South Dakota Hits ‘Reset’ on Proposed Prison in Lincoln County

It's back to square one for a proposed new prison in South Dakota.

Thursday (February 27), Governor Larry Rhoden unveiled plans for Project Prison Reset, consisting of a working group that will determine the best path forward for a new prison.

Project Prison Reset is made possible through Executive Order 2025-01.

Rhoden made the announcement during a press conference at the State Capital in Pierre.

'We’ve received the message that the current prison plan does not have buy-in this legislative session. We’ve also heard agreement from pretty much everyone that we need a new prison,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “This working group is our ‘reset’ button. Everything that came before is in the rearview mirror. From now on, we’re looking forward.'

The Governor says the working group will meet every four weeks, beginning April 2, to address three questions about the project:

• Is a new prison needed?
• How big should the new prison be?
• Where should it be located?

Recommendations by the group will be presented at a Special Session of the legislature, July 22. The Governor says he will also hire a consultant to make sure the working group is working from the same set of facts on the need for a new prison.

Get our free mobile app

Project Prison Reset will include the following eight House members, seven Senators, and six or seven outside individuals:

The House members: Speaker Jon Hansen, Majority Leader Scott Odenbach, Speaker Pro Tempore Karla Lems, Tim Reisch, Greg Jamison, Brian Mulder, Jack Kolbeck, and Erin Healy;

The Senate members: President Pro Tempore Chris Karr, Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff, Ernie Otten, Mark Lapka, Steve Kolbeck, Joy Hohn, and Jamie Smith.

The outside individuals will include Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen, who will chair the group; a judge; a behavioral health specialist; a Chief of Police; a Sheriff; a State’s Attorney, and Attorney General Jackley.

The formation of the group comes after the House of Representatives recently removed a section of House Bill 1025, which was intended to appropriate money to build a men’s prison in Lincoln County.