Tag Archives: South Dakota

The New York Times reports: Since the first days after she was elected governor of South Dakota in 2018, Kristi Noem had been working to ensure that President Trump would come to Mount Rushmore for a fireworks-filled July 4 extravaganza. After all, the president had told her in the Oval Office that he aspired to have his image etched on …

CNN reports: The governor of South Dakota has given an ultimatum to two Sioux tribes: Remove checkpoints on state and US highways within 48 hours or risk legal action. Gov. Kristi Noem sent letters Friday to the leaders of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe demanding that checkpoints designed to prevent the spread of coronavirus on …

The Week reports: President Trump will visit Mount Rushmore on July 3 to see the fireworks display he helped facilitate, even as uncertainty over the pandemic stretches into the summer. Earlier this week, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) confirmed the Independence Day celebration would go forward. “We’re excited that this will be happening at Mount Rushmore,” Noem said, as …

The New York Post reports: South Dakota’s coronavirus cases have begun to soar after its governor steadfastly refused to mandate a quarantine. The number of confirmed cases in the state has risen from 129 to 988 since April 1 — when Gov. Kristi Noem criticized the “draconian measures” of social distancing to stop the spread of the virus in her …

Sioux Falls’ CBS News affiliate reports: Rep. Tony Randolph, a Republican from Rapid City, introduced a bill Thursday that would prohibit the state from enforcing, endorsing or favoring policies that cover a range of activities that involve members of the LGBTQ community. In short, the bill wants the state to not enforce, endorse and favor policies that allow same-sex marriage, …

The Hill reports: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) is defending the state’s launch of an anti-drug campaign with the slogan “Meth, we’re on it.” The tagline drew a mix of criticism and ridicule across Twitter on Monday, but Noem cited the backlash as proof that efforts to raise awareness around South Dakota’s methamphetamine crisis was, in fact, working. “Meth …

The Argus Leader reports: Gov. Kristi Noem has a message for South Dakota: “Meth. We’re On It.” Noem launched her new anti-meth campaign on Monday to bring awareness to the meth epidemic in South Dakota that will include a new TV ad, billboards, posters and website. The campaign’s motto features the phrase, “Meth. We’re on it,” over an outline of …

The Argus Leader reports: A South Dakota lawmaker on Monday said businesses should be able to turn away customers based on race. In a Facebook comment, state Rep. Michael Clark, a Hartford Republican, said business owners should have the final say in who they serve. “He should have the opportunity to run his business the way he wants,” Clark wrote. …

Chris Johnson reports at the Washington Blade: South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard has signed into law a measure allowing taxpayer-funded adoption agencies to deny services and child placement to LGBT families out of religious objections, making him the first governor in 2017 to sign an anti-LGBT law. Daaugard signed the measure, Senate Bill 149, with little fanfare Friday after the …

Hillary Clinton has been projected to take her third win of the night in South Dakota, where she presently leads Bernie Sanders by just over two points. Voter turnout appears fairly low there, with about 51,000 votes recorded at this writing. South Dakota awards 25 Democratic delegates.

The Washington Blade reports: The South Dakota House of Representatives on Thursday failed to override the veto of a bill that would ban transgender students from using restrooms in public schools that are consistent with their gender identity. Supporters of House Bill 1008 needed two-thirds of lawmakers to vote in favor of overriding Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s veto earlier this …

He took the veto down to the literal last hour before it would become law. Dominic Holden reports at Buzzfeed: South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard heeded to pressure from LGBT advocates and businesses on Tuesday, announcing he vetoed a bill that would have banned transgender students from using school restrooms that correspond with their gender identity. South Dakota would have …

South Dakota’s Senate Judiciary Committee this morning killed a bill which would have legalized anti-LGBT discrimination by businesses. The bill’s chief sponsor was state House Rep. Scott Craig (above left). Lambda Legal celebrates but cautions that other anti-trans bills remain active in South Dakota:  “The Senate Judiciary Committee did the right thing today. House Bill 1107 was a harmful and …

The vote was 20-15. If the governor signs the bill, South Dakota will become the first state with such a law. From Lambda Legal: Today the South Dakota Senate passed House Bill 1008, a discriminatory bill that prevents transgender students from accessing restrooms and single-sex facilities that correspond with their gender identity. Lambda Legal is calling on Governor Dennis Daugaard …

The South Dakota Senate is debating a bill that would ban transgender students from using restrooms and locker rooms. If passed, the bill, which has already passed in the state House, would be the first law of its kind in the nation. Watch live below right now.

From Pierre’s NBC affiliate: A legislative panel has approved a bill that would bar the government from taking actions such as revoking the tax exempt status of an organization because of religious beliefs about marriage or sex. The House State Affairs committee approved the measure Wednesday. It heads to the full House. Republican Rep. Scott Craig says a person or …

Via the Associated Press: South Dakota on Friday agreed to pay $242,000 to attorneys for same-sex couples who challenged the state’s ban on gay marriages. Attorney Josh Newville said the deal was finalized Friday, bringing to a close the lawsuit filed in federal District Court in May 2014. “I’m glad we don’t have to fight over it anymore,” he said. …

Via South Dakota’s Fox affiliate: Sunday, history was made as same–sex couples gathered under the Mount Rushmore National Monument, to celebrate national marriage equality. The event, organized by the women who challenged South Dakota’s ban on same–sex marriages, took place in the amphitheater of the memorial, something that has never been done before. Nancy Rosenbrahn, who sued the state along …

Denouncing “East Coast culture,” GOP South Dakota state Rep. Roger Hunt plans to draft a law requiring a “visual inspection” of genitalia to determine gender identity. Via the the Rapid City Journal: The battle over how to officially determine someone’s gender arises from a controversy over whether transgender high school students can declare their own gender when participating in sports. …

“On the court’s own motion, oral arguments and any further consideration of these cases will be deferred pending the Supreme Court of the Unites States’ decisions in James Obergefell v Richard Hodges.”