South Dakota Public Broadcasting will receive its full funding ask.
The cuts proposed by former-Governor Kristi Noem will not go into effect.
SDPB officials say former Gov. Noem’s proposed $3.6 million cut would have started a domino effect to the statewide network — reducing federal funding and ultimately local donations.
Noem is now serving as the Secretary of Homeland Security, resigning as governor toward the beginning of legislative session.
State lawmakers are ignoring Noem’s recommendation for SDPB and other proposed budget cuts.
After the appropriations budget motion sheet hearing Tuesday morning, SDPB's executive director Julie Overgaard said SDPB will move forward with level funding that allows the network to continue providing local content.
“Those would have all been in jeopardy had this cut gone through. We would have basically been left with enough money to make sure that everybody had access to SDPB radio and TV. But it would have been largely national programming and no local programming," Overgaard said. "People in South Dakota like their high school activities. They like their open government, and they like their local public broadcasting programming.”
Last summer, SDPB asked for money to upgrade the SD.net system, which livestreams high school activities and legislative hearings and boards and commission meetings.
“We are going to get the additional onetime dollars to upgrade the SD.net system," Overgaard added. "Then, our ongoing general fund budget will also have the $3.6 million she recommended be reduced.”
Overgaard said she wants to thank listeners and viewers who called their legislators, who spoke up in defense of SDPB.
“It is your local voices that I think really made the difference more than mine, or anybody from the professional staff," Overgaard said. "Legislators respond to their constituents, and they certainly heard from their constituents. I Heard over and over and over again from legislators that public broadcasting funding and state libraries were the two things they heard about most this session.”
While the motion sheet means SDPB’s funding has been worked into the state budget, lawmakers are still finalizing the fiscal year ’26 budget. That will likely get heard on Thursday, the last scheduled legislative day.
