Gov. Rhoden Announces Prison Special Session on September 23
PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced the date of the special session to consider and pass legislation for a new prison. The special session will be on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at 9:00 am CT. Governor Rhoden signed an Executive Proclamation formally announcing the special session. You can read his letter to the legislature, which includes the Executive Proclamation, here.
“When we started this process, we knew that we needed to build consensus on a plan that a supermajority of the legislature can agree on, and I believe that we are in good shape to achieve that,” wrote Governor Larry Rhoden. “The purpose of this session shall be to consider and pass legislation to authorize the Department of Corrections to do everything necessary to move forward with this project.”
Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen, who chaired the prison task force, also wrote a letter to Governor Rhoden on the task force’s findings. You can find that letter here.
“We understood that compromise was necessary to reach a recommendation that can win [the Governor’s] support and the support of the legislature,” wrote Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen. “The task force’s unanimous vote for its recommendation demonstrates that we have found a good site f0r a new penitentiary and a strong path forward.”
The prison task force was announced by Governor Larry Rhoden in February. They were tasked with answering three questions:
- Do we need a new prison?
- How big should it be?
- Where should it go?
The prison task force came to unanimous agreement on all three of these questions.
The special session is called pursuant to Article IV, Section 3 of the South Dakota Constitution.
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Do judges even put people in jail these days? Maybe after the 13th or 14th screw up, the criminals might get 30 days with 29 suspended. Not like the old days.
This disfunctional group of brain damaged legislators brought this on.
I agree,11:21. Enacted laws, soft on crime, such as three chance misdemeanors before charging one with a felony, is bogus. Laws like this send messages that we really do not believe in punishment. The parallel is putting a child in timeout and counting 1, 2, 3 and falsely believing that the child’s behavior will change on the magic number”3.” If it does not, there is a count of “10” to urge change…next?
Lazy Rodent is for sure going to get this handled. For sure…
So bit we have to pay some shady investors for land instead of using land we already owned bc some crybabies in Lincoln county (what gained to facts over feelings)?
How is this going to be cheaper when we are abandoning all the site prep etc?
The only the worst and dimmest left in this state.
Would be great to hear Kevin Jensen and Karla Lems address this as they led the opposition to that site
And the resistors cost the state a lot of money…meetings, task force, lodging, site changing, more meetings.
This raises an important issue regarding the financial strain on us taxpayers for the prison and it’s clear that this is a complex problem with multiple contributing factors.
Firstly, I assert that judges are less likely to send individuals to prison compared to the past. Albeit this is opinion and needs further examination. While it may appear that more lenient sentences are being handed down, the reality is that many individuals are receiving multiple chances before being incarcerated. This cycle often leads to more criminal behavior, resulting in a backlog within our prison system. Consequently, we see our facilities filled with individuals who have been given several opportunities to reform, highlighting a systemic issue that needs addressing.
Now, let’s delve into the financial implications:
1. Neglect of Maintenance and Repair: The lack of appropriate funding for the maintenance and repair of our current prison facilities is a significant oversight. When state budgets fail to allocate funds for upkeep, it not only leads to deteriorating conditions but also results in higher costs in the long run. The tours of these facilities reveal the extent of neglect, which ultimately burdens taxpayers. Investing in proper maintenance can prevent more significant expenses down the line, both in terms of repairs and health and safety concerns for staff and inmates. Hmmm-all things that are cited to support the need for a new prison.
2. Questionable Site Selection: The decision to move forward with the Lincoln County site despite clear indications that it was not a favorable location raises serious concerns about accountability within the Department of Corrections (DOC). The fact that a task force was needed to determine the site’s unsuitability suggests a lack of thorough evaluation and consideration for cost-effectiveness. This failure in decision-making not only reflects poor planning but also results in financial waste, as resources are diverted to manage land that isn’t optimally located or constructed.
In conclusion, the issues surrounding our prison system extend beyond individual accountability. They reflect systemic flaws that require comprehensive reform. By prioritizing maintenance and making informed decisions regarding facility locations, we can mitigate unnecessary costs and create a more effective criminal justice system. It’s essential for us as a society to advocate for these changes, as they ultimately impact us all.
Quit hand-holding and coddling and get this built.
This was quite a show to get the same answer (shocker) from the people who keep writing the laws to send people to prison. Too bad we the people weren’t consulted more, but I assume they just consulted with God, since that overrides our opinion anyway. This just gave them time to shutdown the lawsuit (another shocker), while avoiding the point that we need to stop relying on the prison for punitive punishment for things that annoy the legislators.