Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Senator Mike Rounds’ WEEKLY ROUND[S] UP: September 8-14, 2025

Welcome back to another Weekly Round[s] Up. Last week was a terrible week for our nation as Charlie Kirk was assassinated at an event in Utah. Charlie Kirk dedicated his life to bringing people of differing opinion together around civil discussions. Above all else, he was a follower of Christ, a father to two beautiful children, a devoted husband and son, and an American who wanted to make this country a better place to call home. We continue to pray for his family and all who knew and loved him.

This past week, I met with several groups of South Dakotans who were in Washington. I also attended a few hearings and briefings, as well as attending other meetings with groups from across the country. We took several votes on the Senate floor, including one to speed up all of the nominees who are awaiting confirmations. More on my week in my Weekly Round[s] Up:

South Dakota groups I visited with: Crystal Enstad from Oncology Nursing Society; South Dakota Farmers Union; Michelle Powers, CEO of Northern Hills Training Center; members of South Dakota Auto Dealers; Rick Williamson, Legislative Chairman of the Department of South Dakota Veterans of Foreign Wars; Annette and Matt Brandt, Angels in Adoption Honorees; Major General Mark R. Morrell, who serves as the Adjutant General of the South Dakota National Guard; leaders from South Dakota Credit Unions; leaders from R-CALF USA; and members of Growth Energy. I also had the opportunity to meet with the South Dakota National Guard members who are currently deployed to Washington, D.C. Their work and the work of everyone deployed to DC has made a noticeable difference in cleaning up the city.

Met with South Dakotans from: Aberdeen, Britton, Clark, De Smet, Gary, Gregory, Groton, Huron, Ipswich, Lemmon, Madison, Oacoma, Parade, Pierre, Rapid City, Reliance, Reva, Salem, Sioux Falls, Spearfish, Sturgis and Yankton.

Other meetings this past week: Dr. Todd Golub, Director of the Broad Institute; Rhode Island Business and Community Leaders; Marianne Lake, CEO of Consumer and Community Banking at JPMorgan Chase & Co; and Derrick Anderson, nominee to serve as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict.

We had our Senate Bible Study on Tuesday morning. The verse of the week was Genesis 1:28. I also attended prayer breakfast on Wednesday, where Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey was our speaker.

Hearings: I attended three hearings this week: one hearing in the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to vote on a nominee for Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs; one hearing in the Senate Armed Services Committee to hear from our nominee to serve as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and a hearing with the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs titled “Evaluating Perspectives on Deposit Insurance Reform”.

Following the Banking hearing, I introduced legislation to modernize outdated rules on reciprocal deposits. Reciprocal deposits allow community banks to offer customers full FDIC insurance while keeping those dollars working in local communities. This legislation updates current statutory thresholds to make it easier for community and regional banks to receive non-brokered treatment for reciprocal deposits. Read more here.

Classified Briefings: I attended four classified briefings this week: one as part of my work on SASC’s Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, and two briefings in the Select Committee on Intelligence. I also hosted our biweekly cyber education seminar.

Votes taken: 13 – We voted on several Trump administration nominees. These nominees were for US District Judges in Florida and Missouri, as well as positions in the Department of Homeland Security.

In addition, we voted to change the rules of the Senate to speed up confirmation on all of the nominees being held up by Democrats. As I said last week, we are facing historic obstruction from the other side of the aisle. The Senate is required to approve over 1,300 nominees. If we spend our time in DC taking procedural votes on each one, we’ll never get to the important legislation that Americans need, such as the NDAA or appropriations. We must get back to the business of running the country instead of allowing Senate Democrats to hold the Senate hostage by taking advantage of a broken system. Leader John Thune did a great job of addressing our frustrations with Senate Democrat leadership on the Senate floor last week, which you can watch a clip of here. We look forward to continuing to get these nominees through the Senate and into their positions working for the American people.

Academy nominations: My office is currently accepting nominations from high school seniors who are looking to attend a U.S. service academy after graduation. By attending an academy, not only will students have the opportunity to serve our nation and help lead the best military in the world, but they will receive an excellent education at a top-notch institution. I encourage young South Dakotans looking to answer the call of duty to consider applying to one of our service academies. Read more here.

My staff in South Dakota visited: Aberdeen, Brandon, Howard, Mitchell, Pierre, Sioux Falls, Watertown and Winner.

Steps taken: 46,949 steps or 21.16 miles.

Photo of the week: Good to see members of the South Dakota National Guard who are hard at work here in DC:

Thune: Schumer Deploys Same Old Shutdown Script

“[W]e’re suggesting right now a short-term CR to get us to November the 21st, to give us time to process and consider appropriation bills, which is the way we ought to be funding the government.”

SOUTH DAKOTA LEGISLATURE TO HOLD SPECIAL SESSION

PIERRE – On July 18, 2025, Governor Rhoden issued an Executive Proclamation calling for a special session of the State Legislature on September 23, 2025. Lawmakers will consider legislation to authorize the Department of Corrections to purchase property for, and contract for the design and construction of, a new prison facility in South Dakota.

Both the House of Representatives and the Senate are scheduled to convene at 9:00 a.m. (CT). Chamber calendars are currently posted online at https://sdlegislature.gov/ and livestream links will be available the morning of September 23. Proposed legislation that may be considered is posted at https://mylrc.sdlegislature.gov/DraftLegislation.html; additional bills may be introduced on the day of the special session.

The public is welcome to observe the proceedings and to provide testimony in committee on any proposed legislation. Committee agendas will be posted on the LRC website after both chambers have convened and organized for the special session. For more information on providing testimony in committee, contact John McCullough, Director, Legislative Research Council, at john.mccullough@sdlegislature.gov or Melanie Dumdei, Assistant Chief for Legal, Legislative Research Council, at melanie.dumdei@sdlegislature.gov.

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I’ve been hearing more and more recently that former Speaker of the House (2019-2021) Steve Haugaard may be making moves towards running for the office of the Attorney General.  That might also explain why he’s made a Lincoln Day Dinner appearance or two. And why the rumor has persisted.

If you recall, Haugaard most recently lost to Governor Kristi Noem in the 2022 GOP Gubernatorial Primary on a vote of 76.4% to 23.6%. And then turned around a few weeks later to (unsuccessfully) insert himself into the GOP ticket as Lt. Governor instead of now Governor Larry Rhoden at the convention.

If that’s the case, it would put Haugaard on a collision course against Fall River County State’s Attorney and former Legislator Lance Russell, who is currently the only announced candidate in the contest.

Keep watching. Things are getting interesting.

It’s Time to Focus on the Facts
By: Ryan Brunner

Next Tuesday, the legislature will meet to consider and approve the proposal for a new men’s prison brought forward by the prison task force. One choice is to vote yes and support meaningful, program-based incarceration, including faith-based rehabilitation. The other is to vote against a safe workplace for officers and against the wishes of police chiefs, sheriffs, states’ attorneys, and the Attorney General.

This summer, the prison task force unanimously determined that we need a new, 1,500 bed prison in Sioux Falls. The task force’s work included thousands of pages of information and hours of public comment, all live-streamed online. Yet, some are still claiming there are too many unanswered questions or spreading myths. It is time to focus on the facts to improve public safety for all South Dakotans.

 

Myth: The prison will cost more than $650 million in total costs to build.

Fact: The legislation requires a 2/3^rd vote and a construction manager to competitively procure every piece of the prison. There will be a guaranteed maximum price of $650 million or less.  It would be illegal to go over the legislation’s cap. The only way this prison will cost $1 billion is if we keep kicking the can down the road.

 

Myth: The prison doesn’t need to be that large or will hold out-of-state prisoners.

Fact: Multiple consultant reports evaluated the current overcrowding and future prison system needs. A 1,500-bed prison was unanimously adopted by the task force and is built for South Dakota prisoners. All 50 states can participate in a compact that the Legislature approved, under which the state may trade inmates with other states for reasons such as security needs, witness protection, or victim protection. These “out-of-state” prisoners are few, and the state receives no revenue for housing an interstate compact inmate, nor do we pay another state. Illegal immigrant “detainees” can’t be held in any state prison by law. The bottom line is: 1,500 beds are needed to meet South Dakota’s need.

 

Myth: There are cheaper options, or we should add on to existing prisons.

Fact: The task force evaluated these options and found that adding to an existing prison will increase costs by at least 30-40% versus a new site. Construction inside a secure area requires delays, searches, and security of equipment to prevent inmates from hurting staff or escaping. Adding onto the Jameson Annex would add 192 beds for $138.2 million or $720,000 per bed. This is 66.2% higher than the plan the legislature will approve next week at $433,000 per bed. Another example: to build just the proposed 300-bed dormitory inside an existing facility would cost 34.1% more.

 

Myth: We should focus on reducing recidivism instead of building a new prison.

Fact: The task force agreed that we need to reduce recidivism. However, you need classrooms to teach classes. To hire teachers and counselors, you need offices. To provide treatment programming, you need space. To learn a vocation, you need the industrial space. Right now, mentally ill inmates can visit a few small behavioral health offices right next to the execution chamber – not exactly therapeutic. Southeast Tech has been approved for a satellite campus on-site at the new prison. The proposed facility provides the space to train these folks and get them to work, to provide drug rehabilitation, and to deliver mental health counseling. The department needs appropriate space to expand programs that prepare and coach offenders to reenter the community.

 

In summary, no one wants to build a prison if they don’t have to. Unfortunately, they are a necessary part of keeping South Dakota safe. In just the last couple of weeks, our nation has been exposed to heinous crimes that have shocked our public conscience. One of these crimes was the murder of a Ukrainian refugee who was stabbed to death by a repeat offender with 14 prior arrests. It is clear the new prison must focus on rehabilitation to show inmates what God’s love is through action.

Next week the legislature has a choice. This is the right plan, at the right price, and the right location. This should be an easy vote.

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Ryan Brunner serves as Senior Policy Advisor for Public Safety and Director of Legislative Relations for Governor Larry Rhoden. His portfolio includes advising Governor Rhoden on policy issues regarding the Department of Corrections.

Gov. Rhoden Appoints Annie Hoffman as Second Circuit Judge

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced the appointment of Annie Hoffman as a circuit judge in the Second Circuit, a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Doug Hoffman.

“Annie is an exceptional lawyer who is concise, thoughtful, and possesses deep intellect. The people of South Dakota will be well-served by her,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “I am confident she will instill faith in the due process and honor justice in her courtroom.”

Annie Hoffman grew up in rural Lennox, South Dakota. She graduated from Luther College in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in history and Spanish. She graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law in 2008 with a juris doctorate and an emphasis in international and comparative law.

Hoffman began her career in public service by working for the general counsel of the Secretary of the U.S. Senate in Washington, D.C. In 2010, Hoffman moved back to South Dakota to join the law firm of Myers & Billion in Sioux Falls, where she practiced civil litigation and criminal defense. In 2012, Hoffman became an Assistant United States Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of South Dakota, where she handled a wide range of cases, including complex financial crimes and violent crimes in Indian country.

“I am humbled and deeply honored to accept Governor Rhoden’s appointment, and I am very grateful to him,” said Annie Hoffman. “I am committed to the rule of law and will apply the law fairly and impartially. I look forward to continuing my career in public service and serving the people of South Dakota in this role.”

Annie and her husband, Brett, have two children. You can find a photo of Annie Hoffman here.

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In case you’ve forgotten what it looked like when the SDGOP used to have successful annual pheasant hunt fundraisers, such as this one back in 2017:

You know, back when they had custom personalized swag, and Big Frig Coolers, and a ton of other things they handed out to participants?

Now, fast forward to 2025.

And while you don’t see the SDGOP clucking about how successful their event was, there are a few pictures slipping out on social media from what the new people in charge call the “1st Annual SDGOP Pheasant Hunt” which might refer to the the first one run by a former 32-year Democrat.

Here’s “the candidate dinner” they were advertising, which looks like the candidates spent time sitting with their own tribes; Doeden off glowering at a table with Cole Heisey and Drew Dennert.  (Correction – I’m told Doeden bagged out on attending)  and team Hanson/Lems with Kathy Rice.

And here’s a picture of the hunters that’s floating around out there.  Not seeing a lot of people writing the big check to hunt, except possibly Toby paying for his minions.

I hate to be the one to point it out, but this is not looking much different from the turnout for the SDGOP golf outing…

Except it’s usually more expensive to put on a pheasant hunt than it is a golf outing.

I can’t wait to see what the over/under looks like on this one.

There is a new opinion column at Dakota Scout this morning with several different takes on the special session. One, opposing the prison project, comes from House Majority Whip Brandei Schaefbauer. Or, at least she claims it does. Because it reads like it was generated by another source:

And there’s a recent parallel. When all other therapeutic options are removed from the menu of possible solutions, what remains is the most drastic and sometimes, quite harmful final prescription. Pushed by agenda. Immune from debate. We’ve seen this model before.

Read that here.

I have serious doubts that this was authored by one of the dimmest bulbs plugged into the legislature. If I was to venture a guess, given the unnecessary adjectives & wordiness, this was generated by ShadGPT. (Ghost written by her buddy, disgraced newsreader Shad Olson).

I’m not sure what is worse for District 3. Being represented by Brandei or her pretending to represent them while being sock-puppeted by Shad Olson.

This is hot off the press this evening:

Why on earth is the 32-year Democrat masquerading as the South Dakota Republican Party chairman pushing the Julie Frye-Awful promoted super sales tax? Which would literally be the biggest increase in taxes in South Dakota history?

This isn’t a measure that has been through any process except submitting it to LRC for comments. No Attorney General‘s opinion, no approval for circulation. God knows there’s no fiscal note.

They are miles off the mark before being able to think about putting one signature on it. Yet, this is somehow a pressing matter for the GOP? God forbid they focus on something related to candidates, aside from throwing stones at them.

The promoters have already proven that they can’t be trusted to give advice on much of anything. So, might be best for actual Republicans to stay out of it. Completely.

Let’s Get the Prison Done
By: Representative Tim Reisch

Next week, the State Legislature will be meeting in special session to consider the plan for a new state penitentiary.

It’s no secret that I have opinions on the South Dakota Department of Corrections. I served as Secretary of that department for nearly a decade, then again as Interim Secretary just a few years ago. And I’ve been vocal in my thoughts on the management of DOC over the last few years. With leadership changing at DOC, though, I am 100% behind getting a new prison built.

Governor Rhoden asked me to be part of the prison task force because he recognized my experience in this area. Yes, we need to make changes in how we handle inmates – both from a rehabilitation and a security standpoint. But those kinds of changes will be far easier to make at a new, modern, state penitentiary.

I care about our correctional officers. I care about their safety, and I worry about their ability to adequately manage rowdy inmates in a deteriorating building that is not laid out for optimum security. Truth be told, I care about the inmates, too – about making sure that they get rehabilitated to rejoin society without returning to prison. The vast majority of our inmates will be back on the streets of South Dakota, most of them within a year or two. We need those individuals to be truly rehabilitated while they’re in prison. We want them to become productive citizens – and we don’t want them coming back to prison.

The new prison will be laid out in a far more secure manner – that’s good for both staff and inmates. It will more than triple the amount of programming and vocational training than what is in the current penitentiary, and that’s how we get inmates on a better path.

A lot of people have questioned the price or falsely claimed that it’s a “billion-dollar prison.” That’s just not true. But we need to stop kicking the can down the road. We have a very good idea of the costs, because we had already bid out the work for the previous plan. The task force made sure that this facility will be built in a fiscally responsible fashion, and the plan that’s in place achieves that without cutting corners on security or quality.

We have a good site. We have a good plan. We have the money to pay the cost, without borrowing. From my seat in the House of Representatives, I’ll be voting yes, and I’ll be asking my colleagues to do the same. Now is the time to get this done and put the conversation to rest.

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Tim Reisch represents the 8^th District in the South Dakota House of Representatives. He serves as South Dakota Secretary of Corrections from 2003 to 2011, then as Interim Secretary of Corrections from 2021 to 2022. He also served as Adjutant General of the South Dakota National Guard from 2011 to 2019.