Iowa House Republicans say they want to move early in the 2026 legislative session on a “tough on crime” package aimed at repeat offenders — a push Speaker Pat Grassley framed as a proactive effort to keep Iowa from developing the kinds of public safety problems that have drawn national attention in larger Midwestern cities.

Early outlines include a “three strikes” approach tied to longer mandatory prison sentences for people who have previously been convicted of violent crimes and some form of bail reform, though GOP leaders say the specifics are still being developed and no bill language has been released.

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As the calendar turns to 2026, a new set of laws approved by North Dakota lawmakers will officially take effect on January 1, bringing changes that touch healthcare, taxation, vehicle ownership, education, public safety, and state governance. While some of these measures have been discussed for months, their implementation marks a significant shift in how state policy will affect the everyday lives of residents, businesses, and public institutions.

Continue reading “North Dakota Laws Taking Effect January 1, 2026” →

Five months after Operation: Prairie Thunder officially began, the South Dakota Highway Patrol’s collaborative anti-crime and immigration enforcement effort will continue into the new year, the governor’s office has confirmed.

The program was originally announced by Gov. Larry Rhoden to take place from July 28 through December.

Continue reading “ICE’s year in SD, from small towns to Operation: Prairie Thunder” →

A South Dakota law that prevents drug companies from restricting federal drug discounts for hospitals and other providers will remain in effect for now, a judge has decided.

Chicago-based AbbVie Inc., whose products include the wrinkle-remover Botox and the arthritis drug Humira, sued the state earlier this year in the U.S. District Court of South Dakota. The lawsuit challenges the legality of Senate Bill 154, which lawmakers and Gov. Larry Rhoden approved in March. It blocks drugmakers from deciding which pharmacies hospitals can use to access discounted medication.

Continue reading “South Dakota law protecting drug discounts for hospitals stays in effect as lawsuit proceeds” →

In 2020, a bill was filed in South Dakota that would have spelled out extensive rules for how police body camera footage can be obtained, maintained, used and shared.

Then-Sen. Reynold Nesiba, a Sioux Falls Democrat and primary sponsor of the bill, said that without a state law, police agencies across the state are on their own to decide how and when to use cameras, what happens to the footage and who should have access to the videos.

Continue reading “Improving open records law in SD an uphill battle for advocates” →

South Dakota’s success rate for keeping truancy cases out of court is the lowest it’s been in a decade, according to an annual report presented to a state committee.

The Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Oversight Council is a group of representatives from law enforcement, schools, the Legislature, social services and the court system. It is responsible for tracking South Dakota’s efforts to reduce the number of children in custody.

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Violence driven by control and fear leaves deep and lasting harm in homes and communities across the country. This kind of abuse falls disproportionately on women, and too often the consequences are deadly. Predators prey on the most vulnerable among us, committing some of the most horrific crimes imaginable against children. These are among the most traumatic and disturbing cases in our justice system today, and Canada’s new government is moving swiftly to better protect victims and survivors, and ensure abusers and predators face the full force of the law.

Continue reading “Canada overhauls Criminal Code to protect victims and keep kids safe from predators” →

A family in Killeen just had nearly a thousand dollars worth of presents stolen off their porch.

“He kind of already knows that he saw them being dropped off. And he just walks up the driveway, walks up the sidewalk to the house and he picks up our stuff and walks away,” says Killeen resident, Rick Gibbons.

Gibbons is furious after more than $600 worth of gifts were swiped in broad daylight.

Continue reading “Police advise alternative delivery methods as porch pirates prey on holiday spirit” →

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has created a commission aimed at helping state and local law enforcement agencies develop uniform standards for complying with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Giglio v. United States, according to an announcement from the Attorney General’s Office. The ruling requires prosecutors to disclose evidence that could undermine the credibility of government witnesses, including law enforcement officers. The full Supreme Court decision is available here: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/405/150/.

Continue reading “Jackley Forms Commission to Standardize Giglio Requirements for South Dakota Law Enforcement” →