South Dakota Bureau of Finance and Management

With another year quickly wrapping up, state lawmakers, budget writers, and economists are taking stock of the last 12 months. Now, they prepare to move forward into the legislative session

South Dakota lawmakers have rejected a second attempt at expanding free or reduced-priced school meals for struggling families.

A Senate panel is endorsing an idea to grant $20 million in federal pandemic aid to the timber industry. However, opponents are concerned the state cannot spend the money that way.

South Dakota airports are the gateway to the world, and a tourist’s gateway to the Black Hills. As a result, some lawmakers want to reassess how we fund airport improvements.

A bill to reimburse school districts for the cost of free and reduced lunches was killed in committee.

Many of South Dakota’s nursing facilities contend with mid-century infrastructure and a chronic lack of staff. With some on the verge of closing, some lawmakers say consolidation is the path forward.

The department responsible for tracking the state’s finances produced a report outlining what they say shows a solid fiscal year.

The state has spent or obligated nearly all the roughly $1 billion dollars it received from a President Biden pandemic relief package.

The South Dakota Interim Rules Review Committee met to review proposed rules from various state departments – including changes to speed limits in some areas. Most of the department requests were small changes that were quickly voted through by the committee.

Gov. Kristi Noem has signed the Fiscal Year 2024 budget bill approved by lawmakers, though the fate of a separate bill reducing the sales tax remains unclear.