Senator Grove 2025 Summer Recap
It was a fast and furious summer!!
Whew! We are on the cusp of the 101st Legislative Session, and I figured now would be my last chance to do my summer recap; it has been wild and crazy! As your Senator in District 26, I was appointed to several committees and boards this summer, giving me a chance to see much of beautiful South Dakota and meet a whole bunch of amazing people who call our great state home.
I have to tell you, I am so honored to carry the title of District 26 Senator. One of my goals as Senator was to make sure that OUR voices were heard in Pierre; we’ve accomplished that within my first year! I often think of your stories and your faces as I sit in the seats of government. I am grateful that I can speak on the matters that matter most to us in an informed way. Thank you for standing with me.
The committees:
Emergency Medical Services
Initial Incarceration, Reentry Analysis, and Comparison of Relevant States Interim
State Tribal Relations
Holds regular statutory committee hearings, but functions like an interim committee between legislative sessions.
I was also appointed to serve as a member of the
Indian Child Welfare Act Board (ICWA).
Governor’s Correctional Rehabilitation Task Force
Subcommittee Appointment: The Mental and Behavioral Health Committee
Government Operations and Audit Committee (GOAC)!
Emergency Medical Services Interim Committee:
This summer, we made great strides in Emergency Medical Services, and I expect several bills on our ambulance services to come forward. I have to tell you, friends, South Dakota is in trouble! We have a very serious issue with our ambulance services that we can no longer deny. Did you know that ambulance service is not considered essential in South Dakota? That necessarily means they are unfunded or underfunded! Most of our ambulance crews are volunteers, and volunteerism is no longer the “in” thing to do. Many of our services use older vehicles due to very small budgets; they don’t have state-of-the-art equipment, and our current laws oddly hinder some providers’ ability to serve on an ambulance team! In reality, if we don’t make changes, our ambulance services will suffer greatly, leading to shutdowns and complete service loss. Whether you live in a big city in SD or in a small rural area, these important services affect all of us. Look for an incoming bill from me regarding this issue.
Initial Incarceration, Reentry Analysis, and Comparison of Relevant States Interim
From the west side to the east side, we met with and heard from citizens all across the state about our current prison system. Overall, as a state, our mindset has been “tough on crime” and “you do the crime, you do the time.” These ideas have appeared to serve us well. We are a state that ranks pretty low on the criminal spectrum. Unfortunately, this attitude has also forced us to over-incarcerate. The tough-on-crime slogan has proven itself to be a good campaign slogan, but not so good for the average South Dakotan (and their families) who suffer from various addictions.
Personally, I am an ardent supporter of law and order, more law enforcement, and strong laws that discourage criminal activity, including the death penalty. But I also believe that we need a healthy balance. Some folks, plain and simple, just need to sit. For myriad reasons, they have chosen a life of criminality, and consequences must be meted out. Other folks need good rehabilitation and a watchful eye from a probation officer; some folks have a massive substance use disorder and need a total rewrite of what life can look like clean; that takes extended rehabilitation. But not all need a felony. Our current “incarcerate first and ask questions later” approach is deeply rooted in the Clinton/Biden-era 1994 crime bill; these policies simply do not work, and we are now paying the very high price for it. I am honored to be the legislator who began the rehabilitation conversation last session with SB83, and I look forward to continuing that conversation as I sit on the Governor’s new rehabilitation task force. The best news regarding this tough situation is that we can do both. We can be tough on crime and rehabilitation-centered!
State Tribal Relations
What a great time! We met in Sisseton, Standing Rock, and Pierre. At each committee hearing, we met with the Chairman or Chairwoman and several other leaders from different Tribes. Each time, we were greeted with great hospitality. Thank you to each Tribe that participated in the meetings! In the 101st session, we will present two bills and one resolution to the legislative body:
Amending the definition of law enforcement officer: A small change to current law that explicitly includes tribal law enforcement officers. Current law does not, so if a person assaults a tribal officer stateside, the charge is a misdemeanor. The new law would increase penalties for assault against them under state law to a felony.
Create a task force to study the feasibility of establishing Indian Medicaid Managed Care entities within the state. This could be an incredible financial burden lifted from the state and will allow Tribes the opportunity to manage their own healthcare.
Urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to Establish a Tribal Law Enforcement Training Academy in South Dakota through a legislative resolution. This resolution would ensure that Tribal law enforcement receives federally approved training in South Dakota and would also make it a hub for other Tribes in the area. Currently, training is held at the Indian Police Academy in Artesia, New Mexico. Senator Rounds moved toward this very goal on Dec 5, 2025. It will be interesting to see how this ends. This would be an incredible win for the State of South Dakota and the Tribes.
I will carry two of the three bills!
Indian Child Welfare Act Board (ICWA)
Our ICWA meeting in Pierre went so well that we decided to hold more meetings. Currently, the Native population is most affected by DSS and CPS cases. As a board, we had very difficult conversations and moved toward practical solutions. We discussed Kinship Care, which supports relatives or close family friends caring for children removed from their homes and prioritizes family connections and culture. An issue mentioned repeatedly was poverty. Does poverty necessarily equal abuse? The answer is no. Yet, as a state, we consider poverty (a child wearing the same clothes, clothes that are too big, or dirty) a sign of child abuse; but is it always? It’s a paradigm shift on many levels, and I am grateful to have been part of these conversations. I look forward to more opportunities to connect with the communities that work hard to enforce child welfare laws and protect children within their Tribal nations.
Governor’s Correctional Rehabilitation Task Force
We have held two meetings for the Correctional Rehabilitation Taskforce. Our first meeting was held in Sioux Falls, and our second in Pierre. During those two meetings, we considered several issues and listened to public opinion. At the first meeting, we discussed rehabilitation that could begin immediately. This led to testimony by Burl Cain. Mr. Cain began a program at Angola prison, one of the most violent prisons in the nation, located in Louisiana. A core tenet is Moral Rehabilitation, which holds that true change comes from instilling morality, using religion as the foundation. The program aims to reduce violence and recidivism through spiritual transformation. And it works! Although taught using the Bible, the program is grounded in moral rehabilitation, meaning those who choose not to become Christian can still participate, as the tenet is morality.
Subcommittee: Mental and Behavioral Health Committee
This subcommittee focuses on drug and alcohol abuse in our SD prison system and will address complex issues by relying on input from state legislators, behavioral health experts, law enforcement, and Relative advocates. We have met once. The meeting considered mental and behavioral health for those who are incarcerated. We also discussed the need to consider those who are not yet incarcerated but have been justice-impacted. Many of our prisoners (79%) have substance use disorders, which are not being addressed before obtaining the notorious felony plus prison stay. As a state, we have proven programs that can be used before a sentence is elevated to a prison term. This is one area where being tough on crime, which ultimately leads to incarceration, has resulted in a $650,000,000 prison and a 50,000 per year per inmate “investment.” By contrast, rehabilitation is an investment of under $6000 per year and often allows the person to remain employed, at home or near their home, and connected to healthy family members.
Government Operations and Audit Committee (GOAC)!
GOAC is considered to be the most important committee the legislature has ever created. It’s the South Dakota version of DOGE, which existed long before the DC DOGE, so I guess we can say they copied us!! Its purpose is to hold state government departments and agencies accountable by requiring them to justify the taxpayer dollars they use, the services they provide, and the outcomes they achieve. Using specific metrics, government agencies must explain why they succeeded or failed. GOAC is an accountability committee; we need more of that!
I haven’t served yet, but I’m excited and honored to have been appointed to such a prestigious committee!
AND I went to Israel!
I was invited as part of a Midwest Delegation to travel to Israel and meet with government officials. We discussed innovation and creativity, overcoming adversity, and building strong communities regardless of belief. It was very encouraging. We also toured some of the areas where the worst attacks occurred on October 7th, and I was reminded of how blessed we are in the United States to have all we have and to live in peace.
RE-ELECTION!!
In closing, I am running for re-election as Senator of District 26! As I stated when I first ran for office, I promised Liberty, Truth, and Community. Feel free to check out my website at www.tamaragrovedistrict26.com for a deep dive into who I am and what I believe. This past session, I fought for landowners, supported the 2nd Amendment, and pushed back against big corporations that wanted to encroach on our South Dakota hunting tradition. I stood for small business, not crony capitalism, and I’ll continue to do so. I will never be on the side that wants to divide up our land and sell it under the guise of “development.” I’m going to continue to stand with you, and I’m asking you to stand with me once again in the primaries in June 2026.
Onward and upward….here comes the 101st Legislative Session! #letsgo #district26
Senator Tamara Grove
tamara.grove@sdlegislature.gov
