Noem okays state budget and prison funding

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Gov. Kristi Noem was busy Monday, putting the final ink on bills approved during the 2023 Legislative Session; most importantly the state’s budget, Senate Bill 210.

“I appreciate the work of my BFM Commissioner Jim Terwilliger and the BFM team on this budget and I appreciate the legislature for recognizing that it should fund my administration’s priorities to maximize freedom and liberty for the people of the state,” Noem said.

Read Noem’s letter to the legislators here.

Noem also signed HB 1016, providing $60 million for the construction of a new Rapid City women’s prison; and HB 1017, which provides $52 million to purchase land and pay for the design of a new men’s prison near Sioux Falls.

“Funding new prisons is a public safety issue,” said Noem. “Last year, we made the point to legislators that this was necessary. I’m glad that just a year later, they have come to agree and appropriately prioritized the security of South Dakotans.”

State Senator David Johnson told KOTA Territory News Monday that the Black Hills area will greatly benefit from this year’s budget.

”We came up with $200 Million for infrastructure for affordable housing, we came up with $13 Million to fund additional experiment space at the Sanford Underground Laboratory in Lead, the list goes on and on,” Johnson said.