Tag: laws
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Your DNA For Sale : How SB 49 Empowers South Dakotans on the Genetic Frontier
Just a few decades ago, human DNA was a mystery unraveled only in highly secured, sterile laboratories. The first Human Genome Project took 13 years and billions of dollars just to map a single genetic sequence. Today? You can spit half a teaspoon of raw saliva into a plastic tube, mail it to a tech…
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What South Dakota’s New Crypto ATM Law Means: Breaking Down SB 98
What is the Bill? On July 1st, the “Wild West” era of cryptocurrency in South Dakota officially comes to an end. Under Senate Bill 98, any business operating a cryptocurrency ATM in the state must play by a strict new set of rules. New Crypto ATM Mandates Why is the Bill Needed Cryptocurrency might be…
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In the Shadow of The Presidents: The Rogue Economy Exploiting Seasonal Labor in the Black Hills
So it Begins As the weather warms and the Black Hills prepare for the massive influx of summer tourism, the shadow economy is already operating at peak capacity. Right now – months before the first major wave of tourists arrives- “shadow recruiters” are actively hunting for this season’s vulnerable workforce. The lure is often set…
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The End of the Data Broker Era: Taking Back Your Shadow Data From Big Tech
What South Dakota’s new digital privacy law actually means for you Picture this: It’s 8:00 p.m. on a Tuesday in Rapid City. The family is sitting on the couch, watching a movie on the Roku or Apple TV. The commercial break hits, and suddenly, the 65-inch screen fills with a hyper-targeted, undeniably embarrassing ad. Maybe…
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Psychedelic Legislation: The Clinical Reality of HB 1099
Today, Governor Larry Rhoden signed House Bill 1099 into law, preemptively reshaping the future of mental health treatment in South Dakota. The legislation acts as a “trigger law.” It does not legalize the recreational possession or foraging of magic mushrooms. Instead, it guarantees that the moment the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a…
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A Moratorium On The Menu: Inside South Dakota’s Five Year Freeze On Lab Grown Meat
The Traditional Standard Walk into any grocery store in Rapid City today, and you are surrounded by food science. The ground beef in the cooler may legally contain ammonia-treated scraps once known as “pink slime,” and the cheap banquet steaks at the local buffet are likely held together by transglutaminase—a commercial “meat glue” fermented from…
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From the TSA to the Checkout Counter: The Fight for Tribal ID Equality
Imagine a tourist from Europe walks into a sporting goods store in Rapid City. They hand the clerk a foreign passport, fill out the federal paperwork, and wait for the background check to clear. Under current federal law, that foreign passport is a perfectly valid, primary form of identification to purchase a firearm. Now, imagine…
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Data Over Drama: The Cold Hard Math of the OneHeart Lease
If you happened to read the headlines this week , you’d think that the sky was falling over Kansas City Street. Following a unanimous City Council vote to issue a “Notice of Non-Renewal” for the OneHeart campus lease, the local rumor mill immediately went into overdrive. The narrative being sold is one of impending disaster—a…
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EXCLUSIVE: Governor Larry Rhoden and Safe Haven Baby Box founder Monica Kelsey in Rapid City
Governor Larry Rhoden and Monica Kelsey founder of the Safe Haven Baby Box ministry discuss the mechanics of the Safe Haven Baby Box during the ribbon cutting held at Fire Station 1 located at 10 Main Street in Rapid City South Dakota on Saturday February 28th 2026.
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A Box in the Wall – A Blind Spot in the Law
The Dilemma of The Safe Haven Baby Box in South Dakota The Safe Haven Baby Box model is built entirely on the premise of absolute unrecorded anonymity. However, the Indian Child Welfare Act explicitly requires jurisdictional notification to keep indigenous children within their communities. Due to the fact that the dropbox is designed to collect…