Legislative Session 2022

The bill approving the construction of a new South Dakota men’s penitentiary is now officially law.

In a special session, lawmakers moved forward with a plan to construct a new 1,500-bed prison facility in Sioux Falls.

A USD professor who was placed on leave over a social media post critical of Charlie Kirk is suing several university and state officials.

After approving an amendment not acceptable to the prime sponsor, the House Judiciary Committee has passed a bill that denies a lenient sentencing option to accused rapists. The original bill included all definitions of rape, but the amended version exempts defendants who commit statutory rape or rape of a victim too intoxicated to give consent.

A South Dakota agency hopes to move forward with its plan to open a public, state-of-the-art shooting range near Rapid City, despite a legislative committee rejecting state funding for the project.

Game, Fish and Parks officials are circulating a plan to reduce and relocate a campsite expansion proposal at Custer State Park.The original proposal was a 176-campsite expansion in Barnes Canyon near the Wildlife Loop. The new proposal is for 80 campsites just south of Stockade Lake.

Gov. Kristi Noem took aim at several targets during her recent State of the State address, and she reserved some of her sharpest criticism for a surprising topic.

The 2022 state legislative session is poised to be historic as lawmakers scramble to fund legacy infrastructure projects and enact sweeping social changes. Dakota Political Junkies Jonathan Ellis and Jon Schaff evaluate the early signs of function and dysfunction.

A house panel is endorsing a bill that prevents transgender girls from playing girls sports. It’s one of the bill’s last steps before reaching the governor’s desk.Meanwhile, comments on the bill by the governor’s top adviser are sparking criticism.

Senators are making quick work of several medical-marijuana bills.The full Senate is passing along a handful of bills to the House. Those bills come from an interim study committee that focused on the medical-marijuana program approved by voters in 2020.

A legislative committee will hear a bill next week proposing funding for a campground expansion in Custer State Park.Some lawmakers say they’re flooded with emails about the proposal.

We Take a Moment to hear more on the "moment of silence" legislative conversation in Pierre as lawmakers discuss (and table) HB1015.

The South Dakota Legislature is considering workplace bills that range from raises to injury compensation to COVID-19 vaccinations.