SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Lawmakers in South Dakota’s House and Senate on Sept. 23 will consider a bill that would put a new 1,500-bed men’s prison in east Sioux Falls. Thursday, Gov. Larry Rhoden released a draft of legislation that could bring the proposed facility to fruition.
“Draft 1” is front and center atop the bill which gives the state permission to buy land along Benson Road in Sioux Falls and build a new prison at this location, appropriating $650 million to accomplish these steps. The bill also specifies that the new prison can not be used to detain people the Department of Homeland Security is deporting; an outline of the legislation released by the governor’s office states such a purpose “was never the intent as the state needs all 1500 beds for its own state inmates.”
Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen spoke with KELOLAND News Thursday about how the upcoming special session could unfold.
“There’s been talk about rather than having committee hearings in each house, doing one committee hearing that includes a joint committee to save some time there, and then at that point this bill still goes through the Senate and the House and is debated by both chambers and voted on, so it’s a similar process,” Venhuizen said.
Since the bill appropriates money, legislative rules mandate a specific threshold for passage.
Dan Santella: Do you think this proposal will receive the necessary two-thirds support in both the House and Senate?
“I do think so,” Venhuizen said in response. “I think more people are seeing that we have a good plan. We went through a good, transparent, comprehensive process over the last several months.”
This means at least 24 supporters in the Senate and 47 in the House. Rhoden shared his hope Tuesday for reaching those numbers.
“We’ve got good people that were elected to the legislature to fill those seats, and I’m confident that at the end of the day, they’ll rise above the politics, and I think they all know in their heart of hearts this is the right thing to do. It’s the right time to do it,” Rhoden said. “So, my prayer is that they’ll just recognize that and focus on that.”
