PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- A bill that would spend almost thirteen million dollars for a new state lab has been on a potholed road through the South Dakota legislature. Representative Chris Karr of Sioux Falls was a “No” vote in committee on the spending. Representative Tony Venhuizen of Sioux Falls says cost estimates are coming under control.… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- A bill hoghoused in the South Dakota Senate would have given home owners a four hundred twenty five dollar credit on their property tax bills. It was sent to a conference committee with the House. Majority Leader Will Mortenson of Pierre says the conference committee took care of it. Mortenson asked the House… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- In a session where fellow Republicans have rebuked her on several pieces of key legislation, Governor Kristi Noem chalked up a win Tuesday. On a 41 to 29 vote, the House failed to get the two-thirds majority necessary to override the Governor’s veto of HB 1109. The bill would have allowed business improvement… Read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C.(WNAX)- Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve, appeared before the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Tuesday. Committee member, South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds said he believes Biden Administration policies have led to the current high rate of inflation. Rounds said Federal Reserve actions won’t directly address the energy production shortfall. Rounds… Read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C.(WNAX)- South Dakota Senator John Thune along with Virginia Senator Mark Warner introduced the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (RESTRICT) Act. Thune says the bill is aimed at foreign technology threats, including Tik Tok. Thune says a more coherent strategy is needed. Thune says the threat from… Read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C.(KJJQ)- South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson is very concerned with the threat posed to the U.S. by China. He’s a member of House Select Committee on China — which has made a point of showing bipartisan unity on their mission: protecting U.S. economic and technological interests. Johnson says the Chinese Communist Party “is a… Read more »

BROOKINGS, S.D.(WNAX)- Weather observers expect the La Nina climate driver to finally fade away this spring and summer. That is a cooling of the Pacific Ocean surface which has an impact on North American weather. South Dakota State Climatologist Laura Edwards says this La Nina has been persistent. Edwards says they can still get some… Read more »

BROOKINGS, S.D.(WNAX)- The South Dakota Department of Ag and Natural Resources has new incentives for landowners in the Big Sioux Watershed to add land to the riparian buffer initiative. That is land close to streams and rivers, if set aside, that could slow pollution flowing into the river. Jay Gilbertson, manager of the East Dakota… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- South Dakota legislators will probably not see the final general budget bill until just before scheduled adjournment on Thursday. Joint Committee on Appropriations Chair, Senator Jean Hunhoff of Yankton, says they are still waiting on spending bills. Hunhoff says she is looking at future budget problems. Hunhoff says they still don’t have hard… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- The South Dakota House debated a bill that would set aside one hundred million dollars in federal funding for water projects. Representative Jess Olson of Rapid City, one of the sponsors, said the need for water is growing. Representative Tony Venhuizen of Sioux Falls offered an amendment. Representative Steve Duffy of Rapid City… Read more »