Attorney General Jackley Encourages Public to Safeguard Personal Information As State Observes National Consumer Protection Week

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley urges South Dakota consumers to take time, especially during next week’s National Consumer Protection Week, to protect their personal and financial information. National Consumer Protection Week starts Sunday, March 2, and runs through Saturday, March 8.

“The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division received 68,000 calls, inquiries, and complaints in Fiscal Year 2024 from consumers who reported they had been a victim of a scam,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Scammers are becoming more adept at using social media to intimidate consumers, regardless of their age, into providing personal and financial information.”

Other consumer protection tips from the Consumer Protection Division are:

*** Do not give into high pressured sales tactics.  Stop, take a moment and review any offer.

***Buying a gift card to pay someone?  DON’T.  It’s a scam.

*** Always get any repair work, construction orders and other types of contracts in writing with expected cost estimates and deadlines.

*** Don’t trust your caller ID.  If you don’t know the number, DON’T answer the call. Hang up on robocalls.

*** Don’t provide money or personal information via telephone or internet to an individual or organization that you don’t know or haven’t verified.

*** Be cautious about “free” trial offers.

*** Do not deposit a check and then wire money.

*** Be wary of any caller who tells you not to tell anyone else about the call.

*** Talk to someone you trust before you provide money or personal information to someone who contacts you.

Consumers who believe they may have been a victim of any type of scam should contact the Attorney General’s Office’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-300-1986 or at https://consumer.sd.gov/, You may be helping someone else out by reporting what you’ve encountered.

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Thune files cloture on Tuberville’s Protection Of Women And Girls In Sports Act. Sets up a vote for next week

— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) February 27, 2025

Gov. Rhoden Announces Project Prison Reset

PIERRE, S.D. –  Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced Project Prison Reset, a working group that will determine the best path forward for a new prison. Project Prison Reset is made possible through Executive Order 2025-01.

“We’ve received the message that the current prison plan does not have buy-in this legislative session. We’ve also heard agreement from pretty much everyone that we need a new prison,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “This working group is our ‘reset’ button. Everything that came before is in the rearview mirror. From now on, we’re looking forward.”

The working group will meet every four weeks beginning on April 2, 2025. During that time, members will answer three questions:

• Whether we need a new prison – a clear “yes;”
• How big it should be; and
• Where it should go.

Recommendations made by this working group will be presented at a Special Session on July 22, 2025. Governor Rhoden also promised to hire a consultant to make sure the working group is working from the same set of facts on the need for a new prison.

Project Prison Reset will include the following eight House members, seven Senators, and six or seven outside individuals:

• The House members will be Speaker Hansen, Majority Leader Odenbach, Speaker Pro Tempore Lems, Tim Reisch, Greg Jamison, Brian Mulder, Jack Kolbeck, and Erin Healy;
• The Senators will be President Pro Tempore Karr, Majority Leader Mehlhaff, Ernie Otten, Mark Lapka, Steve Kolbeck, Joy Hohn, and Jamie Smith; and
• The outside individuals will include Lt. Governor Venhuizen, who will chair the group; a judge; a behavioral health specialist; a Chief of Police; a Sheriff; a State’s Attorney; and Attorney General Jackley.

You can find a picture of Governor Rhoden announcing Project Prison Reset here.

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Saw this on a press release that went out yesterday from the SD Free-dumb caucus. While Rep. Aaron Aylward had been in charge of the group since it’s inception, it appears that the awful human being and State Representative Phil Jensen is now being touted as Chairman of the group:

 

This is the same Phil Jensen who was stripped of his House Education Committee vice-chairmanship after attacking the Huron School District, among other things.

Senator “California” Carley rode again yesterday with some odd confluence between House Bill 1221, an act to provide funding for organizations that assist victims of domestic violence and Senate Bill 156, a measure to increase the minimum age for marriage.

So, if you remember back on February 18th, the marriage minimum bill failed in the senate, and KELOland reported that California Carley expressed that sex between an adult and a minor is better if the two are married than if they are not, as Carley claimed to be “appalled at the idea of predators and abusers taking some of our young daughters and forcing them into a life of servitude and abuse.”

Okay.

Yesterday, a bill was in front of House Joint Appropriations  – House Bill 1221 – which would help restore funds to organizations that help :

• Children who have been abused or neglected;
• Victims of domestic violence;
• Victims of sexual assault;
• Victims of commercial sexual exploitation; or
• Victims of human trafficking.

Literally, victims of domestic abuse –  which include those who were trapped in marriages because they were child brides and need help for the various problems that child brides suffer – came to the state because their federal funding is failing.  Despite California Carley claiming 9-10 days ago that he was “appalled at the idea of predators and abusers taking some of our young daughters and forcing them into a life of servitude and abuse.”  he was one of only three votes against the measure.

Despite his earlier claims, the reality is that “California” Carley voted against supporting victims of domestic violence, rape and abuse & human trafficking after previously saying he was appalled at the idea of young girls being victims of predators.

It’s like noises come out of his mouth, but different actions occur when it comes time to actually vote.

Despite Carley’s efforts, the bill passed committee on a vote of 15-3.  (Note – Sen. Taffy Howard and Rep. Sjaarda also voted against victims of sexual assault & human trafficking)

Senate Republicans confirmed more Trump cabinet nominees today, as they are on track to approve nominees at a pace faster than the last 3 administrations:

The Senate voted to confirm two of President Donald Trump’s nominees in a bipartisan fashion Tuesday and Wednesday.

Senators voted 66 to 28 to clear Daniel Driscoll’s nomination to serve as the president’s Army secretary Tuesday. The upper chamber also confirmed Jamieson Greer to serve as the president’s top trade negotiator in a vote of 56 to 43 Wednesday afternoon.

and..

“He spent three years of the previous Trump administration serving as chief of staff to then-U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer, who spoke highly of Mr. Greer’s work,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on the Senate floor Tuesday. “He is, in short, very well prepared for this role.”

“President Biden’s trade representative was completely uninterested in working with Congress, so it is very encouraging to hear Mr. Greer’s commitment to communication and collaboration,” Thune added.

Read the entire story here.

House State Affairs Committee Approves Attorney General Jackley’s Government Accountability Legislation

PIERRE, S.D. – All four Government Accountability bills, proposed by South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, were approved Wednesday by the House State Affairs Committee,  including three by unanimous consent.

“This legislation protects taxpayer money and those state employees who report improper governmental conduct and crime,” said Attorney General Jackley. “I appreciate the Legislators’ support to strengthen government accountability and restore public trust in our state government.”

 The four bills are:

• Senate Bill 60 which expands the access and investigatory authority of the State Auditor.
• Senate Bill 61 which modifies the authority of the Board of Internal Control.
• Senate Bill 62 which establishes mandatory reporting requirements related to improper government conduct and crime, and to provide a penalty.
• Senate Bill 63 which establishes protections for state employees who report improper governmental conduct and crime.

Senate Bills 60, 62, and 63 were passed unanimously and without changes. Senate Bill 61 was amended and then approved. All four bills now go to the House floor for future consideration. The four bills have already passed the Senate.

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Johnson Votes for Historic Spending Cuts

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) voted to pass the House budget resolution, kicking off the reconciliation process for the House.

“Insolvency cannot be an option,” said Johnson. “I refuse to stand idly by while our government spends its way into oblivion. Cuts must be made to end systemic waste, fraud, and abuse. Now is the time to put America on the right path.”

What the bill allows the House to do:

• Enhance border security.
• Lock in current tax rates and child tax credit.
• Unleash American energy.
• Identify and make targeted cuts to reduce spending.

Background on House Concurrent Resolution 14:

• Requires at least $1.5 trillion in mandatory savings over 10 years.
• Provides up to $300 billion for border security and defense.
• Provides $4.5 trillion for the Ways and Means Committee to lock in taxes at the current rate.
  • According to the Budget Committee, if the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires:
    • Average taxpayers would see a 22% tax hike.
    • 40 million families would see their household’s Child Tax Credit cut in half.
    • 91% of all taxpayers would see their guaranteed deduction slashed in half.
    • Two million family-owned farms would have their Death Tax Exemption cut in half.
    • 26 million small businesses would be hit with a 43.4% top tax rate increase.
    • Six million jobs will be lost.
    • A family of four making $80,610, the median income in the United States, would see a $1,695 tax increase.

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State Senator Arch Beal is the hero of that chamber tonight when sleazy lobbyist Anthony Miryzants was sticking his phone in the window of the caucus room trying to record it.

Except he made the mistake of doing it where Arch Beal could see it because Arch took command;

Arch was displeased. There were some harsh words. And there was some cane poking.

Arch is the hero of all the legislature right now! 25 people were apparently willing to testify saying Anthony has threatened them etc, my correspondent says she’s “not sure what the South Dakota legislature is more united on; our appreciation for veterans or hate for Anthony.”

If anybody’s interested I think they are taking orders for commemorative T-shirts:

From the private Facebook group “Aberdeen Raves and Rants”:

This has been running all morning with about 70-75% expressing NO.  Guessing the other 25% haven’t heard of him?

I get the feeling Aberdonians have an opinion on the whole Toby Doeden topic.