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Committee Backs $650 Million Prison Plan; Lems, Hansen Vote No

Photo: Metro Services


A joint legislative committee advanced Governor Larry Rhoden’s $650 million men’s prison plan on Tuesday, 13 to 2, after extended testimony on cost, size, and inmate care.

Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen, who chaired the summer prison task force, urged approval. He said the state can fund construction with cash that past legislatures and the executive branch set aside, avoiding interest costs from bonding. Venhuizen told members the current penitentiary in Sioux Falls is outdated and that delaying construction would raise costs and prolong safety concerns.

Rep. Jamie Smith supported the bill. He pointed to the plan’s long-term design and expanded programming space for education, treatment, and vocational training. Smith said the goal is to reduce recidivism and return people to communities better prepared to work and live successfully.

Speaker Pro Tem Karla Lems opposed the measure. She questioned the project’s size and price tag and asked whether South Dakota needs as many high-security beds as proposed. Lems also raised concerns about the long-term expense of staffing and operating a larger facility.

House Speaker Jon Hansen also voted no. He objected to providing transgender inmate health care in the new facility and said the state should not commit to a plan while related federal court rulings are pending.

The plan calls for a new 1,500‑bed men’s prison in northeast Sioux Falls. Supporters said the design increases space for programming and vocational training compared with the current penitentiary and is intended to last for decades. They also said paying cash keeps the project within the $650 million limit lawmakers have debated this year.

Tuesday’s committee vote sends Senate Bill 2 to the full Senate. The measure will require two‑thirds approval in both chambers to pass.

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