Category: Uncategorized

Rounds Reintroduces Legislation to Leverage Artificial Intelligence for Pandemic Preparedness and Response

 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), co-chairs of the Senate Artificial Intelligence (AI) Caucus, today reintroduced the MedShield Act of 2025. This legislation would implement a recommendation of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence to create a program titled MedShield to leverage AI for national pandemic preparedness and response.

MedShield would be the United States’ “shield” to protect the nation against future pandemics. MedShield would foster collaboration between the public and private sectors as well as with global allies and partners. The program would leverage AI to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of U.S. pandemic prevention and response across five key areas:

• Pathogen detection and surveillance
• Vaccine development
• Therapeutic development
• Modeling for pathogen tracking and vaccine distribution
• Rapid manufacturing of vaccines and therapeutics

“Artificial intelligence gives us the opportunity to completely revolutionize health care as we know it, including when it comes to rapid response to pandemics,” said Rounds. “The MedShield program would utilize artificial intelligence to help the U.S. identify pathogens that pose pandemic threats and work quickly to develop necessary protections. We can leverage artificial intelligence not only to improve the quality of life for Americans, but to literally save lives and taxpayer dollars. We need to take steps now to effectively respond to pandemic threats.”

“AI holds amazing potential to supercharge major scientific and medical advances – including our ability to anticipate and address the next public health crisis,” said Heinrich, Founder and Co-Chair of the Senate Artificial Intelligence Caucus. “By leveraging AI’s potential, our Medshield Act will ensure we are more prepared for the emergence of new biological threats to mitigate the next pandemic.”

“I am excited to see the MedShield program move forward,” said Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, President of Dakota State University. “When we embrace the full potential of artificial intelligence to address complex problems such as chronic and rare diseases, epidemics, and pandemics, we can find new and innovative solutions for serious issues. These technologies allow us to open the door to possible approaches which will not only solve problems, but prevent them.”

“As we identify needs in our communities and develop solutions, a key focus for the University of South Dakota and our state is ‘AI for good,’” said Sheila K. Gestring, President of the University of South Dakota. “AI plays a powerful role in health care and community health, as it helps us access accurate and reliable information, make predictions based on data, and support informed decision-making. Through the smart and effective use of AI, we have the opportunity to improve human lives and develop the tools we need to face the challenges of the future. I applaud Senator Rounds for his continued focus on supporting efforts to leverage AI for good.”

“We applaud this initiative to leverage AI for creating an integrated system that will identify threats and speed response times during a pandemic,” said Dr. Brian Tande, President of the South Dakota School of Mines. “It is essential that we take advantage of advances in AI to more quickly process information from disparate sources, enable better decision-making, and facilitate the rapid development of treatments and other solutions.”

“The ‘MedShield Act of 2024’ presents an opportunity to leverage cutting-edge AI technologies that could support the efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness of our healthcare response infrastructure,” said Dr. Shanna O’Connor, Department Head of Pharmacy at South Dakota State University. “As someone who has firsthand experience in navigating the challenges of public health crises, I believe the integration of AI-supported tools in both therapeutic development and deployment may significantly strengthen our preparedness for future health emergencies.”

“I strongly support and applaud Senators Rounds’ and Heinrich’s leadership in introducing legislation to create the MedShield program. This critical program is a key recommendation from the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, recognizing the transformative role AI can play in pandemic preparedness,” said Ylli Bajraktari, the former Executive Director of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence. “The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for rapid innovation in detecting threats and accelerating vaccine and therapeutic development with AI. MedShield will bring together the power of AI and human ingenuity, significantly enhancing our ability to respond to future biological threats with speed and precision. This legislation is a crucial step toward creating an integrated AI-enabled system that will safeguard public health and our national security.”

The legislation includes:

• Findings and a Sense of Congress addressing the nation’s need to be better prepared for a pandemic, noting the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) recommendation and the need to avoid an initiative such as Operation Warp Speed for the next pandemic.
• Requirement for the United States Department of Health and Human Services to operationalize AI to implement the NSCAI recommendation.
• Authorization of funding for each fiscal year during FY 2025 – 2029.

Click HERE for full bill text.

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Back in November, we had previewed one of the biggest contests that will be up in 2026 that isn’t Senate, Congress or Governor; Sioux Falls Mayor.  Literally, it’s an executive level job that’s second only to Governor in how many people it touches and the depth of the issues the person in office is forced to address.

How many elected officials have to deal with managing the safety and welfare of over 200,000 people, AND make sure the potholes on the street are filled?  It certainly isn’t the state legislature, despite their attempts to do so based on the local control they tried to usurp this session.

As we move closer to that contest, it’s worth checking back in to see how the field is shaping up. A few names seem to have dropped (or just not continued to come up) and new names are popping into the discussion.

Here’s where things sit in the contest which will likely be in June 2026, due to changes in State law. Or November. But I would wager we’re more likely to see it in June.  Here’s the field as of March 2025:

• Christine Vinatieri Erickson is the early favorite to enter the contest. As CEO of SD Auto Dealers/Trucking Associations and as a former Legislator & Councilwoman, Christine has close ties to the business community, is active in the legislative process (just helping to deliver a big win for her group), and has 8 years’ experience on the Sioux Falls City Council.
• State Representative Greg Jamison’s name has also bubbled up in the race, which would make this potentially his third time at bat after running for mayor in 2014 & 2018. Jamison has been voted into office by Sioux Falls residents for a long, long time in both City Council and State Legislative races. However, the House Republican Minority Whip was also in the position of taking some bad votes in Pierre this year such as voting yes on the lock-up librarians act, which if he does get in, his voting record might draw some heat from potential opponents.
• Erika Beck, Chief of Staff to Mayor Paul TenHaken seems to be out, and former Sanford Executive Micah Aberson is the new name is being floated out there. Aberson, an Augustana grad, had climbed the corporate ladder at Sanford from marketing to being named Executive VP before being bought out in 2021.
• Joe Batcheller, formerly the president of Downtown Sioux Falls from 2015-2025 has long been mentioned as a possible candidate, and his name continues to come up as one of the more serious contenders contemplating getting into the race.
• Current City Councilor Rich Merkouis‘ name had come up in discussions, as has Marshall Selberg’s. I’m told both seem to be still toying with the idea.
• And we’re likely to see some of the also-rans enter the contest. Don’t be shocked to see the zombie guy, David Zokaites running just because. Possibly Jordan Deffenbaugh jumps in after his surprisingly spry effort in the at-large race against Richard Thomason in 2024, where he finished 47% to Thomason’s 52%.

Of course, this list will continue to see some shift as time passes, and things develop. But given that it is a congressional level contest in terms of the logistics involved with organizing and running this sort of race, we should expect to see some solidification of the race by the end of the summer.

Stay tuned.

Thune: Promises Made, Promises Kept

 “In just two months [President Trump’s] bold action to secure our border and enforce our immigration laws has led to a precipitous drop in illegal crossings at the southern border.”

Click here to watch the video.

 WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor.

Governor Larry Rhoden Signs SB 131 Into Law, Modernizing South Dakota’s Vehicle Titling System.

MARCH 18, 2025 – SIOUX FALLS, SD – South Dakota has taken a major step forward in securing and streamlining its vehicle titling process with Governor Larry Rhoden signing Senate Bill 131 into law. This E-Title legislation will prevent fraud, speed up transactions, and improve efficiency for auto dealers, lenders, and consumers across the state.

“This is a historic win for South Dakota’s auto industry and the people of South Dakota,” said Christine Vinatieri-Erickson, President of the South Dakota Auto Dealers Association (SDADA). “With E-Titles, we are closing loopholes that have made fraud possible, while making the process of buying, selling, and financing vehicles faster and more secure than ever before.”

Enhancing Security & Preventing Fraud

This past summer we witnessed title fraud and how fraud has been a problem within this old system. SB 131 closes these gaps and allows vehicle titles to be digitally authenticated, reducing opportunities for forgery and manipulation. This legislation provides greater confidence for consumers, dealers, and financial institutions, ensuring every title issued in South Dakota is legitimate and protected from tampering.

Speeding Up Commerce & Reducing Delays

SB 131 will drastically reduce title processing times, cutting wait periods from weeks or months down to just days. Under the old system, delays in title issuance slowed down sales, and created unnecessary burdens for businesses and consumers. E-Titles will remove these barriers, allowing for faster transactions, and a more seamless experience for everyone involved.

“This is a game-changer for commerce in South Dakota,” said Travis Vessely, Chairman of SDADA. “For dealers and lenders, this means faster transactions, fewer delays, and greater confidence in every title transfer.”

A Stronger, More Efficient System

The passage of SB 131 aligns South Dakota with modern best practices in vehicle titling. By enhancing security, and eliminating unnecessary delays, this law ensures that our state remains a leader in business-friendly policies that protect consumers and promote economic growth.

The South Dakota Auto Dealers Association thanks Governor Rhoden and the Legislature for making this critical modernization effort a reality.

Not a lot of rosy reviews of the 2025 South Dakota Legislature’s performance, as aside from participants citing how South Dakota is closed for business, the Sioux Falls School District is noting today that the legislature spent their time trying to hurt schools, fight the culture wars at their expense, and failed to meet statutory obligations for funding:

School Board President Carly Reiter listed many of the school-related issues that the legislators spent “a majority of their time on” instead of discussing issues that she believed would actually help improve education in the state.

• • • Increasing the cost for families to pay for courses offered in the high schools for college credits. “It really is going to affect low-income students more and affect their ability to continue on post high school.”
    • Attempting several efforts to hang the Ten Commandments in all classrooms or schools. “That’s despite the fact that many legislators fail to abide by them themselves and not all students and staff are Christians.”
    • Taking away funding to help teachers recertify in certain areas.
    • Discussing jailing school librarians for some books that may be on shelves.
    • Ignoring local control by requiring districts to accept cash for student activity events as many event venues only accept cards.
    • Attempting to pass a voucher bill for families whose students  homeschool or attend private schools thus taking money away from public education.

and..

“I really have to question who the legislators are showing up for at this point. I really don’t understand,” board Vice President Dawn Marie Johnson said. 

and..

Business Manager Todd Vik, who had been tracking bills all session with his staff, added that state law requires a 3 percent increase in aid unless inflation was below that level.  “It’s above that,” he said.

Read the entire story here at Sioux Falls Live (subscription may be required).

I was speaking with a more recently elected legislator last night who had reached out to his superintendents to try to dig down into what he hoped were solvable problems.. and just came back with more problems that the legislature ignores, not the least of which is that given our status as 49th in teacher pay in the nation, other states are coming in and recruiting our graduates away.

As was noted to me in one of a long list of problems, one was that South Dakota is experiencing a teacher/ counselor/administrator shortage. Sioux Falls had a teacher fair. Some of the people looking for teachers were from Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Omaha, Minnesota. There were signing bonuses offered along with other incentives.

So, not only are we short-changing our investment into public education by idiotically trying to install slogans and 10 commandment posters on the wall, but we’re also usurping local control, failing to pay teachers, and accelerating their exodus from South Dakota.  At the same time the same idiots who are trying to put up posters think they can solve the problem by taking more money from public education, and handing it off to those who are unaccountable in the education they are going to provide.

It’s not as if the legislature hasn’t tried at times. But over the last decade, we’re not just back where we started, but we’re worse off than ever:

Over the past decade, governors, legislators and local school boards have placed a high priority on raising teacher salaries in South Dakota, which have long been at or near the bottom in the nation.

And over the past few years, they have succeeded, as teacher pay has risen either moderately or significantly in every public school district in South Dakota since 2017, according to state data. The average salary increase across all districts was 13.5% and as high as 20% in some districts from 2017 to 2023.

But those gains have not translated into more spending power for educators, and in fact have in most cases left them further behind than they were before the pay-raise push.

When inflation is factored in, the vast majority of teachers have lost net spending power over that time, and some have seen their inflation-adjusted pay drop by more than 20% between 2017 and 2023, with rural school districts often taking the biggest hits, according to a new analysis by the Dakota Institute, a nonprofit economic research organization. The overall inflationary increase from 2017 to 2023 was 24.3%, according to the website USInflationcalculator.com.

Go read this story here at SD News Watch.

Next session, instead of worrying about stupid 10 commandment posters and trying to throw librarians in jail – and I mean that as derisively as you can imagine – we should demand action on education. And that doesn’t mean stripping funds from public schools.

And maybe the legislature can actually pay attention to a real issue for once, figure out how to improve funding for education and stop the bleeding of teachers from being prepared for careers here and shipping them out of state.

South Dakota State Senator Helene Duhamel (today in a column sent to the Rapid City Journal and also posted by the Senator to facebook) echoed what a number of people, including myself, observed about the 2025 South Dakota Legislative session, that a message was sent by too many people in the Republican Majority that South Dakota is Closed for Business:

2025 was a challenging legislative session, as you have heard in the news. In spite of too many opponents of legislation that benefits the Black Hills (including by some Black Hills legislators), we prevailed on some of the most important.

WATER
We were successful in getting legislative approval for a future use water permit for the West Dakota Regional Water System. This is a necessary first step to get Missouri River water to Western South Dakota and the Black Hills. The Big Mo is virtually an endless supply for our future. If we don’t appropriate it – others elsewhere will. As straightforward and critical as it sounds, a number of West River and Rapid City area legislators opposed this Senate Joint Resolution! Many had even supported a similar future use water permit for Lewis and Clark in Eastern South Dakota the previous session. There is no reason to politicize our future water needs and lose the opportunity for our own children and grandchildren to benefit from the Missouri River.

ELLSWORTH
With some twisting and turning, we had some success supporting Ellsworth Air Force Base as it prepares to welcome B-21 families. Instead of a grant, we were successful in providing an interest-free, 20-year, $15 million loan to Douglas School District to build an elementary school. It’s a critical first step in a quality of life issue that impacts Ellsworth. Again, we were challenged to get our Rapid City area legislators to all support Ellsworth!
Many of us will keep looking for more support for the Ellsworth Development Authority to address the many needs of this growing base. With almost $2 billion in base construction, South Dakota will benefit to the tune of $84 million in sales and excise taxes. That all goes to the state. None of that helps deal with the growing pains of accommodating all the growth.

RESTORED FUNDING
We heard from citizens loud and clear and restored funding to South Dakota Public Broadcasting, state library, veteran’s headstones and county veteran service officers. The COVID-19 money from the federal government is going away, our state budget has to right size. We are returning to our familiar small government, small services state.

ELECTION TRANSPARENCY, VEHICLE TITLES, UNCLAIMED PROPERTY
We can be proud of many election transparency bills and a better way to know who is pouring money into our elections. The adoption of electronic vehicle titles makes for a faster, safer, more efficient and affordable process for everyone. An unclaimed property trust fund was established and a trust fund will be on the next ballot.

CLOSED FOR BUSINESS!
My concern is about a stronger economy and better job opportunities now, and into the future, for our children and grandchildren. We said NO to data centers, pipelines, value-added agriculture, investments in our state airports, and the list goes on. In a year when we hear the cry for property tax relief, we thumbed our nose at development that would generated new tax revenues so we locals don’t have to keep carrying the whole burden. These projects would have offset these costs, put money in your pocket and allowed our visitors to help with the tax burden.

South Dakota airports have an economic impact in the range of $1 billion per year. The federal government rewards states that invest in this critical infrastructure with in excess of $3 in matching funds for every $1 in local investment. Until we invest in our airports in Rapid City and Sioux Falls, we will have limited and expensive flying options, with a detrimental impact on tourism. 75% of the costs WOULD be paid by people outside of South Dakota, and yet not all of our Rapid City area legislators would support this benefit for Rapid City and the Black Hills!

Ellsworth Air Force Base’s economic impact approaches $1 billion per year to South Dakota, and yet we have struggled to get our legislators and executive to value this golden goose. These are smart investments with benefits to our state budget.

Keep in mind hosting and expanding military missions is a competitive business. Ellsworth’s main competition for base expansion and new missions is Dyess Air Force Base. Texas annually provides some $50 million to addressing the needs of the Air Force. We need to step up our game to compete for future squadron of B-21s being located here.

With some $40 million left in one-time funding in the 2025 session, instead of making these smart investments, we chose to lock up the money and spend on maintenance and repair of our state buildings. We need you – the taxpaying voters in South Dakota – to help us make the case for smart investments in South Dakota’s future.

Thoughts on the 100th session by the new guy in Pierre
by Representative Kent Roe, Dist. 4

I’ve some thoughts on the 100th session.

What a year to be the “new guy” in Pierre. It was the 100th session of the South Dakota legislature, a new Governor was sworn in, we saved librarians and big bird among many things.

I lucked out in the seating arrangement. I was seated beside David Kull from Brandon, District 2. In front of me was Mike Stevens from Yankton, District 18, and Mike Weisgram, Ft Pierre, District 24. To my right and across the aisle was Travis Ismay, another rookie, from Newell, District 28B. Drew Peterson, Salem, District 19, and Eric Muckey, another rookie, Sioux Falls, District 15. All are great men and I am proud to call all of them friend.

I started out slow. It seemed prudent to me to learn the ebb & flow of things. I was on the transportation committee and also on the taxation committee. The learning never slowed and I am happy to have the experience behind me.

I was fortunate to connect with several like-minded conservatives. A rag tag team of common sense folks that mostly agreed on a value set. That value set being one of limited government, big ideas, local control, respect for our educators, and a consensus that things aren’t too bad and the sky is not falling. We managed to get some good thoughtful legislation passed, and stopped some radical agendas too. Additionally, this group of “moderate rebels”, if there is such a thing, didn’t take orders from anyone. I really appreciated this as we were all equals. We had no “dear leader” and no one was expected to “vote that way or else”.

We had additional positive outcomes including

• Defeating HB 1186 that would have eventually defunded GOED’s Future Fund economic development promotion program, including the build Dakota scholarship program.
• Securing funding for SDPB and libraries.
• Funding the graduate medical student assistance program.
• Approving the future water allocation permit for the Western Dakota Regional Water System.

Passing SB 6 to support a new elementary school necessitated by growth at Ellsworth Air Force Base.- Funding for the technical colleges to purchase new & current equipment for the students to learn on.

Personally I had 3 bills I carried on the house side. Senator Crabtree asked me to carry the Ag Terrorism bill, it passed the house 68-2. Senator Wheeler asked me to carry two bills regarding titling of vehicles, both of which passed the house. This seemed like the best approach for a rookie legislator. Learn from the experienced knowledgeable legislators on how to craft, write and carry a bill. It taught me how to work with all impacted parties and the rhythm of well written legislation working it’s way through the process. I cannot emphasize enough how important this is.

Now the down side: I couldn’t help myself when writing this section. I enjoy the full range of the English language, which includes a bite here and there. As the saying goes: The old mares mean, horse s*^t’s green, it’s hard to keep a white shirt clean.

Unfortunately, updating the 140 year old prison got tossed out. I studied this quite a bit as it is a big issue. In 2022 a group was organized to diligently and deliberately come up with a plan. And it took them several years to fully develop this plan. It was presented this year to the legislature. Their plan had several things going for it. It checked all the boxes. It met current incarceration rules. It had facilities for rehabilitation (we currently lack). It met population requirements. It had a great site selection. And lastly, it was paid for. As usual, some teapots were tempestuous, there were several bonnets full of bees, and even a few burrs under a few saddles. Much vexing and gnashing of teeth too, for the religulous types. Was it overpriced? Perhaps. That was one concern I had. It was a concern in a plan that was rigorously prepared and completed by caring professional people. I could live with that. The opponents brought everything they had, which was nothing, as an alternative, and succeeded in their opposition. It proved to me that if you bang an empty pot hard enough you can succeed.

The education committee was presented over 150 half-baked ideas. 40 of which made it to the floor, and (thankfully) very few made it over the finish line. The willingness of some to introduce legislation disrupting public education through measures like education savings accounts, classroom mandates, curriculum restrictions, teacher protocol, and dragging religion into public education left me questioning the purpose of local school boards. Thankfully, we were able to stop this invasion from Pierre into local issues. I cannot stress how much my respect for people willing to stand up and serve on local boards, especially school boards, increased during session. It is important to have people directly in touch with their communities serve these local boards. It is the very definition of local control. Teachers also deserve much credit for surviving an ambitious group of do-gooder legislators. And the Huron school district too! They survived HB1224. Why some in Pierre feel motivated to force their whims on very local issues is beyond my comprehension.

And since I’m certain I’ll get hammered on about it, I’ll write directly to 2 bills we voted on. The first being the “10 Commandments” bill. This mandated that the 10 Commandments MUST be displayed in all schools. Well, this is already in state law, just not the mandated part. Additionally, this bill did not specify which version of the commandments should be displayed (yes, there is more than one version). 2ndly, and I’ll admit I had a little fun with this, the bill did not specify which language to be written in. Since I thought this was absurd from the very beginning I wanted to have a little fun with the poor idea. Should they be written in Hebrew as Moses (likely) received them? Do we use Aramean, Latin, Persian, German(as translated by that greatest of all Catholic monks Martin Luther), King James, NRSV? Do we use the Baptist, Catholic, Democrat, Republican, Orthodox version? (I’m a Lutheran so I really don’t care, I learned them in Confirmation.)

Also, I voted against putting a Chaplain in every school. Let me be serious for a bit. I believe the sponsors of these failed ideas are sincere in their beliefs and are truly good people. The problem is, when we try to mish mash the Sacred with the secular (as these bills attempted to do) it leads us down a path of discounting & devaluing the Sacred. The writers of the 10 Commandments bill defined the 10 Commandments as a historical document. I cannot imagine a statement more repulsive to Christians and Jews. To reduce the word of God to the same status as the house journal (a historical document) simply appalled me, and, conversely, to raise the status of the house journal to Sacred status, really?, come on people. Reducing the Word of God to being a “historical document” only pushed it one step closer to the dust bin of history. Sorry people, not in my lifetime.

We did end up passing SB 216. This is the Governor’s bill aimed at addressing property taxes. While well-intentioned, it will not lower property taxes. It limits property valuation increases (county-wide) to 3% per year for five years. This may slow the growth of property taxes, but potential mill levy increases (valuations and mill levies are tied together to yield enough money to fulfill budgets) could counteract this effect. This is a complex issue. I liked the (now) Lt Gov’s sales tax bill. Rep Goodwin picked it up late in session and offered it as HB 1019 (unfortunately it failed). This bill would give a 35% tax decrease to all South Dakota residents with an owner-occupied home. HB1019 is paid for up front. It raises sales tax from 4.2% to 5%, generating (at current consumer spending levels) $280 million annually, all going to SD owner occupied homes. This results in $417 per $100K assessments. For example, the impact on a $500K assessment would equal $2,085 in property tax reduction ( $417 x 5 = $2,085.00). A huge side benefit to this new 5% sales tax would be the boon to our SD economy. This is money the tax payer has available to spend as they see fit. New shoes for the kids, maybe a treat for the home owners, a new fishing pole, etc. And this revenue doesn’t stop at the impacted tax payer. It goes into the economy of others as well. A new store front for an entrepreneur, additional employees, etc. The point is, it stays in the economy and contributes to the velocity of money (important economic theory there if you want to research it). By the way, 5% is the same as North Dakota and less than other neighboring states. Lastly, the 15 million tourists who visit South Dakota spend $5 billion here. $5,000,000,000.00 x 0.8% = $40,000,000.00 in increased sales tax revenue from tourism alone.

Epilogue- I weep for the state republican committee. We (I use the word “we” with reckless abandon) elected a life long democrat as the new republican state chair. A person who voted for Barry (not Goldwater) twice, and proudly proclaims so. Since taking over this “leader” has produced a “scorecard” of legislators. Here is a link to the house’s scorecard:  www.sdpropertyrightslocalcontrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-SD-House-Property-Rights-Scorecard.pdf. There is one similar to it for the senate.

I’m in a group of (his words-not mine) failures and pathetic republicans. How I long for the days of republicanism, when we stayed out of the way and legislated minimally. When we gave big thinkers a chance, entrepreneurs a clean canvas and did our best to keep our kids here when they became adults.

Enjoy the ride folks!

All the best,

Gov. Rhoden Asks Attorney General Bondi and ATF Director Patel to Streamline Firearms and Silencer Purchases

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden sent a letter to United States Attorney General Pam Bondi and Kash Patel, Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), asking them to eliminate the seven-day waiting period to purchase a firearm or associated accessories, including silencers, over state lines. You can find the letter here.

“I simply ask that you strike the seven-day waiting period so that law-abiding Americans, who have already undergone a Brady background check, can exercise their Second Amendment rights without unnecessary delay,” said Governor Rhoden.

Governor Rhoden’s request is in response to President Donald J. Trump’s executive order “Protecting Second Amendment Rights” in which he orders AG Bondi to “examine all orders, regulations, guidance, plans, international agreements, and other actions of executive departments and agencies (agencies) to assess any ongoing infringements of the Second Amendment rights of our citizens.”

On day one of his Open for Opportunity tour, Governor Rhoden visited Silencer Central, the nation’s largest manufacturer and distributer of firearms suppressors. During his visit, CEO Brandon Maddox informed him that an outdated federal rule from the 1960s is imposing an arbitrary seven-day waiting period before they can ship their products. Governor Rhoden’s letter specifically asks US Attorney General Pam Bondi and ATF Director Kash Patel to review 27 CFR § 478.96 and eliminate the seven-day waiting period.

“In South Dakota, we treasure the Second Amendment,” concluded Governor Rhoden. “We have taken greater actions to defend this basic constitutional freedom than any other state. And we are glad to have allies in the Trump Administration who are eager to advance this freedom for the American people.”

Governor Rhoden signed this letter, along with several pro-Second Amendment bills, at Boyd’s Gunstocks in Mitchell. You can find a picture him signing the letter here.

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Gov. Rhoden Signs Pro-Second Amendment Bills into Law

PIERRE, S.D. –  Today, Governor Larry Rhoden signed three pro-Second Amendment bills into law. He signed these bills at Boyd’s Gunstock in Mitchell during his Open for Opportunity tour. You can find a picture of the signing here.

“One of my favorite things about South Dakota is how free we are – especially when it comes to the freedom to keep and bear arms,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “We have taken greater actions to defend our Second Amendment rights than any other state. As long as I am Governor, I will continue to defend this basic constitutional freedom.”

Governor Rhoden signed the following three bills into law:

• SB 100 limit the imposition of restrictions on the carrying of a concealed pistol and other items of self-defense while on the campus of a public institution of higher education.
• HB 1218 address the imposition of firearm restrictions on certain employees, officers, volunteers, and other individuals.
• HB 1222 expand the authorized carrying, possession, and storage of a concealed pistol.

Governor Rhoden has signed 157 bills and VETOED one this legislative session.

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Rounds Requests Creation of Commission Addressing Violent Crimes on Reservations 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum requesting the creation of a “Violent Crime Reduction Commission” to address violent crime on reservations.

During Rounds’ meetings with tribal leaders over the last few months, several tribes expressed an interest in creating this commission focused on crime. This proposed body would be made up of officials from the Department of Justice, the Department of the Interior and leaders from tribal areas under federal criminal jurisdiction. Tribal leaders in support of the proposal have indicated only a multi-jurisdictional effort, like a commission, will effectively combat serious violent crime issues.

“Great Plains reservation communities are continuing to deal with a public safety crisis,” wrote Rounds. “With some tribes experiencing violent crime rates five times higher than the national average, it is clear that traditional law enforcement approaches alone are ineffective and officials will need to develop alternative solutions. Due to President Trump’s dedication to fighting violent crime, I believe it is the right time for the federal government to reevaluate and strengthen tribal public safety programs.”

BACKGROUND:

Rounds has been a leader on addressing the public safety crisis on reservations in South Dakota.

–       In June 2023, Rounds sent a letter to then-Interior Secretary Deb Haaland asking her to direct the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to provide additional support to tribal law enforcement agencies in South Dakota to help combat the spike of violent crime on reservations.

–       In December 2023, Rounds sent a letter to Haaland urging the Department of Interior to immediately address the public safety crisis and lack of law enforcement resources on reservations in South Dakota.

–       In March 2024, Rounds requested information from the Government Accountability Office on tribal law enforcement funding and its correlation, if any, with surges in crime on reservations.

–       In May 2024, Rounds requested funding for tribal law enforcement programs in the FY2025 Appropriations bill.

–       In August 2024, Rounds hosted then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in South Dakota for a meeting with leaders from all nine tribes in South Dakota.

–       In August 2024, Rounds pressed Haaland to modernize the funding formula for tribal law enforcement.

–       In October 2024, following Garland’s meetings in South Dakota, the Department of Justice issued a number of proposals requested by tribal leaders in South Dakota, including changes to the funding mechanisms that the federal government uses to support public safety programs.

–       In January 2025, Rounds called on Garland and Haaland to address the public safety crisis on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

Read the full text of the letter HERE or below.

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Dear Attorney General Bondi and Secretary Burgum,

Great Plains reservation communities are continuing to deal with a public safety crisis. With some tribes experiencing violent crime rates five times higher than the national average, it is clear that traditional law enforcement approaches alone are ineffective and officials will need to develop alternative solutions. Several tribal leaders have proposed establishing a cross jurisdictional commission to directly address violent crime. As tribal nations continue to deal with threats to public safety, I respectfully request the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prioritize and support this initiative.

As you are aware, an influx of narcotics trafficking has put a real strain on tribal law enforcement agencies. This problem presents not only a serious public health challenge, but it also directly contributes to violence in reservation communities. According to federal statistics, Great Plains reservations have disproportionally high rates of violent crime. In recent years, some tribal law enforcement agencies have received over 100,000 calls for assistance. Tribal leaders have indicated that despite their efforts, violent crime rates remain alarmingly high.

Tribal officer shortages have directly contributed to the current public safety crisis. Currently, several Great Plains law enforcement agencies are severely understaffed. Consequently, some tribal departments only have as few as two or three officers working each shift. This is especially concerning given that some Great Plains reservations span over one million acres. Insufficient training and hiring practices at the federal level have only exacerbated the current problem, making it clear that a joint effort between federal and tribal law enforcement is necessary to address the tribal officer shortage.

The U.S. trust and treaty responsibility requires both the DOJ and the Department of the Interior (DOI) to share criminal jurisdiction with tribal law enforcement. With this responsibility in mind, it is my hope DOJ and DOI will collaborate with tribes under federal jurisdiction to establish a “Violent Crime Reduction Commission.”

Tribal leaders have expressed support for using a commission to directly deploy resources to tribal agencies in need. This may involve working directly with tribal leaders under federal jurisdiction to improve the current methods for disbursing key resources, including competitive grant funding. As you know, extensive tribal consultation must be a key component of any effort to improve public safety.

Due to President Trump’s dedication to fighting violent crime, I believe it is the right time for the federal government to reevaluate and strengthen tribal public safety programs. I look forward to working with both of you on this issue.

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