Gov. Rhoden Signs Rural Health Transformation Bill
PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden signed HB 1044, which appropriates funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program. This is the first bill Governor Rhoden has signed into law this legislative session.
“This is a big win for rural South Dakota! This may be the most significant investment in rural healthcare in South Dakota’s history, and it will strengthen our state for our kids and grandkids,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “By recruiting healthcare professionals, modernizing rural facilities, and expanding access to care, we will ensure South Dakotans in every corner of the state can stay healthy and strong.”
The Rural Health Transformation Program is a five-year federal initiative supported by President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill that focuses on strengthening healthcare systems in rural communities.
In his State of the State Address, Governor Rhoden said, “I would love it if this was the first bill that reaches my desk.”
Governor Rhoden previously announced that the state of South Dakota secured $189.4 million in federal funding for Fiscal Year 2026 through this program to support state-led strategies that improve access, innovation, and long-term sustainability in rural health. For more information about South Dakota’s Rural Health Transformation Project, visit the DOH website.
Governor Rhoden signed HB 1044 at a private signing ceremony. You can find a photo of that signing here.
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Notice that Rhoden conveniently fails to mention that the state actually requested $200 million, and was the ONLY state in our region to not get what it asked for.
Maybe we’re just that good in comparison! Go SD!
This was a big topic at Saturday’s cracker-barrel in Rapid City. Lawmakers’ responses ranged from full-throated support similar to Rhoden’s, to an uneasy reluctant acceptance of dollars from the Big Beautiful Bill which added trillions to the national debt.
All were agreed that the money was welcome for health care in rural areas; big critics included D34 Rep Taffy Howard who held her nose and voted yes because refusal of the money wouldn’t reduce debt, it would just be spent by some other state. D30 rep Tim Goodwin wasn’t a fan either for these reasons.
Dennis Daugaard was the perfect conservative, preserving the greatness of this state, promoting its growth, keeping the budget in the black AND halting the annual practice of drawing from reserves, which Governor Rounds had done. AT BEST this whole event is illustrative of what we could call Daugaard’s Dilemma – Fed stimulus money is dangled before all states by a broke Congress spending deeper into the hole, and the choice is 1) to stick to principles and refuse the money, though in reality the refusal doesn’t lessen the national debt; or 2) take the money because if you don’t take it, another state will just get it and spend more.
It would have served the public better for Gov Rhoden to follow Daugaard’s example in responding, rather than ignoring the problems with this kind of spending and holding a big cheerleading session for the President’s BBB and the amazing wonders flowing forth from its magical wellspring.
TANSTAAFL