Governor Rhoden has signed six additional bills into law, bringing the total to 57 bills for the current legislative session. The new laws include Senate Bills 65, 71, and 109, as well as House Bills 1057, 1063, and 1173. These bills address a range of issues, including real estate in Pennington County, the individualized education program (IEP), the state racing fund, and road improvements, among other matters.
Forty-five students are set to graduate this week from the Basic Law Enforcement Training Academy in Pierre. After 13 weeks of rigorous training, which covers law, arrest control tactics, firearms, criminal investigations, and more, the ceremony will take place today at 10 a.m. at the George S. Mickelson Criminal Justice Center.
DOGE sets its sights on South Dakota as the Department of Government Efficiency moves forward with a significant reduction in federal offices across the state. At least 13 offices are slated for closure, including key locations in Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Watertown, Huron, Fort Thompson, Sisseton, and Yankton.
A hiker made a disturbing discovery in Pennington County on Tuesday afternoon, finding a badly decomposed body south of Hill City around 1:00 p.m. Deputies responded to the scene, and officials are now working with local, state, and federal agencies to review missing persons cases in the area. The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Rapid City Police Department, is investigating the victim’s identity and cause of death. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to uncover more details surrounding the case.
The heartwarming story of three puppies, Birdie, Brodie, and Bo, who captured local attention earlier this year, is set to have a happy ending. These ten-week-old puppies, who were originally reported to have been abandoned in a Sioux Falls dumpster, are now almost ready for adoption. However, authorities recently debunked the initial report, revealing that it was fabricated by the puppies’ original owner who simply didn’t want to care for them.
New South Dakota legislation, Senate Bill 193, is on its way to the House after passing the Senate with overwhelming support. The bill aims to allow non-English speakers to use state-approved interpreters during their driving tests for a state license. However, the driver would be responsible for covering the cost of the interpreter.
South Dakota farmers, including Stephanie Peterson, owner of Fruit of the Coop in Brandon, are facing uncertainty due to the freezing of USDA grant funds. Peterson was set to move forward with significant business plans after being approved for a $36,000 grant, but last week, the USDA notified her that the funds were frozen due to ongoing government spending cuts.
The South Dakota House has successfully passed two key anti-human trafficking bills, Senate Bills 58 and 59, proposed by Attorney General Marty Jackley. Having already been approved by the Senate, the bills are now set to move to Governor Larry Rhoden’s desk for final approval and signature.
South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden has expanded the state’s executive order to include a ban on two Chinese apps, DeepSeek and RedNote. This move restricts state devices and personal devices used by state employees during work hours from accessing these applications.
The South Dakota Senate Education Committee rejected a bill Tuesday that would have reduced state funding for the high school dual credit program, while advancing another education measure to appropriations. House Bill 1040, which proposed cutting the state’s share of dual credit tuition costs from two-thirds to 50 percent, failed on a 4-3 vote after committee members expressed concerns about passing costs to students and families.