South Dakota Searchlight

South Dakota Searchlight South Dakota Searchlight provides free news and commentary on critical issues facing the state.

We seek to serve the public interest with accuracy, fairness, insight and civility.

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley says the indictment of a former driver’s license examiner should inspire leg...
11/03/2025

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley says the indictment of a former driver’s license examiner should inspire legislators to make it a state crime to possess p**nographic images of real adults created by artificial intelligence. https://buff.ly/vj5PpWv

A former driver's license examiner from Aberdeen was charged for allegedly sharing information obtained through state databases this week.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will pay for a portion of November benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance...
11/03/2025

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will pay for a portion of November benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, the department said in a brief to a federal court in Rhode Island. https://buff.ly/5KHgd2d

The four-page report from the USDA answered a judge's order that President Donald Trump’s administration pay at least a portion of benefits

Terminating the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund is a move that’s come with immense pushback by l...
11/03/2025

Terminating the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund is a move that’s come with immense pushback by leaders at the National Congress of American Indians and other experts, who warn the termination would be detrimental to lending and economic development in Indian Country.

Via Indian Country Today

Native Community Development Financial Institutions are threatened by a reduction-in-force notice from the Office of Management and Budget.

A South Dakota legislative leader predicted that after lawmakers approved building a new prison, he can “almost assure” ...
11/02/2025

A South Dakota legislative leader predicted that after lawmakers approved building a new prison, he can “almost assure” that “every legislator” will support reforms addressing inmate rehabilitation and recidivism during the legislative session that begins in January.

Task force chair and Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen said the task force will focus on short term and long term rehabilitation efforts happening with inmates while in prison.

A federal judge issued a written order saying there is “no question” that U.S. Department of Agriculture contingency fun...
11/01/2025

A federal judge issued a written order saying there is “no question” that U.S. Department of Agriculture contingency funds must be used to provide food assistance for 42 million Americans during the government shutdown. https://buff.ly/llERvLm

A federal judge issued a written order saying there is “no question” that contingency funds must be used to provide food assistance.

"A recent legislative hearing left people involved in the state’s medical ma*****na businesses paranoid, and it wasn’t b...
11/01/2025

"A recent legislative hearing left people involved in the state’s medical ma*****na businesses paranoid, and it wasn’t because they had been sampling their own products." Commentary from Dana Hess:

A recent hearing left the state’s medical ma*****na businesses paranoid, and it wasn’t because they had been sampling their own products.

Recent candidate announcements (including a new Republican U.S. Senate hopeful), campaign finance reports and poll resul...
11/01/2025

Recent candidate announcements (including a new Republican U.S. Senate hopeful), campaign finance reports and poll results are shedding new light on races for statewide offices next year in South Dakota. A campaign roundup:

The field vying for one of the state’s two U.S. Senate seats grew recently with a candidate announcement by Justin McNeal, a Republican from Rapid City.

Shutdown Day 31: Millions of Americans are expected to face a drastic spike in health care premium costs during open enr...
10/31/2025

Shutdown Day 31: Millions of Americans are expected to face a drastic spike in health care premium costs during open enrollment, though a hunger crisis may have been temporarily averted, both tied to the ongoing government shutdown.

Millions of Americans are expected to face a drastic spike in health care premium costs during open enrollment, tied to the ongoing government shutdown.

A federal judge ruled that the plan to pause a food assistance program for 42 million people was illegal, but gave the T...
10/31/2025

A federal judge ruled that the plan to pause a food assistance program for 42 million people was illegal, but gave the Trump administration time to respond to her finding before she decides whether to force the benefits to be paid despite the ongoing government shutdown. https://buff.ly/inTRMii

A federal judge in Boston ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s plan to pause a food assistance program was illegal.

The South Dakota Department of Corrections has been rationing its supply of flu vaccines in response to a shortage relat...
10/31/2025

The South Dakota Department of Corrections has been rationing its supply of flu vaccines in response to a shortage related to the federal government shutdown.

The South Dakota Department of Corrections has been rationing its flu vaccines in response to a federal government shutdown-related shortage.

South Dakota’s top state government budget official warned that the current budget cycle “is playing out to be another b...
10/31/2025

South Dakota’s top state government budget official warned that the current budget cycle “is playing out to be another belt-tightening year," due to economic factors influencing revenue. Details:

South Dakota’s top budget official warned that the current budget cycle “is playing out to be another belt-tightening year.”

In the absence of much federal action, states have enacted dozens of laws this year to lower prescription drug costs for...
10/31/2025

In the absence of much federal action, states have enacted dozens of laws this year to lower prescription drug costs for their residents — and many more are considering following suit.

Via Stateline

In the absence of much federal action, states have enacted dozens of laws this year to lower prescription drug costs for their residents — and many more are considering following suit.

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