(Pierre, SD) — South Dakota’s prison task force is narrowing down its options with plans for a new men’s prison. During a long meeting Tuesday, the group focused on building a new prison with at least 15-hundred beds, all under a 600-million-dollar cap. The task force also decided to drop the Lincoln County site, even though work had already started there. They’re now looking at sites near Sioux Falls, Springfield, Mitchell, and Worthing. Some lawmakers want to expand existing prisons instead, and others raised concerns about safety and staffing. New plans are due by July 8th, but it’s not clear if lawmakers will be ready for a possible special legislative session later that month.
