April 2 prison meeting to have public input, Pen tour

Yahoo

14-03-2025

PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — South Dakotans now have a clearer picture of what 'Project Prison Reset' will look like.
After a legislative effort to appropriate money to build a new men's prison in Lincoln County failed this year, South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden announced the new path on Feb. 27. The effort will see a group of lawmakers and other officials examining three questions, as Rhoden outlined in February.
'Number one, do we need a prison,' Rhoden said Feb. 27. 'And I think the answer is a clear yes, and this group should agree. Number two, how big should the new prison be, and number three, where should that prison be built. We will hire a consultant to make sure that we're all working from the same set of facts.'
The original plan was for the group to first meet on April 2 in Pierre, but that meeting will now be in Sioux Falls. Thursday, Republican Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff, who is on the newly-formed task force, provided an outline of what will happen.
'On April 2nd and 3rd the plan is to tour the penitentiary, visit the Lincoln County site, take public testimony, and that's kind of the rough outline of what we'll be doing over those two days,' Mehlhaff said.
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When KELOLAND News asked the governor on Feb. 27 if the previously proposed site between Harrisburg and Canton remained the administration's preference, Rhoden said anything is possible. The task force is set to meet every four weeks, with at least four gatherings planned. And come July 22, the plan is for a special session of the legislature to learn about the task force's recommendations.
Among the individuals announced in February as members of the task force were Republican Rep. Jon Hansen, Scott Odenbach, Karla Lems, Tim Reisch, Greg Jamison, Brian Mulder and Jack Kolbeck, Democratic Rep. Erin Healy, Republican Sen. Chris Karr, Mehlhaff, Ernie Otten, Mark Lapka, Steve Kolbeck and Joy Hohn, Democratic Sen. Jamie Smith, Yankton Police Chief Jason Foote, Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead and Minnehaha County State's Attorney Daniel Haggar.
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