BY STU WHITNEY
South Dakota News Watch
The 100th session of the South Dakota Legislature in Pierre will be historic not just for its centennial landmark but because of transitions in power.
Gov. Kristi Noem is scheduled to give her State of the State address Jan. 14 and then head to Washington for hearings on her nomination to become secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in the administration of President-elect Donald Trump.
She can't be officially confirmed until about a week later, when Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden is expected to be sworn as South Dakota's 34th governor, just in time for a legislative session rife with Republican power shifts and looming budget battles.
Even with these developments, the 2025 session in Pierre is more about issues than eras. Lawmakers are prepared to tackle the three Ps – property taxes, pipelines and prisons – as well as school vouchers, Medicaid funding and child care programs.
It's hard to keep up without a scorecard, so here's a primer on what to watch for as the South Dakota legislative session opens Tuesday.
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Bart Pfankuch contributed reporting to this story, which was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email every few days to get stories as soon as they're published. Contact Stu Whitney at
