Government/Politics
Total 330 Posts
South Dakota News Watch is one of the few news organizations in the state with a full-time reporter who lives in Pierre. These stories explain how what happens in the Capitol impacts all residents, hold publicly elected leaders accountable, investigate complex issues and help voters make informed choices when they go to the polls through accurate, balanced reporting.
Reform of agricultural land taxation could help farmers but shift burden to homeowners and businesses
As the property tax takes a larger share of their incomes — and at a time when many are hurting financially — South Dakota farmers and ranchers are pushing for reform of the state’s system of valuing and taxing their lands.
But as a decade-long process of updating the system
Poor SD residents hit hardest by state debt collection efforts
Thousands of South Dakotans have lost their privileges to hunt, fish, or drive in the state since 2016 because they owe money to government agencies for unpaid fines, fees or even college tuition, but often the people hardest hit by state debt collection efforts are low-income residents who are
Juvenile drug arrests rise in SD despite reform efforts
Over the past decade, South Dakota saw a significant increase in the number of juveniles arrested for drug crimes, and officials see few signs that the arrests will fall anytime soon despite recent reforms of the state juvenile justice system.
According to state crime data, the number of youths arrested
Governor to enact reform of youth treatment facilities
Gov. Kristi Noem has ordered the state Department of Social Services to enact a series of wide-ranging reforms intended to improve the safety of youths sent to privately run treatment facilities across South Dakota.
The governor’s announcement came in response to an investigative report published June 5 by
Sen. Rounds: Guest workers not part of illegal immigration problem
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota says guest worker programs that bring foreigners to America to fill seasonable employment positions are a critical part of the state economy. Yet Rounds says the intense debate over illegal immigration in America has wrongly influenced, and in some cases stymied, efforts
Immigration debate hampers guest worker programs critical to SD businesses and farms
KEYSTONE, S.D. – The intensely partisan and politicized national debate over immigration policies has cast a cloud of uncertainty over guest worker programs that for years have helped provide employees to seasonal South Dakota businesses that cannot find enough American workers.
The viability of some businesses in the tourism, agricultural
Public vaping ban passed in South Dakota amid some controversy
On July 1, the use of e-cigarettes or other vaping products will become illegal in almost all South Dakota workplaces and public buildings, including bars, restaurants and casinos.
After a somewhat hurried process, lawmakers in March voted to treat e-cigarettes the same as combustible tobacco products when used