RARE PUSHBACK FROM CONGRESS: Don't miss our detailed story on how bipartisan appropriators actually rebuffed Trump's attempt to sharply reduce spending on NIH, CDC and other public health agencies. From @jennifershutt.bsky.social www.newsfromthestates.com/article/it-a...

"I've been sick these last few days, because I did forget to take one specific drug that I bring here every year that I've been in the Legislature. And that is #ivermectin." That comment kicks off the latest episode of 🎧️Searchlight Report, which reviews a lively legislative week. buff.ly/apDlFTN

Searchlight Report is also available on ... Apple podcasts: buff.ly/1Yj46wR Spotify: buff.ly/c6jw0ta YouTube: buff.ly/qqyPVPp

New episode of the Searchlight Report podcast: The fate of SD legislation dealing with alternative COVID-19 treatments, a tax break for data centers, guns at colleges and schools, and lab-grown meat. Also, Republicans suspend one of their own for remarks about Democrats and God. buff.ly/apDlFTN

In a flurry of decisions, SD legislative committees said yes to keeping the sales tax at 4.2%, no to letting it increase and capturing the revenue for property tax relief, and yes to letting voters decide on mobile sports betting and using that for property tax relief.

A bill to require high school coaches to report abuse and neglect earned the full support of a South Dakota House of Representatives panel.

Legislation dealing with lab-grown and direct-to-consumer meat is dividing South Dakota ranchers. “If you have two ranchers, you've got four different opinions," one lawmaker said. Both bills await action by Gov. Larry Rhoden, who's a rancher himself.

Private prison companies, such as CoreCivic, have been a key partner to ICE as the government carried out its immigration agenda. On the next episode of the Stories From The States podcast, we will take a look at how several states are pushing back. www.newsfromthestates.com/podcast/stor...

The divide in South Dakota’s Republican Party over the government’s role in #EconomicDevelopment spilled into public view as two of the party’s top leaders argued in front of reporters. More about that exchange:

The South Dakota House Education Committee advanced a $2.5 million proposal to provide grants for a teacher retention initiative. southdakotasearchlight.com/briefs/2-5-m...

Don’t miss South Dakota Searchlight’s series, The Data Center Divide, examining the impact, barriers and concerns regarding efforts to build #DataCenters in the state. Read all four stories here:

South Dakota lawmakers defeated a bill that would have tightened limits on groundwater pumping by eliminating an exception for some deep aquifers.

SEARING DECISION AGAINST KRISTI NOEM ON TPS: Temporary legal status allowed for now for 350,000 Haitians as judge blasts Kristi Noem - @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social for @statesnewsroom.com DC www.newsfromthestates.com/article/temp...

South Dakota doesn’t recognize emergency medical services as essential under state law, and that wouldn’t change under an ambulance bill passed Monday by a state Senate panel.

A pair of questions that struck the bullseye contributed to a South Dakota legislative committee’s uncharacteristic rejection of two bills to roll back concealed gun laws. More details from the hearing:

🎧️ Searchlight Report 🎧️ is the new podcast from South Dakota Searchlight. In Ep. 3: Criticisms of “woke” funding derail a program, a resolution asks for prayers, a bill would limit utilities' liability for wildfires, Rhoden backs Noem, and a look at "The Data Center Divide."

South Dakota lawmakers have introduced at least 28 bills directly addressing #PropertyTaxes so far this legislative session as they look for ways to provide relief for taxpayers. “It’s going to be tough to get things exactly right, but we’re going to work at it,” one lawmaker said.

An official in Sully County, which is home to South Dakota’s largest data center, says the county would welcome more #DataCenters with “open arms.” Read the third story in South Dakota Searchlight’s four-part series, The Data Center Divide:

“…a big part of the problem that we face in some of these issues is people jumping to conclusions and then standing their ground and making absurd statements based on conjecture.” So, in other words, exactly what Noem did. southdakotasearchlight.com/2026/01/29/t...

A North Dakota town serves as an example of the promise and perils of #DataCenters for South Dakota. Read the second story in South Dakota Searchlight’s four-part series, The Data Center Divide:

Searchlight Report podcast, Episode 3 🔊 Criticisms of “woke” funding derail a pretrial program, a resolution asks for prayers, and a bill advances that would limit utilities' liability for wildfires. Plus: Rhoden backs Noem, and a look at "The Data Center Divide." buff.ly/85BYKDo

The race for governor is on in South Dakota, and so is the race to determine the state’s policy on incentives for #DataCenters before the next governor is elected. Read the first story in South Dakota Searchlight’s series, The Data Center Divide:

Introducing The Data Center Divide, a South Dakota Searchlight series examining the impact, barriers and concerns regarding efforts to build #DataCenters in the state. buff.ly/sjM4SxH

Lawmakers in the state House of Representatives halted an effort to send a proposed repeal of expanded #Medicaid to South Dakota voters.

The first bill Gov. Larry Rhoden signed into law this legislative session approves spending of federal funds for South Dakota’s Rural Health Transformation Program.

South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden criticized "people jumping to conclusions and then standing their ground and making absurd statements based on conjecture." That sounds like a description of his predecessor, #KristiNoem, writes @sethtupper.bsky.social. Commentary:

A committee of South Dakota lawmakers advanced a bill that would tighten state limits on groundwater withdrawals by eliminating an exception for some deep #aquifers used by public water systems.

Both chambers of the Legislature have approved a resolution that urges the people of South Dakota to “seek the Lord Most High for His healing presence and mercy,” after debates about the role of #religion in government.

The South Dakota House of Representatives overwhelmingly supported a bill to recognize tribal officers as law enforcement officers under state law, but some members balked at a resolution urging a tribal law enforcement training academy before adopting it.

Doubts about a person’s citizenship status could be used to challenge their right to vote in South Dakota, if a proposal approved by a legislative committee becomes law.

South Dakota lawmakers advanced a resolution that would ask voters in November to repeal the state’s obligation to provide expanded #Medicaid coverage, potentially reopening a policy debate from four years ago.

The South Dakota Senate approved a bill that would make state officials involved in a big contract with a company wait longer before accepting a job with that company. buff.ly/wbe8DHc

Legislation that could outlaw #LabGrownMeat in South Dakota passed the state House and is headed to the Senate. Last year, lawmakers passed a bill requiring clear labels on the product.

Constitutional concerns helped tank a bill in the South Dakota House of Representatives that aimed to ban payments to petition circulators in ballot measure campaigns.

Families who qualify for reduced-price #SchoolMeals would no longer have to pay a portion of the cost if a bill advancing in the SD Legislature becomes law. “When the state mandates education, it takes on a shared responsibility to ensure that students can succeed," the sponsor said.

The South Dakota governor should retain exclusive control over a pot of economic development money known as the Future Fund, a committee of lawmakers decided. The fund was controversial under former Gov. Kristi Noem, whose uses of it included an ad campaign starring herself.

Gov. Larry Rhoden asked the South Dakota Supreme Court for an advisory opinion on whether the lieutenant governor, while presiding as president of the state Senate, may cast a tiebreaking vote.

The South Dakota House of Representatives rejected bills that were meant to extend credits toward graduation to high school students who participate in sports or substitute agriculture classes for science classes.

Lawmakers rejected a pretrial monitoring program requested by South Dakota’s top judicial official, as some legislators expressed concerns about the perceived political persuasion of the foundation that pledged to pay for it. One lawmaker called MacArthur Foundation grants "woke." buff.ly/rxmDp9Z

A bill to require a local election after any South Dakota school board decides to exceed property tax limitations (a decision often described as an "opt-out") passed the state Senate on a 20-14 vote, sending it to the House.

Federal immigration officers shot a third Minnesotan in as many weeks, according to video posted to social media and confirmed in a post by Gov. Tim Walz. Via @minnesotareformer.com buff.ly/Xe6SJiq

Listen to Searchlight Report on Spotify: buff.ly/uqu02Gk

Announcing South Dakota Searchlight's new podcast, the Searchlight Report. Reporter and host Meghan O’Brien works with other Searchlight journalists to take listeners inside politics and policy in The Mount Rushmore State, including the annual legislative session. Episode 2: buff.ly/TXwdr0R

Republican U.S. Sen. #MikeRounds formally announced that he will seek reelection this year, launching a bid for a third six-year term representing South Dakota in Washington, D.C.

A committee of state lawmakers advanced legislation asking voters to put restrictions on #EminentDomain in the state constitution, after the measure’s supporters argued South Dakotans need stronger protections than a law banning eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines.

A South Dakota legislative committee defeated a proposal that could have produced more revenue from the state’s taxes on #gold #mining.

A South Dakota state representative was reassigned to different committees recently after tempers flared over a committee’s seating arrangement, in an episode one lawmaker described as “unprofessional and juvenile behavior.”

A South Dakota Senate panel advanced — but did not endorse — bans on hemp-derived intoxicants and #kratom. The committee voted unanimously to put the two prohibition bills in front of the full state Senate with no recommendation. Details from the testimony and discussion:

A South Dakota legislative committee endorsed a bill that would require state employees to wait two years before taking a job with a company, if the employee and the company were involved in a state contract exceeding $1 million. buff.ly/0JQUVV5

South Dakota lawmakers advanced a bill that would bar candidates and political committees from taking campaign contributions or loans from a foreign national.