Human Services […] The post Legislators seek health care workforce report to address impending shortage appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
60 years later, the Wilderness Act still demands our restraint
When my friends and I encountered the fresh grizzly bear scat, we were deep in Wyoming’s Teton Wilderness, 20 miles from a trailhead. I’d seen grizzlies before — from the car. But this experience was on a whole other level. I felt vulnerable, nervous. I also felt fully alive. That feeling owes much to the […] The post 60 years later, the Wilderness Act still demands our restraint appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Lawmakers wade into landowner-hunter relations with plan for special elk licenses
There aren’t enough elk in the state for all the hunters who want to shoot them, yet in some areas, farmers and ranchers complain of too many elk trampling cornfields, breaking fences and eating livestock feed. The state Senate advanced legislation Wednesday that supporters say would ease both problems. But opponents say the bill could […] The post Lawmakers wade into landowner-hunter relations with plan for special elk licenses appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Biden unveils latest round of student loan cancellation to aid 153,000 borrowers
President Joe Biden expanded his push to eliminate student loan debt Wednesday, saying during a speech the initiative is part of a campaign promise to address the “broken” system. “While a college degree is still a ticket to a better life, that ticket is too expensive,” Biden said. “And too many Americans are still saddled […] The post Biden unveils latest round of student loan cancellation to aid 153,000 borrowers appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Corrections secretary pushed on ballooning costs for prison projects
PIERRE – Lawmakers peppered the Department of Corrections secretary with questions on Wednesday morning about the growing gap between initial and current price points for two new state prisons. Secretary Kellie Wasko told lawmakers that the state will have a “guaranteed maximum price” in November for the men’s prison. Barring a legal victory by the […] The post Corrections secretary pushed on ballooning costs for prison projects appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Q&A: The long road to ‘Short Walk,’ a new podcast on the Ravnsborg accident and impeachment
Jason Ravnsborg’s commitment to crisscrossing the state in his car led to his success and his downfall, according to the producer of a new podcast about the former South Dakota attorney general. Before Ravnsborg’s involvement in a crash that killed a pedestrian, he defined himself in part by the long drives he made to political […] The post Q&A: The long road to ‘Short Walk,’ a new podcast on the Ravnsborg accident and impeachment appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
As Ravnsborg tries to keep his law license, his integrity is lost
Throughout my career in journalism, there were few more compelling days than June 21, 2022, the day of South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg’s impeachment trial. Memories of that day rushed back recently as Ravnsborg was again in the news, asking the state Supreme Court to block the state Bar Association’s attempt to suspend his […] The post As Ravnsborg tries to keep his law license, his integrity is lost appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Responding to abortion-rights effort, House approves bill allowing withdrawn petition signatures
In response to a potential ballot measure that would reinstate abortion rights, the Republican-dominated South Dakota House of Representatives advanced a bill Tuesday in Pierre that would allow people to remove their signatures from ballot-question petitions. The bill passed 59-9 — with the no votes coming from the chamber’s seven Democrats and two of its […] The post Responding to abortion-rights effort, House approves bill allowing withdrawn petition signatures appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
‘Puts accountability in place’: Bill tying teacher pay to state funding passes House
A bill tying teacher pay to annual increases in state funding passed the state House of Representatives with a 58-9 vote Tuesday. The bill, which now heads to a Senate committee, is a result of South Dakota drifting back down near the bottom in average teacher salary compared to the rest of the United States. […] The post ‘Puts accountability in place’: Bill tying teacher pay to state funding passes House appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
State Senate votes to put up ‘guardrails’ on medical pot for ex-inmates
PIERRE — The state Senate endorsed a bill that would require parolees and probationers to get additional sign-offs from a health care practitioner to get a medical cannabis card. Current law on medical cannabis has no prohibitions on access for people on probation or parole, even as steering clear of drugs and alcohol are often […] The post State Senate votes to put up ‘guardrails’ on medical pot for ex-inmates appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Legislative committee endorses proposal for more control over state treasurer’s budget
The state Treasurer’s Office may have to seek permission from the Legislature to increase the office’s budget for finding unclaimed property owners. The House Appropriations Committee voted 5-3 on Tuesday in Pierre to endorse legislation containing that requirement. “This bill is an important way of improving the legislative oversight in this area,” said the bill’s […] The post Legislative committee endorses proposal for more control over state treasurer’s budget appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Cultivating coexistence: Conservationists should work with, not against, ranchers
Is there any habit harder to break than harboring a grudge against an old adversary? Yet burying hatchets is exactly what it might take to conserve our wildlife, in the face of ever-increasing pressures on the places they need to survive. Consider grizzly bears. In 1973, grizzlies were on a steep decline and headed for […] The post Cultivating coexistence: Conservationists should work with, not against, ranchers 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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