Gov. Kristi Noem touts education savings accounts, ag transition program and border security in 100th State of the State address

Governor Kristi Noem delivered the State of the State address to a joint session of the South Dakota Legislature on Jan. 14, 2025, outlining policy priorities that included education savings accounts, a state-supported transition of an agricultural succession program, expanded tribal law enforcement training, workforce and apprenticeship initiatives, and border security concerns. She also said she has been asked to serve in a federal post, which could lead to a leadership transition at the state level.

Noem proposed education savings accounts (ESAs) and said the administration will work with House majority leader Representative Odenbach and Senate leadership to institute the program. "We're going to be working with majority leaders, Odenbach and Melhoff to institute education savings accounts for South Dakota kids," she said. Noem said ESAs would "provide families greater opportunities to choose the best fit for their children's education" and asserted the accounts "won't impact any of the funding that goes to our great public schools." The governor's statement framed ESAs as a parental-choice expansion; the address did not include statutory text or a detailed funding formula.

On agriculture, Noem announced a planned transfer of the KEEP Farmers Farming program from First Dakota National Bank to the South Dakota Ag Foundation. She said the governor's office of economic development will provide the South Dakota Ag Foundation with a one-year grant to administer, market and grow the program and that there will be "no loss of service for those existing program participants." The program, she said, will help farm and ranch families with estate and transition planning to keep farms in family hands.

Noem described investments and initiatives she credited with strengthening the state's health-care workforce, including a "Freedom Works Here" campaign that she said helped recruit nurses and expand apprenticeships. She said the number of nurses working in South Dakota increased by "at least 1,100 across all nursing classifications" over the last two years, and she highlighted apprenticeship pathways for teachers, electricians, linemen and other occupations.

Public safety was a major theme. Noem said the state will make tribal-specific law enforcement training part of the ongoing budget so tribal officers can be trained in-state rather than traveling out of state for long courses. She recounted the state's response to recent floods and named specific emergency responders and teams whom she presented with the governor's award for heroism during the address.

Noem discussed the southern border, calling the current situation an "invasion" and saying enforcement failures have produced increases in crime, drugs and human trafficking. She noted the state had deployed the South Dakota National Guard to the border multiple times and framed border security as a national-security issue. She also said President Trump had asked her to serve as secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security if confirmed; she described this as a possible near-term departure from the governor's office and praised Lieutenant Governor Larry Rhoden as prepared to lead if that occurs.

The address covered additional topics — economic development, record-low unemployment, outdoor recreation and conservation programs, and pro-family policies such as the state's services for pregnant mothers — and was delivered before members of the legislature, justices, constitutional officers and invited guests. Noem closed by saying the "state of our state is strong" and by offering thanks to the people of South Dakota.