Gov. Larry Rhoden’s first budget includes a $296,000 increase for South Dakota Public Broadcasting to offset lost federal funding and preserve the network’s government transparency work, according to his budget address delivered Tuesday.
Rhoden told lawmakers the money will support SDPB’s “open government platform,” which includes live broadcasts of legislative proceedings and coverage of state agencies. The governor said federal support for SDPB declined this year, and the state needs to replace a portion of those dollars to maintain the service. The proposed funding increase would backfill part of the shortfall but not fully replace all federal losses.
“We’re going to increase funding to South Dakota Public Broadcasting by $296,000 to support their open government platform,” Rhoden said. He told legislators the investment would ensure continued public access to state government activities, adding: “I believe this transparency is a strength of our legislature, and I want to see it continue.”
The governor’s proposal arrives as his broader budget holds the Big Three compensation categories flat and directs large one-time investments to maintenance, infrastructure, and the new Rapid City women’s prison. Within that framework, SDPB’s increase is one of the few targeted boosts for a state entity that lost federal dollars.
Rhoden said the SDPB allocation falls under required backfills for programs affected by federal match or funding changes. The network’s platform, he said, provides reliable access to legislative debates, committee hearings, and other public proceedings during the upcoming 2026 session.
The appropriation will be part of the Legislature’s general budget deliberations when lawmakers return to Pierre in January.
