South Dakota
Bill banning AI-generated child pornography, adding mandatory minimums passes Senate panel – South Dakota Searchlight
A bill that would adjust South Dakota law on child pornography includes provisions barring the possession of sexually explicit deep fakes of real children or artificial intelligence-generated children.
Senate Bill 79 passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously on Monday, supported by its sponsors and by Attorney General Marty Jackley. Jackley started the 2024 legislative session with a bill to ban deep fakes and AI-generated child pornography, but deferred to Sen. David Wheeler, R-Huron, after learning that SB 79 would include those provisions. The main sponsor of Wheeler’s bill in the House is Rep. Fred Deutsch, R-Florence.
Criminal cases point to troubling spread of computer-generated child pornography
“Deep fakes” are images or videos that affix the faces of real people to sexually explicit content. The AI-generated pornography barred by the bill involves imagery that mirrors child pornography but is not designed to resemble specific children.
Both types of content are legal under South Dakota law at the moment. Cases involving computer-generated child porn in the state are currently handled by federal prosecutors, because federal law bars such imagery.
Wheeler’s bill was amended in the committee to include definitions for computer-generated child pornography, which would allow prosecutors to pursue charges for its possession as they would with real imagery or videos.
That language is just a small part of the bill’s provisions, however.
The primary goal of the bill is to differentiate between the possession, distribution and manufacturing of child pornography. Under current law, all three crimes are class four felonies, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
That’s not the right way to attend to those kinds of crimes against children, Wheeler told the committee.
“Those are three separate crimes, and those are three separate ways of victimizing an individual,” Wheeler said.
The bill would:
- Boost the felony class for the manufacture of child pornography to a class two, punishable by up to 25 years in prison, with a 10-year mandatory minimum.
- Boost the felony class for the distribution of child pornography to class three, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years.
- Add a mandatory minimum one-year sentence for the possession of child pornography, which would remain a class four felony.
- Make it a misdemeanor for an adult to share sexual images with a minor with whom they’re involved sexually, but specify that those images won’t be the basis for a felony child pornography charge.
- Prevent minors from being charged with child pornography possession for taking naked pictures of themselves.
- Prevent people from defending themselves in child porn cases by arguing that the child or parent consented to its production, possession or distribution.
The bill was supported the state’s prosecutors and human trafficking advocates. The bill passed out of committee on a unanimous vote, and will now move on to the full Senate.
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The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 21, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from April 21 drawing
01-36-43-56-58, Mega Ball: 07
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 21 drawing
01-04-40-47-58, Bonus: 04
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
- Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
- Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.
When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Clear Lake businessman Tim Begalka is running for re-election to the South Dakota Senate for District 4. Begalka served two terms in the State House and two terms in the Senate.
He and his wife Rhonda live in Clear Lake. Their have three adult children also live in the state.
Begalka has owned Sodak Gardens, a local greenhouse and nursery, for the past 30 years. The business was started by his late father Leon Begalka in 1954. Begalka is a graduate of Clear Lake High School and South Dakota State University, and is a fifth generation Deuel County resident.
While in the legislature, Begalka served on the agriculture, education and commerce committees and was vice-chairman of the Judiciary Committee. In his release he said he has always looked out for the “little guy,” whether that be an individual, family, township, small-town, farm, business or school. He is a defender of property rights, the 2nd amendment and the right to life, he said in a release.
“While in Pierre, I frequently witnessed the bigger businesses, schools, and government entities try to take advantage of the little guys,” Begalka said in a release. “The big guys already have more money, power, numbers, and lobbyists. The little guys need a Senator with a backbone to stand up for them. That’s what I promise to continue to do, represent the citizens of District 4.”
He has never lost an election, and his winning philosophy, he said, is “Always tell the truth, and try to be nice to everyone”.
Begalka will be on the ballot for the June 2 Republican Primary. In order to vote in that primary, you need to be a registered Republican in District 4 by May 18th. District 4 includes all of Deuel, Grant, and Hamlin Counties, greater Codington, southeastern Roberts, and all of Clark County except the southwest corner.
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 20, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from April 20 drawing
09-17-36-47-64, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from April 20 drawing
05-07-31-41-43, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 20 drawing
19-37-40-41-53, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
- Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
- Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.
When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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