(DRG News – Pierre, SD) South Dakota lawmakers meet in special session in Pierre Tuesday (Sept. 23, 2025) to determine the path forward for building a new men’s prison adjacent to the current state penitentiary campus in Sioux Falls.
Project Prison Reset Task Force Chairman Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen (ven-hi-zen) says the new prison would replace the old facility that’s “up on the top of the hill.”
Venhuizen says South Dakota is in a good financial position because not only did the state set aside money for this project, but also the change of location from the site in Lincoln County to the site in Sioux Falls is expected to save $154.2 million in taxpayer dollars.
Venhuizen says the state’s other men’s correctional facility locations are in fairly good condition.
State lawmakers killed the prison proposal supported by Governor Larry Rhoden during this year’s regular legislative session, but Venhuizen thinks this new plan will get their approval.
Additionally, Venhuizen says, the plan has the support of many statewide criminal justice and law enforcement organizations.
This week (Sept. 17, 2025), the Governor’s Office released information about their plan to pay for the new men’s prison and held conference calls with state legislators to answer their questions ahead of Tuesday’s special session. The legislation requires a two-thirds majority vote from lawmakers to pass.
