A Safer Parole System
By: Governor Larry Rhoden
May 1, 2026

South Dakota is a safe place, and, thanks to the work of our law enforcement, we have decreased crime in double-digit percentages in several categories. But we never settle – and we are not satisfied. Just like life on the ranch, there is always work to be done.

It took everyone working together to achieve the largest single investment in public safety: building a new men’s prison. Because of that success, we are now able to expand opportunities for rehabilitative programming. Soon, we will be past the overcrowding of our current gothic prison. It is time to move on to the next public safety challenge: designing a safer parole system.

Parole reform has always been a topic of conversation, even more so since the prison plan took shape. My team has been working with experts and stakeholders to peel back the layers of the issue and target them with solutions, one at a time. I recently announced some serious reforms at the Department of Corrections (DOC) to tackle these issues.

Parolees committing new crimes is a problem. Most folks think parolees would never commit any crimes so long as they are supervised by their parole agent – if only it were so simple. Parolees were in prison because they committed a crime, and despite our best efforts, some of them will fall into their old ways when they get out. Agents can’t be with parolees 24/7, so no parole system will prevent all crime, but there are ways to improve. I have formed a new team of specialized parole agents. This will include more check-ins, especially evenings and weekends, for the most intensive parolees. If they aren’t following the laws, they will go back to prison.

When an inmate is released on parole, the inmate promises to follow nine standard conditions. When a violation occurs, parole agents do their best to balance accountability with the opportunity for rehabilitation. The stories I have heard about parolees receiving too many second chances are frustrating and wrong, so we have changed this process. I have directed the DOC to take a tougher stance on DUIs, drug use, simple assault, and weapons violations that are a danger to others.

In just the first week since changing this policy, DOC nearly doubled the average number of revocations. These policies and others will continue to be reviewed by DOC as they plan the “Smarter Supervision Initiative,” which they announced last month.

I’m committed to working with law enforcement, judges, and other elected officials on additional changes. Parole is one component of the criminal justice system. When the blame for a “broken” parole system is placed on one agency, remember: the Legislature makes the law, the executive implements it, and the judiciary applies it. If inmates display good behavior in prison, state law requires DOC to release them at their initial parole eligibility date. There is no discretion to hold them past that date, or DOC would be breaking the law. As legislators participate in the Correctional Rehabilitation Task Force and consider how to enhance rehabilitation, this may be an area to consider legislative changes.

Make no mistake, we are not done yet. This will take time. And just like work on the ranch, the work will never truly be done. I am thankful to all our law enforcement leaders for working together to keep South Dakota safe. If you have concerns and ideas, I would love to hear them. I am committed to working on legislation to further reform our parole laws.

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If you read my earlier post on this, this is the news article that you need to go with it. Recalling the images hitting social media….

Dylan Jordan’s buddies in the Young Americans for Liberty group have declared war on many legislators in the Republican Party, whether they are conservative or hard-right. And according to this article from 2024, we might expect that they will soon flood South Dakota with postcards:

There is no political organization that has spent more money on Wyoming’s 2024 primary election than Make Liberty Win, an out-of-state Libertarian-affiliated group that supports the legalization of marijuana.

As first reported by Cowboy State Daily, Make Liberty Win is an Alexandria, Virginia-based group that spent $371,260 on more than 40 state Legislature races around Wyoming in 2024. It’s unlikely that a single group has ever spent this much money on Wyoming state legislative races before.

Make Liberty Win is a subsidiary of the Austin, Texas-based conservative Libertarian group Young Americans for Liberty.

and..

A number of the mailers sent out by Make Liberty Win encourage people to “join the RINO hunt” against a particular candidate, in reference to the acronym Republican in name only. The doorknob fliers declare “RINO SPOTTED,” with a binocular-style image of the lawmaker seen as not conservative enough for the group.

Make Liberty Win used a similar theme in other state races across the country in places like South Dakota, Idaho, Michigan and Texas, posting similar graphics when one of the alleged RINOs lost an election with “(BAGGED AND TAGGED)” printed over their faces.

and..

“There’s so much outside money infiltrating Wyoming elections with possibly bad actors connected to it,” Tyrrell said. “Groups like Make Liberty Win and Wyoming Gun Owners are only interested in getting money from their followers and trying to sway elections.

“They’re only interested in control and power.”

Read the entire story here.

I’m sure this group asking for legislators to be hunted will end well.

How nuts do you have to be to get this group’s endorsement? Not that we’ve ever heard of them before.

Because it seems they are only interested in the farthest fringes of ideology, and you have to be in the range of Dylan Jordan “shoot down jet contrail planes” crazy to earn their favor:

I think it’s less about Liberty winning and more about fringe lunatics running the asylum.

U.S. House Passes Farm Bill with Johnson’s Support

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, also known as the Farm Bill, with a bipartisan 224-200 vote. U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) voted to pass the Farm Bill which contains dozens of Johnson’s priorities that support farmers and ranchers in South Dakota and across America.

“Farmers and ranchers have made it clear – we need a completed Farm Bill,” said Johnson. “I worked hard to ensure this Farm Bill invests in rural America, secures our supply chains, and puts producers first. I’m glad it has passed the House, and I hope the Senate considers it soon to provide certainty for our hardworking producers.”

After the Farm Bill passed the House Agriculture Committee in March, Johnson successfully worked to remove the Greyhound Protection Act to protect the use of and training of hunting dogs.

Johnson’s bills included in the Farm Bill: 

• The SAFETY Act to safeguard American exports from unfair trade practices.
• The Butcher Block Act to assist with new and expanding livestock and meat processors.
• The Assistance for Rural Water Systems Act to provide funding and technical support for water infrastructure in rural communities.
• The Healthy Dog Importation Act to ensure dogs imported into the U.S. are in good health and have received proper vaccines and medical treatment.
• The A-Plus Act to increase investments in small meat packers.
• The ACES Act to add agricultural cooperatives with fewer than 2,500 employees as qualified entities under the Rural Energy for America Program.
• The Increased TSP (Technical Service Providers) Access Act to improve and expand the certification and participation process for Technical Service Providers under United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation programs.
• Transfer Food for Peace from United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to USDA, as seen in H.R. 1207.
• The Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act to improve nutrition and increase access to dairy products for low-income populations.
• The CAREERS Act to strengthen workforce development and career education programs.
• The Save Our Bacon Act to block California’s Proposition 12 requirements on producers.

Johnson’s crop and conservation priorities included in the Farm Bill:

• Provides long-term investments in working lands conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).
• Johnson’s amendment to clarify that tech-neutral modernization is eligible for fencing repair or replacement under the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP).

Johnson’s rural development priorities included in the Farm Bill:

• Updates and modernizes USDA broadband programs, providing faster buildout speeds and strengthening connectivity to rural communities.
• Codifies the Circuit Rider Program, which provides technical assistance for rural water systems.
• Broadens the Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program to support new investments in food infrastructure for a more resilient and diverse U.S. food supply chain.
• Reauthorizes the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program and permits awardees to provide other forms of collateral to secure loans.

Johnson’s other agricultural priorities included in the Farm Bill:

• Johnson’s amendment to strengthen Tribal 1994 Land Grant Institutions by expanding their ability to acquire land, modernize facilities, and invest in equipment to support ag research and extension.
• Reauthorizes the New Beginnings for Tribal Students Program and removes the cap on funding each state can receive.
• Reauthorizes the Sun Grant Program, expands the scope to include bioproducts, and allows universities to better utilize grant funding.
• Reauthorizes the Wood Innovation Grant Program, reduces the non-Federal match, and authorizes grants for hauling materials to locations that can utilize it.
• Directs additional resources toward livestock and poultry disease preparedness, including the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, and the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank.
• More than doubles authorization funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program, enabling better market access and trade promotion.
• Reforms reporting requirements under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act to ensure accuracy and transparency of data on farmland owned by foreign persons.
• Allows the Secretary to enter into self-determination contracts with Tribes to operate SNAP, consistent with the SNAP Tribal Food Sovereignty Act.

The Farm Bill has the support of more than 500 agricultural organizations from across the country, including seven from South Dakota: South Dakota Agri-Business Association, South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts, South Dakota Corn Growers Association, South Dakota Farm Bureau, South Dakota Soybean Association, South Dakota State University, and South Dakota Wheat Growers Association.

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Gov. Rhoden Announces Additional Parole Reform Solutions

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced immediate steps to help improve parole supervision in South Dakota, all of which have been executed or are in the process of execution.

“Keeping South Dakotans safe is the most important duty of government, and we have been working specifically on strengthening the safety and integrity of our parole system,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “I appreciate the law enforcement leaders who have been working with me to deliver immediate improvements to the parole system. Together, we will better protect our communities.”

Governor Rhoden and the South Dakota Department of Corrections (DOC) are making it faster and easier to revoke repeat parole offenders and remove them from South Dakota communities. These directives will make parole supervision more focused, hold parolees more accountable, increase penalties for repeat offenders, and send parole violators back to prison faster.

“Parole is a layered issue, and the processes involve implementing the state law as it’s written and coordinating among corrections, judges, local law enforcement, and the Board of Pardons and Parole,” said DOC Secretary Nick Lamb. “I am grateful for Governor Rhoden’s leadership as we work together to reform parole and enhance public safety.”

Governor Rhoden’s directive delivers several results, including:

• Creating an enhanced compliance unit with five specialized parole agents focused on a higher level of supervision including nights and weekends for the most intensive parolees;
• DOC will appoint experienced parole agents to the enhanced compliance unit and add five new agents to help lower caseloads and improve supervision at all levels. These additional parole officer jobs have been posted;
• Increasing punishment for parole violators. Instead of treating all misdemeanors the same, DOC has enhanced the severity of sanctions for DUIs, simple assault, and weapons violations that are a danger to others;
• Enforcing accountability by continuing to revoke parole from more people who are noncompliant, in particular with drug use. In the first week, DOC nearly doubled the average number of revocations and will continue to moving forward;
• Requesting the Board of Pardons and Parole process revocations faster and impose stronger sanctions. The director will hold disposition hearings more frequently and propose to the parole board increasing the length of returns to prison; and
• Working with parole stakeholders and DOC on the legislation and budgetary items to further reform parole and support local law enforcement.

All of these directives have been executed, or are in the process of execution, at the direction of Governor Rhoden.

Less than one month ago, the South Dakota Department of Corrections announced the “Smarter Supervision Initiative,” which engages a consultant to review policies to supervise more effectively and reduce violent reoffending across the state. These directives are the next step in the continued effort to help solve the problems facing South Dakota communities when it comes to parole.

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Attorney General Jackley Announces SD Supreme Court Affirms Terrorism Threat Conviction

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that the South Dakota Supreme Court has affirmed the conviction and sentence of Lucian Celestine for attempted threat of felony terrorism. He had been convicted in Pennington County after making threats to President Donald Trump and taking steps toward carrying out those threats.

“Threats against the President of the United States and public officials are taken seriously,” said Attorney General Jackley. “We will continue to prosecute individuals who seek to harm or intimidate public officials and their families.”

According to court records, Celestine first contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in September 2019 claiming he was hearing voices instructing him to kill President Trump. In June 2020, Celestine attempted to purchase a sniper-style rifle through an online firearms marketplace and requested a scope capable of shooting up to 600 yards along with ammunition. The seller, a Brookings police officer acting as a private citizen, became concerned about Celestine’s behavior and reported the interaction to the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).

Law enforcement later contacted Celestine as authorities prepared for President Trump’s visit to Mount Rushmore National Memorial for the 2020 Independence Day fireworks celebration. During the encounter, Celestine acknowledged he had contacted the FBI and admitted he had recently obtained a rifle. Officers located a Browning X-Bolt .300 Winchester Magnum rifle, ammunition, and targets in the trunk of his vehicle.

After being taken to the Rapid City Public Safety Building and advised of his rights, Celestine told investigators that voices in his head instructed him to kill the President. He described a plan to go to Mount Rushmore and position himself above the monument. He was subsequently arrested and indicted for threat of felony terrorism.

Celestine entered a guilty plea in November 2024 to SDCL 22-8-13 which is Attempted Threat of Felony Terrorism. In March 2025, the Pennington County Circuit Court sentenced him to two and a half years in the South Dakota State Penitentiary with credit for time served.

Celestine later appealed his conviction and sentence, but the South Dakota Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s judgment.

The Attorney General’s Office represented the state at the appeal.

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Attorney General Jackley Releases Draft Explanation on Proposed Constitutional Amendment Establishing a Trust for Unclaimed Property Fund

PIERRE, S.D. – As required by state law, the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office has drafted an explanation for a Constitutional Amendment proposed by the Legislature that would establish a trust for the state’s Unclaimed Property Fund. The draft explanation has been filed with the Secretary of State’s Office.

Attorney General Marty Jackley takes no position on any such proposal for purposes of the ballot explanation. He has provided a fair and neutral explanation to help assist the voters as required by state law.

Sen. Taffy Howard and Rep. Chris Kassin are listed as the prime sponsors of the proposal which was approved by the 2025 South Dakota Legislature.

The ballot explanation can be found here.

State law requires the Attorney General draft a title and explanation for each initiated measure, initiated constitutional amendment, constitutional amendment proposed by the Legislature, or referred measure that may appear on an election ballot. The Attorney General’s explanation is meant to be an “objective, clear, and simple summary” intended to “educate the voters of the purpose and effect of the proposed” measure, as well as identify the “legal consequences” of each measure.

Once the Attorney General has filed and posted the draft explanation, the public has 10 days to provide written comment. The explanation was filed April 29, 2026, and the deadline for comments on this explanation is May 9, 2026, at the close of business in Pierre, South Dakota. The final explanation is due to the Secretary of State on May 19, 2026.

If approved, the explanation will accompany the proposal on the 2026 general election ballot which is Nov. 3.

To file written comments regarding the language of the explanation, not the merits of the proprosal, please use one of the following methods below. Copies of all comments received by the deadline will be posted on this website.

Comments may be submitted via mail, or through hand delivery, to the Attorney General’s Office at:

Office of the Attorney General
Ballot Comment
1302 S.D. E. Hwy. 1889, Suite #1
Pierre, SD 57501

Comments that are hand delivered must be received by the close of business in Pierre, South Dakota, by May 9, 2026.

Comments may also be emailed to ATGballotcomments@state.sd.us by May 9, 2026 Comments should be clearly expressed in the body of the email. The Attorney General’s Office will not open attachments in an effort to prevent malware or other digital threats. Please include your name and contact information when submitting your comment. The title of the comment must be included in the subject line of the email.

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Johnson Testifies in Support of His Eastern South Dakota Rural Water Bills

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a hearing on U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson’s (R-S.D.) bills to conduct feasibility studies on supplying Missouri River water to communities in eastern South Dakota.

“As South Dakota continues to grow, investments in water supply are critical for the future of our state,” said Johnson. “I’m proud to support the Lewis and Clark and Dakota Mainstem projects to ensure safe and ample water resources for generations to come.”

Click here or the image above for Johnson’s remarks

“The Lewis & Clark Regional Water System is grateful for the support of Congressman Johnson and the tri-state delegation for the planning for water needs of our region decades into the future, planning that can occur with this feasibility study,” said Troy Larson, Executive Director of Lewis & Clark Regional Water System. “Whether it is economic development or the ongoing needs of communities big and small, access to safe reliable water is a necessary element to future growth.”

“On behalf of Dakota Mainstem, I want to thank Congressman Dusty Johnson and the members of the House Subcommittee for the opportunity to testify and discuss the importance of this project,” said Ryan Johnson, President of Dakota Mainstem Regional Water System. “Reliable water infrastructure is a shared responsibly, essential to the future growth, economic stability, and long-term drought resilience of our region. This feasibility study authorization is an important step toward ensuring communities, rural water systems, and future generations have access to a dependable water supply.”

The Lewis and Clark Regional Water System Expansion Feasibility Study Act authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to carry out a feasibility study for a proposed drinking water project drawing from the Missouri River. This project would support Lewis and Clark Regional Water System’s efforts to supply drinking water to 350,000 people in southeast South Dakota, northwest Iowa, and southwest Minnesota. Click here for bill text.

The Dakota Mainstem Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to carry out a feasibility study for a proposed water project drawing from the Missouri River to supplement local supplies and address long-term water scarcity and quality challenges. This project will help Dakota Mainstem support more than 50 water providers in South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Click here for bill text.

Johnson testified in support of his Western South Dakota Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act on April 16, 2026.

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US Senator Mike Rounds Weekly Update: WEEKLY ROUND[S] UP: April 20-26, 2026

Welcome back to another Weekly Round[s] Up, where we’re in the thick of appropriations season! I attended four hearings focused on President Trump’s budget and had the opportunity to question several key officials, including Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. I also questioned Federal Reserve Chairman nominee Kevin Warsh in his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Banking Committee. We expect to vote on his nomination in our committee this coming week, and I look forward to supporting him.

This past Wednesday evening, the Senate passed a budget resolution which sets the stage for a reconciliation bill to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol (BP) until the end of the Trump presidency. As you may recall, Democrats have continued to block full funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Instead, we passed legislation in the Senate to fund DHS with the exception of ICE and BP through the end of this year. This legislation is still awaiting passage by the House. By using the budget reconciliation process, we are able to pass funding for ICE and BP with a simple majority vote. While it’s not our preference to fund these agencies this way, we’ve been forced to use this mechanism by Senate Democrats who refuse to fund homeland security through the regular appropriations process. After 17 votes from about 9:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday night, the reconciliation bill passed the Senate 50–48. It now heads to the House of Representatives, where leaders are hoping to move it forward this week. If all goes according to plan, we expect to get these important departments funded by the end of May.

Additionally, I visited Dakota State University (DSU) in Madison this past Friday with some of the Pentagon’s top leaders in cybersecurity. I also was in Sioux Falls for an event at the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of South Dakota headquarters. More on these stops below in my Weekly Round[s] Up:

South Dakota groups I visited with: Tura Synhorst, Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs of Coca-Cola Bottling Company High Country in Rapid City; South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations; South Dakotans with the American Physical Therapy Association; South Dakota Beer Distributors; South Dakota Snowmobile Association; South Dakotans with the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers; leadership from Daktronics in Brookings; South Dakotans with NeighborWorks Dakota Coalition; South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association; Independent Insurance Agents of South Dakota; South Dakota Head Start Association; Goodwill of the Great Plains; and Cory Clasemann, President of Southeast Technical College.

As I mentioned earlier, this past Friday, I visited Madison Cyber Lab at DSU in Madison to participate in meetings with Katie Sutton, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy, Brandon Pugh, Principal Cyber Advisor to the Secretary of the Army and DSU President Jose-Marie Griffiths. I was grateful these top Pentagon officials accepted my invitation to make the trip to South Dakota to see all of the great work the students and faculty at DSU are doing to advance our national security. We all know that South Dakota is a great place to live, work and raise a family. Our goal in helping to develop these federal-state partnerships is to provide another opportunity for kids to stay in South Dakota after graduation.

I also visited the DAV Department of South Dakota headquarters to speak during the 86th Annual DAV Department Convention and 74th Annual State Auxiliary Convention. During the event, one of my staff members Bob DeJong was recognized for his Excellence in Constituent Services helping veterans navigate the VA. I’m grateful to have Bob on my team and for all of the work he does for veterans.

Met with South Dakotans from: Aberdeen, Arlington, Brookings, De Smet, Fort Pierre, Gettysburg, Huron, Kyle, Mellette, Mitchell, Mobridge, Pierre, Rapid City, Salem, Sioux Falls, Sisseton, Tulare, Watertown, Wessington Springs and Whitewood

Hearings: This past week, I attended eight hearings, including two classified Select Committee on Intelligence briefings, a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing and a SASC Strategic Forces Subcommittee hearing. During a Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs nomination hearing, I questioned Kevin Warsh on his nomination to serve as a Member and Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.

As I mentioned, appropriations subcommittee hearings for FY27 also kicked off this week:

• Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing where I questioned Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on lab-grown “meat” products.
• Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing where we heard from Secretary Doug Burgum on tribal radio and other priorities.
• Energy and Water Development Subcommittee hearing with Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, where I invited him to visit the Sanford Underground Research Facility near Lead.
• Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins where I asked about concerns surrounding lab-grown meat posing as real meat.

Votes taken: 20. At the beginning of the week, I voted to confirm Andrew B. Davis, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas. I also voted no at the Democrats’ attempt to take our military out of the ongoing conflict in Iran, again.

As I mentioned earlier, I cast 17 votes on amendments to the budget resolution to fund ICE and CBP. The budget resolution passed the Senate 50–48, with only Republican support. This resolution is now with the House of Representatives for further consideration. You can read more in detail about the votes I’ve taken here.

Steps taken: 57,682 steps or 26.4 miles.

My Staff in South Dakota Visited: Aberdeen, Brookings, Chamberlain, De Smet, Fort Pierre, Flandreau, Kennebec, Madison, Pierre, Rosebud, St. Francis and Sturgis.

Video of the Week: Click here to watch the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing with Secretary Rollins. I was pleased that Secretary Rollins shares my concerns with lab-grown cells receiving the label of “meat” and plans to work to stop this from happening in the future.

John Pohlman, Republican candidate for District 10 House, is having a fundraiser next Wednesday in Sioux Falls:

John’s a fellow Pierre expatriate like myself, and we need all the help we can get for inexplicably having a fondness for arctic winds and politics in February. So, go give him some love and help send him to Pierre this next winter!