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South Dakota vaccine survey results are ‘concerning,’ health advocates say

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South Dakota vaccine survey results are ‘concerning,’ health advocates say


(SOUTH DAKOTA SEARCHLIGHT) – Close to half of South Dakotans aren’t up-to-date on their flu shots or their hepatitis B vaccinations, new vaccine survey results released by the South Dakota Department of Health indicate.

About 63% aren’t up-to-date on their HPV vaccinations, which protect against most cases of cervical cancer, and 78% aren’t up-to-date on their pneumococcal vaccinations, which help protect against pneumococcal infections.

That’s “concerning” to Keith Hansen, president of the South Dakota State Medical Association. Vaccinations are “one of the most important developments in health” to keep people and communities healthy, he said.

As a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist, he is especially concerned with how vaccine-preventable diseases can affect pregnant women and newborn children.

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“It’s really sad when someone isn’t vaccinated and then they come into the hospital because they caught a vaccine-preventable disease,” Hansen said. “Now they have some bad outcome that could have been prevented.”

The state Health Department conducted the survey to better understand vaccination behaviors, decision-making and awareness of the vaccine schedule. A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant funded the survey.

COVID pandemic influences some vaccine behavior

More than a quarter of survey respondents said the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted their views on vaccines. Those respondents also had lower vaccination rates for the flu and COVID, at 34% and 4%, respectively.

Most South Dakota vaccine survey respondents said their views on immunizations haven’t changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But nearly 28% said their views became more negative because of the pandemic.(South Dakota Department of Health)

Among all survey respondents, 96% reported ever being vaccinated. About 98% of respondents with children reported that their child had received at least one vaccination.

About 96% of respondents said they get at least “some” vaccines recommended by their doctor, and nearly 93% of respondents said they follow the routine or a delayed vaccination schedule for their child.

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Carmen Toft, director for South Dakota Families for Vaccines and board vice president of Immunize South Dakota, said the state should “celebrate” those positive statistics.

The goal, Toft said, is to reach vaccination rates above 95% to reach herd immunity, which is when the prevention of infectious diseases becomes most effective.

Tdap vaccinations remain high

While most vaccination rates in the survey are lower than Hansen or Toft prefer, up-to-date Tdap vaccination rates were highest among respondents at 78%. The vaccine protects against infections caused by diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough.

Among respondents who said their vaccination views were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, 75.5% of adult respondents were up to date on their Tdap vaccination.

That could be because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults get the Tdap booster every 10 years for adults, Toft said, rather than yearly like the flu. If vaccine hesitancy rises, Tdap vaccination rates could be impacted more slowly than more regularly recommended vaccines.

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Hansen added that Tdap vaccinations are sometimes administered in response to injuries, such as cuts, to prevent tetanus. Also known as lockjaw, tetanus causes muscle contractions and can be life-threatening.

Conflicting information could lead to more vaccine hesitancy

The most common reasons respondents gave for not receiving vaccinations included hearing contradictory information — from doctors, social media, news outlets, government agencies and others — and believing a vaccine isn’t safe or isn’t needed.

Concern about vaccine safety was the most common reason respondents gave for choosing not to vaccinate a child, followed by the belief that it wasn’t needed and the prevalence of conflicting information about vaccines.

Conflicting information and vaccine safety were among the most common reasons adults and...
Conflicting information and vaccine safety were among the most common reasons adults and parents of children might choose not to vaccinate, respondents to the South Dakota Department of Health vaccine survey said.(South Dakota Department of Health)

Toft said fast-spreading misinformation on social media is influencing public opinion. So is U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s introduction of “fringe ideas” to inform policy changes, she said.

“It’s moved off of Facebook feeds and onto ‘CBS Mornings’,” Toft said, adding “the decisions seem more and more politicized, and that’ll only lead to more confusion.”

A CDC vaccine committee charged with setting national guidelines around vaccine policy voted on Friday to eliminate a 34-year-old recommendation that all newborn babies receive a hepatitis B vaccine. There was a 99% drop in serious infections among children between 1990 and 2019, which is attributed to the universal vaccination policy. Recommendations for adults and unvaccinated older children will remain unchanged.

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The new recommendation mirrors COVID-19 guidelines changed by the same committee in September. The change at that time caused widespread confusion about the vaccine’s accessibility and if insurance companies would cover it.

“I think it’ll be a while before we see the long-lasting implications of some of these decisions they’re making,” Toft said of the committee’s decisions.

The recommendations play a key role in determining which vaccines insurance companies are willing to cover and how accessible those immunizations are to the public.

South Dakota’s survey results indicate that most people place their trust in local professionals rather than national entities: 84% of respondents said their preferred source of health information is their doctor or health professional. About 95% said they “somewhat” or “to a great extent” trust their doctor or health professional with vaccine information — more than pharmacists, the state Department of Health, or the CDC. Social media and news outlets were the lowest trusted sources among respondents.

Hansen hopes health professionals take note and choose to broach immunization discussions more often with patients. Toft agreed that health professionals are the best point of contact for vaccine education.

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“When we talk to vaccine-hesitant parents, we’re like, ‘Yes, ask questions. I’d love to help you. I’d love to connect you with a provider who can answer your questions,’” Toft said. “We want you to have access to information to make the best decision for you and your family.”

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

Makenzie Huber is a lifelong South Dakotan who regularly reports on the intersection of politics and policy with health, education, social services and Indigenous affairs. Her work with South Dakota Searchlight earned her the title of South Dakota’s Outstanding Young Journalist in 2024, and she was a 2024 finalist for the national Livingston Awards.

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SD Lottery Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life winning numbers for March 10, 2026

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

Here’s a look at March 10, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 10 drawing

16-21-30-35-65, Mega Ball: 07

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 10 drawing

03-27-43-45-49, 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.



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Trading property tax for sales tax: Legislature moves forward with parts of homeowner relief package

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Trading property tax for sales tax: Legislature moves forward with parts of homeowner relief package


PIERRE — Two pieces of a property tax reduction package prepared by South Dakota’s legislative leadership and the executive branch are moving forward, but one bill failed during votes on Monday as lawmakers began the final week of the annual legislative session.

The House of Representatives voted

42-27

in support of

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Senate Bill 245

, which would pull future revenue from a scheduled sales tax increase from 4.2% to 4.5% next year into a relief fund for homeowner property taxes, and use nearly $56 million in one-time money to seed the fund before the sales tax increase.

The Senate supported

House Bill 1323

, which would reduce the number of petition signatures needed to force an election on a local government’s decision to levy property taxes beyond limits set by the state. The Senate passed the bill 19-15.

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Both bills have to return to the opposite chamber for consideration of amendments.

The Senate rejected

House Bill 1253

, which would cap annual assessment growth for owner-occupied homes and commercial properties at 5% annually and reset assessments back to market value every five years. The bill failed with a 9-24 vote.

The bills are part of a broader,

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five-bill legislative package

targeted at property tax relief.

Another bill

in the package, which would allow counties to implement a half-percent sales tax with proceeds going to homeowner property tax credits, is awaiting the governor’s signature after he proposed it and it received both chambers’ approval.

The legislative budget committee is scheduled to consider a fifth piece of legislation in the package on Tuesday.

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The bill

would reduce maximum property tax levies for school districts.

Sales tax bill overcomes concerns about future budget needs

SB 245 would capture revenue from the impending sales tax increase to deposit into a “homeowner property tax reduction fund” meant to reduce property taxes levied by school districts. The Legislature and then-Gov. Kristi Noem reduced the state sales tax rate three years ago but scheduled the reduction to sunset in 2027.

House Speaker Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, told lawmakers on Monday that the bill would be an “investment in the people,” because it’ll give South Dakota homeowners more money to spend as they choose. Hansen, the bill’s sponsor and a candidate for governor, said that would lead to more spending and, therefore, more sales tax revenue. The state relies on sales taxes, while counties and schools rely on property taxes, and cities receive revenue from property taxes and sales taxes.

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Some opponents said the legislation would favor wealthier, property-owning South Dakotans rather than lower-income renters.

Rep. Mike Weisgram, R-Fort Pierre, speaks on the House floor at the Capitol in Pierre on March 9, 2026.

(Photo by Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)

Rep. Mike Weisgram, R-Fort Pierre, worried that automatically diverting future state revenue to reduce homeowner property taxes would come at the cost of other priorities, such as annual funding increases for state employees, Medicaid providers and public schools — which are known as the “big three” budget priorities. Lawmakers often

aim

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to increase funding for the groups by 3% or inflation, whichever is less. An inflationary increase this legislative session would be 2.5%, according to the state Department of Education.

“We are just clawing to get 1.4% for the big three,” Weisgram said. “I don’t think any of us are proud of that.”

Hansen said the decision “is not an either-or” situation.

“We can help the property taxpayers in the state who desperately, desperately need it,” Hansen said, “and then I trust fully that this state is going to continue to grow and that we are going to be able to meet the needs of our core obligations of this state.”

The bill was introduced as an amendment to placeholder legislation last week, and it will head to the Senate for approval. The Senate narrowly rejected a

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similar proposal

earlier this legislative session.

Senate approves lower signature threshold to force election on excess taxes

The version of House Bill 1323 that passed the Senate would set the number of petition signatures needed to force an election on an excess tax levy (often called an “opt-out”) for a local government at 2,500 or 5% of registered voters within its jurisdiction, whichever is less. The current threshold to refer decisions by a local government is 5% of registered voters in the district, without a 2,500 signature cap.

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Taffy Howard, R-Rapid City, said it will still be difficult to refer decisions by a local government to voters.

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“You’re talking dozens and dozens of volunteers, weeks of organized effort,” Howard said. “There’s not a lot of people that have been through that and can even organize that kind of effort. So it’s not a trivial bar.”

Because the bill was amended since it last appeared in the House, it’ll now go to the House for approval.

HB 1253 intended to provide South Dakota homeowners and commercial property owners predictable increases in their property assessments, which factor into property taxes they pay, over five year periods.

But opponents said the change would shift the property tax burden onto farmers and ranchers and surprise homeowners every five years when assessments would be re-based on market value, which could lead to double-digit increases in assessments.

This story was originally published on

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SouthDakotaSearchlight.com.

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Political Pulse: South Dakota Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff on data centers, property taxes and more

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Political Pulse: South Dakota Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff on data centers, property taxes and more


RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – State Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff joined Political Pulse over the weekend.

Mehlhaff weighed in on property tax proposals, data centers, and effort to repeal the death penalty and speculation that Kristi Noem could run for Senate.

The interviewed was taped on Saturday.

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