PIERRE, S.D. – On Feb 27th, Governor Larry Rhoden announced Project Prison Reset, 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.

“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 working group will meet every four weeks beginning on April 2, 2025. During that time, members will answer three questions:

- Whether we need a new prison – a clear “yes;”

- How big it should be; and

- Where it should go.

Recommendations made by this working group will be presented at a Special Session on July 22, 2025. Governor Rhoden also promised to hire a consultant to make sure the working group is working from the same set of facts on the need for a new prison.

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

- The House members will be Speaker Hansen, Majority Leader Odenbach, Speaker Pro Tempore Lems, Tim Reisch, Greg Jamison, Brian Mulder, Jack Kolbeck, and Erin Healy;

- The Senators will be President Pro Tempore Karr, Majority Leader Mehlhaff, Ernie Otten, Mark Lapka, Steve Kolbeck, Joy Hohn, and Jamie Smith; and

- The outside individuals will include Lt. Governor 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. 

You can find a picture of Governor Rhoden announcing Project Prison Reset here.