South Dakota

Deepfakes bill clears state Senate, loses impact on 2024 primary – South Dakota Searchlight

Published

2 years ago

February 13, 2024

Deepfakes bill clears state Senate, loses impact on 2024 primary – South Dakota Searchlight

A bill to bar the dissemination of unlabeled “deepfakes” within 90 days of an election cleared the state Senate on Tuesday, but not before lawmakers stripped it of an emergency clause that would have changed the law in time for the 2024 primary.

Deepfakes is the blanket term attached to photos, audio and video manipulated digitally to resemble or sound like a real person, and they’ve already been used to target voters in the U.S. presidential election. In last month’s primary election in New Hampshire, voters heard robocalls from a voice purporting to be President Joe Biden that urged them to “save their vote” for the general election.

Sen. Liz Larson, D-Sioux Falls, is the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 96, which she calls a “light touch” regulation. Twenty-seven states have or are trying to enact outright bans or create regulations around deepfakes, but Larson said South Dakota should take a careful approach that creates accountability without overreaching.

There may be a need for more serious regulation as the technology evolves, she said, but deepfakes are already convincing enough to be used against any candidate.

“There are currently no laws on our books to prevent anyone from doing this,” Larson said.

Larson played a phony audio clip made to sound like former President Donald Trump during the bill’s committee hearing last week.

SB 96 would make it a class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail, to create and release a video, photo or audio manipulated by digital means to resemble a real person “with the intent to injure a candidate or influence the result of an election” unless it is labeled as fake.

It would also empower the attorney general or targeted candidate to “seek injunctive or other equitable relief prohibiting the dissemination of the deepfake,” and allow the state Board of Elections to issue fines for breaking the law.

Those caught creating and releasing election-related deepfakes not labeled as such more than once in five years could be fined up to $10,000 by the board, and those who do so with the intent to cause violence could be fined up to $5,000. In all other cases, the board could issue a $1,000 fine.

As debate on the bill commenced, Larson asked for and received support from her fellow senators to amend the bill with exemptions for media organizations that unknowingly publish or broadcast deepfakes in electoral ads. There are also exemptions for satire or parody.

Those clauses were an issue for Sen. David Wheeler, R-Huron. Satire is subjective, he said, and he also didn’t like the idea that he could “pay a buddy $5” to post a deepfake to a blog and avoid punishment.

“As long as you pay someone to publish it, it’s OK,” Wheeler said of the amendment.

Sen. Liz Larson, D-Sioux Falls, listens to testimony during a state Senate Education Committee meeting on Jan. 16, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)

Sen. John Wiik, R-Big Stone City, argued that it’s too soon to regulate such a new technology.

“This is a new thing. And when we’re entering into new territory, our gut instinct is ‘we need a law,’” Wiik said.

He also objected to handing the Board of Elections the power to fine people – something it’s never had, Wiik said.

The majority of senators disagreed with Wheeler and Wiik, though. They voted to back the bill 21-11, not enough to get the two-thirds majority required to make the bill law immediately with the governor’s signature. It was enough, however, for Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden to invoke Joint Rule 513, which allows a bill that misses the two-thirds mark but gets majority support to be immediately reconsidered without an emergency clause.

After an amendment removing the clause was moved and seconded, SB 96 passed on a 22-10 vote. Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller, R-Rapid City, switched her vote after the amendment.

Larson’s bill now moves to a House of Representatives committee. If it passes that chamber and is signed by the governor, it will take effect July 1, after the June primary election and before the November general election.

Another bill on deepfakes, SB 107, has yet to see a committee hearing. That bill, from Rapid City Republican Sen. David Johnson, is a companion bill to SB 96. It would go beyond elections to punish those who create deepfakes of any person “with the intent to defame, exploit, harass, intimidate, or sabotage the person.”

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South Dakota

Where to watch SDSU at South Dakota men’s basketball today, time, TV

Published

4 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Where to watch SDSU at South Dakota men’s basketball today, time, TV

The South Dakota State men’s basketball team has a chance to get some payback against South Dakota today in both teams’ final game before the Summit League Tournament begins.

The Jackrabbits (14-16, 7-8 Summit League) have won three of four and just beat Kansas City 73-59 on Thursday, Feb. 26. The Coyotes (15-15, 7-8) are headed in the opposite direction, having stopped a three-game skid with an 89-72 win over Omaha on Wednesday, Feb. 25.

Here’s how to watch the two rivals battle again.

South Dakota State at South Dakota men’s basketball TV, radio, stream

Radio: Jackrabbit Sports Network, Coyote Sports Network

Stream: Summit League Network

South Dakota State at South Dakota time today

Location: Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion

South Dakota State at South Dakota prediction

Paul Cifonelli, Argus Leader: Like the first time these two teams met, this is a matchup between two squads headed in different directions. Somehow, they’ve managed to flip roles in just three weeks.

South Dakota looks like it is running out of steam quickly after impressing and threatening the third spot in the Summit League in early February. South Dakota State has rebounded from losing five of six nicely, giving themselves a chance at hitting .500 on the season.

I expect the Jackrabbits to continue playing inspired and hard, and for them to overwhelm a Coyote side that has shown more fight than anyone could’ve imagined.

South Dakota State 73, South Dakota 65

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life winning numbers for Feb. 27, 2026

Published

17 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Feb. 27, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

11-18-39-43-67, Mega Ball: 23

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

03-04-13-28-42, 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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