2022 Legislature

As invasive zebra mussels have spread west across South Dakota, now infecting Pactola Reservoir in the Black Hills, a growing number of advocates and officials have criticized what they say is a slow and inadequate response by Gov. Kristi Noem and the Legislature to prevent further spread of the mussels that can damage waterways, infrastructure and fisheries.

Supporters of the "cottage foods" industry in South Dakota say a new law will make it easier for producers of homemade food products to legally and safely sell their wares directly to consumers by eliminating costly and time-consuming food testing requirements.

A proposal to bypass the state legislature and instead use the statewide ballot process to eliminate the sales tax on groceries in South Dakota has hit an early legal snarl. But introduction of the ballot measure is providing more evidence of how citizens groups in South Dakota want to let voters -- rather than lawmakers and the governor -- decide the outcome of important issues facing the state.

The sometimes stormy relationship between Republican Gov. Kristi Noem and the GOP-led Legislature has led to the delay of implementation of a $200 million infrastructure loan and grant program that was intended to help developers quickly build new workforce housing that is a critical need for the success of the South Dakota economy. An entire annual construction season was lost due to the delay of the program, which will now need compromise legislation in the 2023 session in order to launch.

Legal and grassroots efforts are continuing in South Dakota to make it easier for Native Americans to vote, including in the upcoming 2022 gubernatorial election. While history has shown that many Native voters have faced disenfranchisement, South Dakota history also shows how important the Native vote can be in close elections.

A group of conservative Republican lawmakers in South Dakota has raised questions about the validity of the state electoral process, but election officials say there is no concrete evidence of election integrity problems and are assuring voters that the Nov. 8, 2022 election in South Dakota will be accurate and valid.

Opposition and threats of financial consequences were lower in the 2022 South Dakota Legislative session for lawmakers and Gov. Kristi Noem as they successfully passed a ban on transgender athletes participating in female athletics. Part of the political cover came from a collegiate athlete from Pennsylvania, who eventually became the first openly transgender person to win a national championship, awarded in women's swimming.

Open meetings advocates in South Dakota are increasingly concerned about new legal language that some government officials believe gives them the right to exclude members of the public from speaking or asking questions at public meetings. Recent school-related personnel incidents in Garretson and Rapid City have drawn attention to the willingness of public officials to operate without input from residents.

Supporters of a movement to improve education of Native American students in South Dakota suffered a setback when a proposed charter school measure was defeated in the state Legislature on March 2. But members of an expert panel convened by South Dakota News Watch say they will push forward on efforts to reform public education and create opportunities for better educational outcomes for Native students.

Standardized test scores and graduation rates remain stubbornly low for Native American children attending South Dakota public schools, but a new effort is underway to incorporate Lakota Indian language, history and culture into state-funded charter schools modeled on successful immersion programs elsewhere.