SOUTH DAKOTA HEALTH DEPARTMENT REPORTS FIRST MEASLES CASE IN THE STATE
STURGIS, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Health is reporting the first measles case of 2025 in a South Dakota resident. An adult in Meade County developed a measles infection after traveling internationally. The measles patient visited several public locations, and persons who were in the same settings are asked to self-monitor for measles symptoms for 21 days.
Community members may have been exposed to measles during the following times and locations:
Rapid City Medical Center Urgent Care waiting room (2820 Mt Rushmore Road, Rapid City, SD)
o May 28, 2025, from 7:15 am to 10 am MT
Monument Health Sturgis Urgent Care waiting room (2140 Junction Ave, Sturgis, SD)
o May 29, 2025, from 9:45 am to 3 pm MT
Measles symptoms appear in two stages. In the first stage, the individual may have a runny nose, cough, and a slight fever. The eyes may become reddened and sensitive to light while the fever consistently rises each day. The second stage begins on the third to seventh day of symptoms and consists of a temperature of 103-105°F, and a red blotchy rash lasting for four to seven days. The rash usually begins on the face and then spreads down to the trunk and out to the arms and legs.
“Measles is a highly contagious viral disease and spreads through the air from an infected person,” said Dr. Joshua Clayton, state epidemiologist. “Individuals who lack immunity from vaccination or past infection are at high risk of measles infection if they have contact with an infected person.”
The measles vaccine offers the best protection against infection and avoids the risks that come with infection. The following people are considered immune to measles:
Born before 1957;
Received 1 dose of measles vaccine (MMR) for an adult;
Received 2 doses of measles vaccine (MMR) for a child or an adult at higher risk of infection;
Presence of measles antibodies shown by a lab test; and
Previous measles infection shown by a lab test.
Measles vaccine (MMR) is typically given at 12-15 months of age. The second dose of MMR is given at 4-6 years of age. The vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles infection, and two MMR doses usually produce lifelong immunity. If you are planning to travel internationally with children, MMR vaccines can be given to children starting at six months of age.
Learn more about measles on the Department of Health website where information can be found in the form of fact sheets, frequently asked questions, and a webinar for healthcare providers.
FORMER STATE EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH THREE FELONIES
PIERRE, S.D. – A woman from Pierre woman has been charged with four counts of falsifying her own medical marijuana card while she was an employee of the South Dakota Department of Health.
24 year old Alexandra Feiner has been charged with one felony count of Forgery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one felony count of Offering a False or Forged Instrument for Filing, Registering or Recording, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison; one felony count of Possession of a Forged Instrument, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison; and one misdemeanor count of Falsification of Public Records by a Public Officer or Employee, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in the county jail.
It’s alleged the defendant avoided both the medical provider certification requirement and the fee.
“The defendant is charged with using her position of trust as a Department of Health employee for her own personal benefit,” said Attorney General Jackley. “This type of conduct reflects poorly on those state government employees who work hard for South Dakotans.”
The crimes apparently occurred between March 2024 and March 2025. The State Department of Health cooperated with the investigation conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).
No initial court appearance has been scheduled for Feiner.
IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SIGNS BILLS ON ELECTION RECOUNTS, VOTER CITIZENSHIP VERIFICATION
DES MOINES, IA (Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed two bills related to Iowa’s election laws Monday, making changes to the state’s citizenship verification for voting and election recount processes.
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, alongside several county auditors and some of the lawmakers who worked on the bills during the 2025 legislative session, joined Reynolds at the signing. Pate thanked Reynolds and lawmakers for moving the two measures forward in a news release Monday, saying the bills are important steps in “strengthening and maintaining Iowa’s election integrity.”
“These new laws add additional layers of integrity to our robust election procedures, supporting our efforts to balance election integrity and voter participation,” Pate said.
House File 954, signed Monday, was the bill Pate proposed to better allow his office to check the citizenship status and other eligibility requirements of those on Iowa’s voter rolls. The bill gives the Secretary of State’s office the ability to contract with federal and state agencies, and with private entities, for voter roll verification and maintenance, in addition to setting up a process for setting a voter’s registration status as “unconfirmed” when the state or county officials have received information from a “reliable source” that the person is not qualified to vote.
The measure came up in the wake of Pate’s guidance to county auditors shortly before the 2024 general election in November that directed the local elections officials to challenge the ballots of 2,176 voters at the polls. Pate had flagged these individuals as “potential noncitizens” because they had, within the past 12 years, reported to the Iowa Department of Transportation or another state entity that they were noncitizens, and later registered to vote.
A majority of these individuals were naturalized citizens who had the ability to vote, but Pate said the instruction was necessary because his office had been denied access by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements database to verify these people’s citizenship status.
USCIS later granted the Iowa office access to the database — when Pate said his office confirmed 277 of the 2,176 “potential noncitizen” voters did not have U.S. citizenship. The secretary of state said the new law will prevent similar situations from arising in the future where individuals have their votes contested at the ballot box.
The bill gives tools to election officials for voter eligibility verification before Election Day, but also allows registered voters to be challenged over their citizenship status at the polls. A challenged voter would have to present precinct election officials with evidence they are qualified to vote to cast a regular ballot. If the challenge is not withdrawn, they would cast a provisional ballot.
Law sets new limits on election recounts
The second measure, House File 928, makes changes to Iowa’s system for election recounts, including setting new limits on who can request recounts. For statewide and federal races, the election results would have to have a 0.15% difference in votes between candidates for a candidate to request a recount. For state legislative and local races, a difference of 1% or 50 votes would be required. This would stop recounts in future elections similar to those requested in recent elections, like the 2024 election recount for the race between U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Christina Bohannan, that was within 0.2%.
The measure would also make changes to election recount boards. Under the previous system, each candidate in a recount designates one person to serve on the board, alongside a third person agreed upon by both candidates. The new law has county auditors lead election recount boards with their staff and hired election workers, adding the requirement that boards must have an equal numbers of workers from each political party. Candidates can choose up to five people to observe the recount process in each county.
While some Democrats said this new system could lead to Iowans questioning election integrity because of conflicts of interest with county auditors, Republican supporters argued the change will lead to more uniform and fair election recounts.
Rep. Austin Harris, R-Moulton, who led the bill in the House, said in a news release the recount bill was “one of the most important pieces of legislation we’ve passed this year.”
“We have seen in years past where the old system was used, abused, and manipulated by campaigns to try to ‘fix the outcome’ for their preferred candidate,” Harris said in a statement. “Now we have a system that brings uniformity, consistency, and most importantly, trust to that system.”
GOVERNOR LARRY RHODEN ESTABLISHES GOVERNOR’S RESILIENCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE TASK FORCE
PIERRE, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Governor Larry Rhoden signed Executive Order 2025-06 on Monday, establishing the Governor’s Resilience and Infrastructure Task Force.
“We pray that the most challenging circumstances will never arise, but we are preparing so that South Dakota can face such situations with determination, resilience, and grit,” said Governor Larry Rhoden.
The GRIT task force will advise on policy recommendations, assess risks, and support long-term planning for critical infrastructure systems in South Dakota.
The GRIT task force will include members appointed by the Governor, such as representatives from state agencies, industry, utilities, academia, and experts in cybersecurity, emergency management, and critical infrastructure.
The task force will be chaired by Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen, and Adjutant General Mark Morrell will serve as vice chair.
“The GRIT task force is a proactive step forward to ensure that our state is equipped with strong infrastructure systems that can weather even the most turbulent of times,” said Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen.
“Protecting the people of South Dakota is of utmost importance, and due to the sensitive and secure nature of GRIT, prudent thought will be given to the details we are able to share with the public,” said Adjutant General Mark Morrell.
This task force supports President Trump’s Executive Order 14239, “Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness,” which empowers state and local governments to play a more active role in national resilience and preparedness.
