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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

SD: Budget Policy & Priorities

South Dakota ranks 49th in the country for its contribution to indigent legal defense costs, according to a 2023 report from the Indigent Legal Services Task Force. (Adobe Stock)
SD public defense duties shift from counties to state

South Dakota is creating an Office of Indigent Legal Services after House Bill 1057 passed the Legislature with nearly unanimous support this month…

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Legislative supporters say had South Dakota taken part in a new federally funded summer meal program for low-income families, an estimated 54,000 children around the state would have benefited. (Adobe Stock)
Despite setbacks, SD coalition keeps pushing for childhood nutrition access

It's been an uphill battle for childhood nutrition advocates to advance meal access policies in the South Dakota Legislature. However, organizers say …

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South Dakota's largest teacher's union said while the state has made progress in compensating educators, it still lags behind neighboring states. (Adobe Stock)
Teacher pay proposal advances in SD Legislature

South Dakota lawmakers are taking a close look at teacher pay this session. A specific plan to establish salary requirements cleared the House this …

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To date, 40 states, including South Dakota, have expanded Medicaid with help from the Affordable Care Act. (Adobe Stock)
SD's Medicaid expansion becomes ensnared with work-requirement debate

As South Dakota continues to implement a Medicaid expansion approved by voters in 2022, controversy has emerged with some lawmakers seeking approval …

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Policy experts said as it stands right now, roughly 19 million children in the U.S. do not benefit from the federal Child Tax Credit because their families' incomes are too low. (Adobe Stock)
Congress announces Child Tax Credit deal

Congress is poised to consider renewing the expanded Child Tax Credit and policy analysts said the latest effort could help tens of thousands of South…

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The National Low Income Housing Coalition reported South Dakota has a shortage of about 10,000 rental homes that are affordable and available for extremely low-income renters. (Adobe Stock)
SD poverty-fighting group: Affordable home builders need to step up

January is National Poverty in America Awareness Month and in South Dakota, agencies assisting low-income individuals said access to affordable …

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According to recent National Education Association rankings, South Dakota has consistently landed near the bottom in the area of teacher compensation. (Adobe Stock)
SD to see renewed debate over teacher pay

As they head into winter break, South Dakota school districts and their teachers are in a waiting period to find out what future state funding looks …

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According to the Kids Count data center, child care consumes between 8% and 13% of a typical South Dakota family's income. (Adobe Stock)
Child care 'solution-driven' grants take shape in SD

Child care access has become a major focal point in the U.S., and South Dakota is no exception. More than two dozen communities are using grant …

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Associations for Community Health Centers say if Congress does not extend federal funding, nearly seven million patients around the United States could lose access to primary care. (Adobe Stock)
Community Health Centers Juggle Demand, Operational Headwinds

This week is National Health Center Week. The facilities help to close care gaps in underserved communities, and regional and national leaders hope …

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Some 20 states have passed laws that either ban or restrict gender-affirming care for transgender youth. (Adobe Stock)
What's Next for SD After Ruling on Arkansas' Gender-Affirming Care Ban?

South Dakota's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth is scheduled to go into effect on July 1. But opponents are looking into what the …

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In findings compiled by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the average annual cost of care for one child in the U.S. was $10,600 in 2021, one-tenth of a couple's average income, and more than one-third of a <br />single parent's income. (Adobe Stock)
Child Care Access Hovers Over SD Child Well-Being Report

An annual report measuring child well-being in the U.S. said several benchmarks have worsened overall. States like South Dakota fared better in the …

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Among other things, a new Minnesota law prohibits the enforcement of child removal requests from another state if a family travels to Minnesota in pursuit of gender-affirming care. (Adobe Stock)
SD's Neighbor Prepares to Serve as 'Trans Refuge' State

A new report found more than half of transgender youth in the U.S. have lost -- or are at risk of losing -- access to gender-affirming health care…

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