PIERRE, S.D. (SDBA) — The South Dakota Legislature’s Joint Committee on Appropriations voted unanimously Tuesday to fully restore South Dakota Public Broadcasting funding, rejecting former Gov. Kristi Noem’s proposed budget cuts.
The committee voted 15-0 to approve the Bureau of Information and Telecommunications budget, which includes SDPB’s funding for fiscal year 2026.
In her December 2024 Budget Address, Gov. Noem had recommended significant reductions to SDPB’s budget, recommending a $3.6 million cut that would have eliminated 50 positions and reduced the organization from 76 to just 26 employees.
Rep. Liz May, R-Kyle, expressed her appreciation for SDPB’s coverage of high school basketball tournaments and indicated she would continue supporting SDPB during her time in office.
The proposed cuts would have ended local programming and affected SDPB’s role as the state’s emergency alert system, which reaches 98 percent of South Dakota through a network independent of internet connectivity.
SDPB Director Julie Overgaard expressed gratitude to committee members after the vote and said she looked forward to discussions about SDPB’s future.
The committee also restored the state’s $60,000 grant to the South Dakota Civil Air Patrol, which Gov. Noem had recommended removing from the Department of Military budget.
The budget restoration votes came during a scheduled four-hour session where the committee set budgets for 18 state departments and agencies, including the Department of Military, Department of Education, and Bureau of Finance & Management.
Tuesday’s action was what SDPB Friends CEO Ryan Howlett had called “the last critical step in the process” in a March 7 email to supporters. With the committee’s approval, the General Appropriations Bill will include the restored funding and go to the full House and Senate.
The legislature’s regular session, which concludes Thursday, has only three days remaining. Veto Day is scheduled for March 31.
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