PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — Legislation to build a new men’s prison in Lincoln County is on its way to the full House of Representatives at the state Capitol, but lawmakers on the Joint Committee on Appropriations (JCA) kept their cards close to their chest about how they feel about House Bill 1025 during their hearing Thursday. The proposed men’s prison in Lincoln County has a guaranteed maximum price of $825 million.
“That price will only go up if this project does not continue to move forward in some way,” Ryan Brunner, senior policy advisor and director of legislative relations with Gov. Larry Rhoden’s office, said to the committee. “It is imperative that we continue to move this project forward for the safety of our staff, the safety of the inmates, the safety of the public and the ability to offer the rehabilitation and treatment needs.”
HB 1025 would authorize the construction of and appropriate money for the new prison between Harrisburg and Canton.
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“We all agree that South Dakota needs updated and improved correctional facilities,” Madeline Voegeli of Lincoln County said at the hearing. “But the current plan is flawed. If we are going to invest in prison facilities, we must do so with long-term sustainability in mind, prioritize smart spending and effective rehabilitation over unnecessarily high construction costs.”
If the bill gets the governor’s signature, the prison in Lincoln County would be set for a tentative opening in 2029.
“If the priority is getting everybody into a safer building, then I would say the state is failing on that, and four years is far too long,” Sarah Ulmer of Lincoln County said at Thursday’s hearing. “You can’t tell me by selecting a site with better existing infrastructure or adding on to existing buildings, the construction cost and period couldn’t be cut in half.”
Contractors for the project also spoke to committee members.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working at JE Dunn for 32 years,” contractor Vance McMillan said to lawmakers. “I’ve never missed a budget. I’ve never missed an end date. I know that might be just a guy sitting up here talking to you, but we truly believe in our reputation. We’re here to stick our reputation on the table.”
In the end, JCA lawmakers were in unanimous agreement in sending HB 1025 to the House floor without recommendation. Republican Rep. Mike Derby of Rapid City made the motion to move the hotly-contested topic in front of all 70 members of his chamber.
“This deserves to be heard by the entire body, with an up and down vote, on the floor,” Derby said near the hearing’s conclusion.
HB 1025 is an appropriations bill, so to eventually make it to Rhoden’s desk, it will need two-thirds of lawmakers’ support in both the House and Senate. With 70 lawmakers in the House and 35 in the Senate, the legislation has to have the backing of at least 47 legislators in the House and 24 in the Senate. The bill is on Friday’s House agenda.
