GUN INDUSTRY COMPANIES AND GROUPS GIVE $2 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF STATE-OWNED SHOOTING RANGE

PIERRE, S.D. (Seth Tupper and Joshua Haiar / South Dakota Searchlight) – A list of donors to a state-owned shooting range under construction north of Rapid City includes $2 million from gun-industry companies or organizations.

The $20 million, 400-acre complex will be one of the largest public shooting ranges in the nation when it opens this fall, according to the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks. The complex will host recreational shooters, safety programs, marksmanship competitions and law enforcement training. It will include rifle, pistol, shotgun and archery ranges.

About $6 million of the project’s funding has been given or pledged by donors. The rest is from the state’s Future Fund for economic development.

The department announced last month in a news release that the range will be named the Pete Lien & Sons Shooting Sports Complex, but the release did not disclose the amount of the company’s donation, or include a full list of donations.

“We are extremely pleased with all of the support and excitement for the shooting sports complex and our Second Amendment rights in South Dakota,” Department Secretary Kevin Robling said in the press release.

List initially withheld

South Dakota Searchlight requested a list of donors with names and amounts. The department’s initial response said only that donors gave more than $6 million, including $2 million for naming rights from Pete Lien & Sons, a mining, concrete and construction aggregate company based in Rapid City.

When Searchlight asked again for a full list of donors, a spokesman for the department directed the request to the state’s online records request portal. Searchlight submitted a letter including a legal argument that the donation list is a public record. A lawyer for the department provided the list 15 days later.

Three donors on the list who gave or pledged a combined $6,100 are referenced only as “private donation”; Searchlight asked for those names or a justification for withholding them. The department’s lawyer replied that the names are covered by exceptions in the state open records law to protect personal privacy and to prevent the “unreasonable release of personal information.”

The project has been controversial with state legislators, who refused to fund it. Some were angered last year when they learned that then-Gov. Kristi Noem gave the project $13.5 million from the governor-controlled Future Fund for economic development.

The donations from the gun industry are another concern for Rep. Erik Muckey, D-Sioux Falls. He said that as a gun owner and hunter himself, he wants to ensure South Dakota’s sporting and hunting traditions continue. But he is uneasy about the Legislature being successfully lobbied for fewer restrictions on firearms while some of the entities connected to those lobbyists — including the National Rifle Association — are helping to fund a state-owned shooting range.

“Private funding for state-owned facilities is not a new concept; in fact, several examples of public-private partnerships make this state better each day, like the combination of public and private funds to support the Build Dakota scholarship,” Muckey said, referencing a full-tuition program for technical college students. “But this case should give South Dakotans pause.”

The Republican-dominated Legislature routinely considers and passes pro-gun legislation. Last winter, lawmakers and Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden lifted concealed-handgun bans on college campuses and in bars.

The shooting-range donor list includes $6.3 million from 43 sources, with nearly half of the money in hand and the rest pledged. Donations from the gun industry account for nearly one-third of the total:

Smith & Wesson, a Tennessee-based gun manufacturer, donated $150,000 and pledged $600,000, for a total of $750,000.

Glock, an Austrian gun manufacturer, donated $150,000 and pledged $600,000, for a total of $750,000.

Aimpoint, a Swedish gun optics manufacturer that bills itself as the inventor of the red dot sight, donated $50,000 and pledged $200,000, for a total of $250,000.

Luth-AR, a Minnesota company that sells custom stocks and other components for AR-15 rifles, donated $25,000 and pledged $100,000, for a total of $125,000.

The National Rifle Association donated $50,000.

Federal Ammunition, a Minnesota ammo manufacturer, donated $25,000.

H-S Precision, a Rapid City weapons parts manufacturer, donated $5,000 and pledged $20,000, for a total of $25,000.

Mack Bros, a Sturgis company that manufactures suppressors (silencers) and other gun components, donated $3,000.

First Stop Gun Shop in Rapid City donated $3,000.

Lane Silencers, a Rapid City manufacturer, donated $3,000.

Sturgis Guns, a seller of firearms and accessories, donated $3,000.

Some other donations came from companies that sell shooting-related accessories, but not guns or gun parts. Donations also came from various other individuals, businesses and hunting and conservation groups.

Bitter feelings among lawmakers

Some legislators on both sides of the political aisle remain upset about Noem’s unilateral decision to provide state funding for the project.

“Unfortunately, her actions have severely damaged trust in otherwise effective institutions, which may cost much-needed projects funding and support in the future,” said Muckey.

In response, the Legislature passed and new Gov. Larry Rhoden signed into law a bill from Senate President Pro Tempore Chris Karr, R-Sioux Falls, that says Game, Fish and Parks projects over $2.5 million must receive legislative approval.

“The shooting complex is the reason I brought that bill,” Karr said. “The appropriations process was circumvented.”

House Assistant Majority Leader Marty Overweg, R-New Holland, said lawmakers feel their will was ignored.

“Now, the government has to be the one that ensures this shooting range continues to run,” he said. “We voted no, but now we have to run it. Without any choice.”

Robling, the head of GF&P, said in November that the complex will require three full-time employees who will be reallocated internally, as well as seasonal staff and volunteers. Robling said the range will not be profitable and will require help from federal firearm tax revenue allocated to the department.

Department spokesperson Nick Harrington told South Dakota Searchlight recently that the shooting range will cost an estimated $355,000 annually to operate and maintain, including the three full-time employees.

OPPONENTS LAMBASTE PROPOSED STATE CUTS TO BENEFITS FOR NEEDY FAMILIES

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.(Makenzie Huber / South Dakota Searchlight) – Some needy South Dakota families could soon lose up to $136 a month less to spend on gas, groceries, clothing, utilities, house repairs or rent.

The average South Dakota family in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program receives $515.55 a month, according to the state Department of Social Services. An average of just under 2,500 families get TANF benefits each month.

Those families would lose anywhere from $32 to $136 a month in benefits under a proposed 10% reduction by the department, depending on the size of their family. The state would save about $1.5 million for the year.

Dozens of South Dakotans stood up to speak out against the cut Friday, using words like “asinine,” “appalling” and “ludicrous” to describe it during a public hearing in eastern Sioux Falls. No one spoke in support of the cut.

TANF is a federal-state program most commonly used to provide financial assistance to low-income families with children, on the condition that the caregiver searches or trains for a job. Non-parent relatives — grandparents or aunts or uncles — who take children into their home when a parent is not able to care for them are among the eligible.

Former Gov. Kristi Noem put $5.3 million in TANF cuts into her proposed budget last year in light of a tight revenue year. Lawmakers approved the $5.3 million cuts in March. In Noem’s recommended budget, leftover federal funds reserved for the program were meant to cover the shortfall.

Public hearing: ‘This is not an expense, this is an investment’

Colleen Werner, a former educator and school administrator in Sioux Falls, said at the public hearing she was shocked the state would start cuts “with the lowest and most in need” to save money. Families are paying more for rent, utilities, food and other living expenses than they did last year, she added.

“Imagine if you’re at your financial end and you still step up,” Werner said, a reference to relatives stepping in to care for children who are not their own. “And what does our state do? It just steps on you and cuts your funds when you’ve taken a bold and brave and loving measure to take care of those you love.”

Lisa Sanderson, who said she formerly worked with Child Protective Services, said the proposal runs counter to the department’s mission to support and uplift South Dakota families in need.

Participants, including Sanderson and others, called for more funding and increased benefits, citing inflation and a higher increased cost of living in recent years.

“This is not an expense,” Sanderson said. “This is an investment.”

Department representatives did not recommend any changes to the policy based on the public testimony, but will take written public comment through the end of the month. After that, they’ll present their proposal to the legislative Rules Review Committee. If approved, the reduction would be implemented by Aug. 1.

DSS explains its proposal

The state distributed $15.3 million in TANF benefits last fiscal year.

The 10% benefit cut is part of the department’s plan to deal with having $5.3 million less to spend on TANF this year. The department also intends to use $3.8 million from a TANF carryover fund to cover some of the cost of benefits for families.

The carryover fund currently holds about $23 million – more than enough to fully cover the $5.3 million budget cut.

The fund has been reserved as a “rainy day fund,” said Department of Social Services Secretary Matt Althoff. He added that some of the unused funds are intended to upgrade the TANF computer system. He said he didn’t know how much the upgrades would cost.

The department could use another $1.5 million from the carryover balance to avoid the benefit cuts. But Althoff called the reduction a “strategic approach” to managing the carryover fund.

He described the fund as a piggy bank that “is not going to last forever.”  Without knowing what the financial landscape looks like in the coming years, reducing TANF benefits by 10% means the department can “keep the piggy bank there” for a longer period of time.

If state revenues continue to worsen and more cuts are necessary, the department could propose in the coming years to cut TANF benefits more.

The proposed rule change would also remove TANF eligibility for families who take in child relatives who are removed from their homes by the state’s child welfare system.

The change would incentivize caregivers to become licensed kinship caregivers with the state. The current foster and kinship subsidy rate for a child in SD is between $22.85 and $27.43 a day, depending on their age. That would be roughly $685.50 to $822.90 a month, per child.

Lawmakers approved rule changes in May to create the licensed kinship foster care pathway, as required by the federal government. Caregivers must meet training requirements to become a licensed kinship home, similar though less intensive than traditional foster care requirements.

According to the department, 184 cases per month managed by the department involving families eligible for TANF would be eligible for kinship subsidies.

Families who take in kin and apply for TANF use the “side door” to receive state and federal support, Althoff said. Eliminating eligibility encourages families to “come in through the front door.”

Proposal’s future depends on legislative committee interpretation

Several participants said they were blindsided by the proposal. They said they understood from lawmakers during the state’s legislative session this winter that the $5.8 million cut to TANF would be fully — not partially — offset by money from the carryover fund.

Althoff briefly mentioned that his department planned to review TANF benefits during a conversation with lawmakers on the state’s budget committee in January, but admitted Friday that “a conversation wasn’t held in earnest with lawmakers.”

Rep. Erik Muckey, D-Sioux Falls, said Friday that he didn’t expect TANF benefit cuts this fiscal year. Muckey is a member of the Joint Appropriations Committee. Because of a “significant miscommunication” between lawmakers on the committee and the department, Muckey said it wouldn’t be prudent to advance the TANF cuts.

“If the appropriations committee didn’t intend to do this, we need to have more conversations before we reduce benefits,” said Muckey, who’s also a member of the rules review committee.

“I can appreciate the gravity of our state’s financial situation. What is important is those conversations, as far as our budgetary decisions, are not under the purview of the rules review committee,” Muckey said. “I think the public understands this is a case where the Legislature did not give its permission.”

Sen. Taffy Howard, R-Rapid City, is also a member of the appropriations and rules review committees. She disagreed, saying there isn’t a way for the rules review committee to determine the Legislature’s intent, since the body did not take any votes specifically concerning the TANF changes. Lawmakers only passed a budget with a $5.3 million reduction in TANF spending, she said.

Howard doesn’t remember discussions about TANF carryover funds during the session, but said  she supports the 10% cut.

“Why aren’t we cutting all of it? Why are we even using carryover funds?” Howard told South Dakota Searchlight. Howard has been critical about welfare program spending in the state.

The legislative rules review committee will take up the proposal at its July 15 meeting in Pierre.

ADVOCATES FOR PASSENGER RAIL IN SOUTH DAKOTA LAUNCH “TRAIN TREK” PRESENTATIONS

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Those hoping to bring passenger rail service to South Dakota are touring the state, meeting with interested organizations, and helping others make their voices heard in support.

All Aboard Northwest is launching these “Train Trek” presentations to go over what the Federal Railroad Administration’s Long-Distance Service Study recommends for South Dakota, and how people can help make those findings a reality.

All Aboard Northwest Co-Founder and President Dan Bilka said it’s one thing to talk about these possibilities online, but it’s another to go across the state and meet with people in person to explain what they can do.

“With the amount of interest, like I’ve heard from the general public, but just to be able to go out there in person and be able to share with the Long Distance Study, what it actually means for our state, and how we can actually make sure we see it happen,” Bilka said.

The FRA’s study is final, and it now rests in the hands of Congress to take action on. These presentations are underway now as key discussions are happening for transportation funding on a federal level.

Bilka said South Dakota’s Congressional delegation has to act now, with the support of others, to make sure the state isn’t left off the map when funding is allocated.

“Right now, Surface Transportation Reauthorization, which is all of the federal funding and federal programs in the Surface Transportation Bill, is being drafted for next year. September of next year is when they need to reauthorize it. So it’s being drafted today,” Bilka said.

Finding support to bring Amtrak service to South Dakota hasn’t been hard for Bilka. He said these presentations are meant to help those already interested take action.

“If I had half of the amount of people who have reached out saying that they’re interested in this and they’re really curious about it, if they had reached out to the Congressional delegation and actually put voice to paper, how transformative that would be,” Bilka said.

Monday’s meeting in Sioux Falls is the first of five scheduled presentations. All Aboard Northwest will present at the Lincoln County Board of County Commissioners Meeting on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

The presentation will then head to Fort Pierre on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. Central Time, hosted by the Fort Pierre Chamber of Commerce at 19 E. Main Avenue.

Two meetings will be held on Thursday. The first stop is in Wall, hosted by the Wall Economic Development Corporation at the Wall Grand Hall at 3:30 p.m. Mountain Time. Then, one final presentation will take place at 6:00 p.m. Mountain Time at The Hive at 512 Main Street in Rapid City.

WHY IS THERE A PENDING LAWSUIT AGAINST IOWA’S NEW LAW IMPACTING PRESCRIPTIONS

DES MOINES, IA –  Seven days before an Iowa law is scheduled to go into effect, a group of business groups filed a lawsuit to try to stop it. The lawsuit filed by Iowa Association of Business and Industry, the Iowa Bankers Benefit Plan, Iowa Laborers District Council Health and Welfare Fund, Des Moines Orthopaedic Surgeons PC, and Iowa Spring Manufacturing & Sales Co. targets the new law regulating pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

PBMs serve as intermediaries between drug manufacturers, pharmacies, and the entities providing prescription drug coverage. During this past legislative session, lawmakers agreed on PBM reforms (Senate File 383) that would guarantee a minimum price that pharmacists receive when they fill a prescription and provide a $10.68 fee for each drug a pharmacy provides.

Pharmacists had complained to legislators that PBMs had been reimbursing them at a cheaper rate than it cost them to give out the prescriptions to customers. They said that was driving smaller pharmacists out of business and reducing options for residents.

The lawsuit claims that the new law violates the First Amendment by prohibiting employers from recommending certain pharmacies over others. It also claims that the state law attempts to override the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, a federal law.

The litigants want a temporary restraining order to prevent the new state law from taking effect on July 1st, while the lawsuit works its way through the legal process.

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY BILLS SET TO TAKE EFFECT IN SOUTH DAKOTA

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Two government accountability bills signed by Governor Larry Rhoden will take effect on July 1, 2025.

SB 62 establishes mandatory reporting requirements related to improper governmental conduct and crime, and SB 63 establishes protections for state employees who report improper governmental conduct and crime.

Implementation efforts are being rolled out this week to all state employees before July 1.

“It takes collaboration between all branches of state government to ensure that our state promotes integrity and is responsible with taxpayer dollars,” said Rhoden.

The bills were introduced by Attorney General Marty Jackley, and the Governor’s Office worked with the Attorney General’s Office throughout the legislative process.

“This legislation will better protect taxpayers and hold government accountable,” said Attorney General Marty Jackley.

Governor Rhoden signed Executive Order 2025-04, promoting government accountability by establishing a secure reporting system for state employees and supervisors, along with statewide training and policies.

The Rhoden Administration is also implementing the Project BISON accounting system, enhancing internal controls, and allocating more resources to the Board of Internal Controls.