Legislation concerning open records and open meetings was a recurring topic this week in the South Dakota Legislature as lawmakers advanced bills that would open governors’ records sooner and require state and local boards to annually review open meetings laws.

A bill to open the calendars and appointment logs of officials was defeated in committee but is still technically alive due to a procedural maneuver, while another bill advanced by a committee would clarify the role of electronic communications in the open meetings laws.

Continue reading “South Dakota Legislation advance several transparency bills” →

Proposed legislation aimed at protecting South Dakota farms from potential “agro-terrorism” activities could have a secondary effect of limiting access to information about the state’s largest animal feeding operations.

Senate Bill 14 seeks to strengthen a set of existing laws that make it a crime for anyone to steal farm animals, release animals, trespass on farms or interfere with farm operations.

Continue reading “Bill to protect South Dakota farms from spying could limit access to CAFO data” →

Iowa’s chief justice is calling on state lawmakers to make reforms to the judicial system this legislative session. In particular, she’s asking for changes when it comes to judicial pay and public defenders.

Before a joint session of the legislature Wednesday, Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Susan Christensen laid out her vision to make the judicial system better in her Condition of the Judiciary address.

Continue reading “Iowa’s Chief Justice calls for increasing pay for judges, court appointed attorneys” →

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley joins 17 other Attorneys General in supporting Louisiana’s law requiring all K-12 schools and state-funded universities to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

“The Ten Commandments already are displayed in the U.S. Supreme Court and other public buildings,” said Attorney General Jackley. “The Ten Commandments have influenced the creation of our nation and our rule of law.”

Continue reading “SD Attorney General Marty Jackley Supports Louisiana’s Law on Displaying Ten Commandments in Schools” →

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley hopes to prevent and catch future criminal conduct by state employees with new reporting requirements, protections for whistleblowers and a bigger role for the state auditor, according to a package of legislation he released Tuesday.

Jackley unveiled seven bills for lawmakers to consider during the annual legislative session that kicks off next Tuesday at the Capitol in Pierre.

Continue reading “SD attorney general unveils legislation to address state employee crimes” →

Nearly two-thousand South Dakota juveniles were successfully diverted from the state’s court system this year, according to a new report. A 2024 law has added fiscal incentive for counties to continue these diversion efforts. When low-risk youth are diverted from the court system, they are 45-percent less likely to reoffend, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Diversion can take many forms, from mural-painting to skateboarding programs. State’s Attorney Lara Roetzel in Pennington County, where diversion programs have been used for about 25 years, says they can help unveil the root cause of a child’s misbehavior.

Continue reading “A year of growth for diverting juveniles in SD” →

On behalf of our entire team, we wish you an excellent end of the year and a 2025 full of new opportunities and successes. Happy New Year!

All you have to do to become a South Dakota resident is spend one night.

Stay in a campground or hotel and then stop by one of the businesses that specialize in helping people become South Dakotans, and they’ll help you do the paperwork to gain residency in a state with no income tax and relatively cheap vehicle registration.

The system brings in extra government revenue through vehicle fees and offers refuge to full-time travelers who wouldn’t otherwise have a permanent address or a place to vote.

Continue reading “Some say South Dakota residency is too easy” →

May your holiday season be filled with joy, rest, and moments of reflection. We want to express our gratitude for your continued trust. May the season bring you joy and a renewed sense of inspiration for the New Year!

Federal officers used pepper spray and shot and killed a young man with a criminal history moments after he livestreamed himself brushing his teeth in the basement of a tribal housing unit on the Yankton Sioux Reservation.

Zander Zephier, 23, died Nov. 27 just north of this southeast South Dakota town, about 40 minutes after the U.S. Marshals Service arrived to arrest him on an outstanding warrant.

Continue reading “Man killed in raid on Yankton Sioux Reservation” →