South Dakota

South Dakota Bill That Would Have Expanded Free School Lunches Fails By 1 Vote

Published

2 years ago

January 27, 2024

South Dakota Bill That Would Have Expanded Free School Lunches Fails By 1 Vote

A South Dakota bill aimed at feeding hungry school kids was killed by the state House’s education committee by a single vote.

The bill, H.B. 1042, would have directed state funding to provide free lunches for food-insecure kids who currently only get them at a reduced price. It failed after the House Education Committee voted 8-7 on Monday against it, Dakota News Now reported.

State Rep. Kadyn Wittman (D-Sioux Falls) introduced the bill, which would have cost the state approximately $578,000 per year, and her efforts won support from numerous education and health groups, the Argus Leader reported. Several conservative lawmakers opposed the bill because of its cost.

“I can’t think of anything more core to education than children having fully developed brains and being able to focus in their schools,” Wittman said during testimony before Monday’s vote. “If we want South Dakota to pull ahead in terms of test scores, absenteeism rates and having better health outcomes for our kids, I can’t think of a better investment.”

South Dakota’s finance commissioner, Jim Terwilliger, said in his own testimony that while the bill is “well-intentioned,” there is no such thing as “free lunch.”

”If we could all vote with our hearts, I know that we would vote to support feeding our children,” Terwilliger said. “But there is a cost to these programs at the end of the day.”

Though Rep. Roger DeGroot (R-Brookings) motioned to move the bill to the House Appropriations committee, Rep. Phil Jensen (R-Rapid City) instead made a substitute motion to kill the bill entirely, which passed by a single vote.

Wittman introduced similar legislation last year that would have had South Dakota join eight other states in providing universal free meals to all public school kids, regardless of income level. That bill was defeated 14-1.

The states currently participating in universal free school meals programs are Massachusetts, California, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, Vermont and Minnesota.

Following Monday’s failed vote, Wittman defended her bill, saying the government should help meet basic needs for children like feeding them.

“It is my belief that because children are in the care of the government while attending public schools, the government should be responsible for meeting basic needs — one of which is food,” Wittman said.

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South Dakota

South Dakota mom launches book drive for foster children

Published

5 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Press Room

South Dakota mom launches book drive for foster children

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) -A South Dakota mom is turning her love of children’s books into hope for kids in foster care.

Elizabeth Heggem started selling children’s books through Paper Pie to build a library for her two sons. She soon thought about how she could make an impact in her community.

“There’s roughly 1,600 kids in foster care in South Dakota right now, and maybe only around 700 homes available. So a lot of these kids have to travel when they’re placed in foster care,” Heggem said. “That’s kind of the goal with this book drive: once they’re placed in care and traveling, they have something to do, they have something to hold on to. And they know that they matter.”

Heggem is partnering with South Dakota Kids Belong for a statewide book drive during National Foster Care Month in May. She launched the campaign online with a goal to get books into the hands of kids the moment they enter care.

What’s in each pack

Each EmpowerME pack includes $50 worth of new, high-quality books, a non-disposable bag the child can keep, and age-appropriate selections designed to provide comfort, encouragement, and entertainment during transitions.

The packs are available in five age categories: 0-2, 3-5, 6-9, 10-13, and 14 and older.

“It’s 35 dollars to sponsor a child. Like I mentioned, with Paper Pie’s match, I’m able to provide 50 dollars worth of high-quality, engaging books, and they also get a bag to keep that’s theirs,” Heggem said.

How to donate

Donors can give online or directly to Heggem via Venmo.

$35 sponsers one child
$105 sponsers three children
$350 sponsers 10 children

The books will be waiting in foster care offices across South Dakota for kids of all ages to grab as they head to a new home.

“Sometimes hope looks like a safe place to land and sometimes it looks like a book in a child’s hand,” Heggem said.

Heggem’s goal is to place 500 book packs in offices statewide.

Those interested in sponsoring a book pack can donate online or via Venmo: @Elizabeth-Heggem.

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South Dakota

Woman dies after bison attack in South Dakota’s Custer State Park

Published

17 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Press Room

Woman dies after bison attack in South Dakota’s Custer State Park

Joshua Haiar
| South Dakota Searchlight

A 70-year-old Canadian woman died after being struck by a bison May 18 while hiking with her husband in South Dakota’s Custer State Park, after another park visitor was injured by a bison earlier this month.

The couple were on the Grace Coolidge Trail and found themselves behind a group of about five bull bison, according to the Custer County Sheriff’s Office. The couple paused about 500 yards from the animals and waited for them to continue up the trail and out of sight. The couple then continued hiking, came around a corner and encountered the bulls at a distance of 50 yards.

The couple stopped again, and then continued trailing the bison as the animals moved away. A bull eventually broke from the group, charged the woman, hooked her and tossed her into the air.

The woman died from her injuries.

Custer State Park is managed by the Department of Game, Fish and Parks. Spokesperson Nick Harrington said staff moved the bison from the area and are monitoring the animal’s behavior “to ensure public safety and prevent future incidents.” He said dry conditions have caused bison to spread throughout the park in search of grass, increasing the chance that visitors may encounter them on trails.

Harrington said park visitors should keep their distance from wildlife, make noise while hiking, use caution around corners and ridges, and keep pets on leashes.

“It’s important to remember that bison are wild animals and need to be treated as such,” Harrington said in a written statement. “Visitors are reminded to keep their distance from all wild animals and safely enjoy both the trails and wildlife within the park.”

On May 1, a 22-year-old hiker encountered a bison while hiking the Lost Trails by Center Lake, Harrington said in response to South Dakota Searchlight questions about prior incidents. The hiker was with a friend and their dog when they rounded a corner.

“The hiker was struck by the buffalo on the back of her legs and was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,” Harrington said.

Harrington said the department is not aware of any other incidents involving bison within Custer State Park this year, and there had not been a fatal incident involving a bison in the park since 2001.

The 110-square-mile park in the Black Hills is home to a herd of about 1,400 bison, also known as buffalo. Bull bison can stand up to 7 feet tall at the shoulders, weigh 2,000 pounds and run up to 35 mph, according to the department.

South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

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