Dana Hess

1 week ago | southdakotasearchlight.com | Dana Hess

Getting an initiated constitutional amendment on the ballot in South Dakota is plenty tough for citizens. House Bill 1169 would have made it almost impossible. HB 1169 required that signatures representing 5% of the votes cast for governor in the most recent election be collected from each of the state’s 35 Senate districts to get an initiated constitutional amendment on the ballot. Current law calls for collecting signatures totaling 10% of the votes cast for governor in the last election.

1 week ago | southdakotasearchlight.com | Dana Hess

by Dana Hess, South Dakota Searchlight April 12, 2025 As the editor of the daily newspaper in Pierre, I operated under the rule that editors should edit and reporters should write. This was back in the day when newspapers still had staffs. I had three reporters and they kept me busy at my desk, so it was rare that I would write a news story.

1 week ago | newsfromthestates.com | Dana Hess

As the editor of the daily newspaper in Pierre, I operated under the rule that editors should edit and reporters should write. This was back in the day when newspapers still had staffs. I had three reporters and they kept me busy at my desk, so it was rare that I would write a news story.

2 weeks ago | southdakotasearchlight.com | Dana Hess

by Dana Hess, South Dakota Searchlight April 4, 2025 During the recently completed legislative session, there were a couple of discussions in a House State Affairs Committee meeting that may have a direct bearing on South Dakota’s future. One topic was what to call a tax that has never before been implemented. At issue was House Bill 1138 which would have created a tax on advertising with the revenue to be used for property tax relief. Currently advertising is exempt from taxation. Sen.

2 weeks ago | newsfromthestates.com | Dana Hess

During the recently completed legislative session, there were a couple of discussions in a House State Affairs Committee meeting that may have a direct bearing on South Dakota’s future. One topic was what to call a tax that has never before been implemented. At issue was House Bill 1138 which would have created a tax on advertising with the revenue to be used for property tax relief. Currently advertising is exempt from taxation. Sen.