Every single life is precious and deserving of our protection – but apparently South Dakota legislators think otherwise. They denied to introduce my bill to protect unborn lives once a heartbeat can be detected. (1/) It grieves me that they would take this unprecedented action at this time based on the advice of one out-of-state lawyer.

National pro-life leaders believe that now is the time to have this sort of protection in law to save lives. (2/)

Today I met with my executive cabinet for our monthly update on agencies, program implementation and to recap some of the recent major events around the state.

1/5 I've welcomed home 500+ National Guard soldiers & airmen from deployments around the world and across the country. A legislative rules committee approved the majority of the draft guidance for the Department of Health's medical cannabis program after months of public input.

2/5

Yesterday, I got to welcome home the National Guard troops who were deployed to the border in Texas. We learned a lot about the border crisis, some of which the media isn't telling you. I was honored to received a flag signed by the soldiers deployed.

1/4 I gave challenge coins to thank each of them for their service and for giving an honest report of the thousands of immigrants they encountered and their efforts to intercept drug traffickers. I'm grateful to have them all home and safe.

2/4

Like many South Dakotans, I have seen the reports of the terrible attacks in Kabul, Afghanistan. We are still learning the full scope of the damage, and the number of those injured or killed, but the Pentagon has confirmed Americans are among the casualties.

[THREAD] 1/6 Let me first say that my thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Afghanistan -- Americans and Afghans alike. My heart breaks for the families who lost loved ones and friends today and for those who were injured in these attacks.

2/6

My position on mask mandates has not changed. School leaders should consider the full impact on learning and social development that masks can have on children.

⬇ THREAD ⬇

1/4 It is government’s role to guide the public by providing them the science, facts, and data to make their own educated decisions. I will not be issuing any statewide directive either requiring or prohibiting masks in our schools.

2/4

America has a truly unique and wonderful history. Our nation was the first to be founded on an ideal: that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” (1/) In pursuit of this ideal, our nation has seen many triumphs. Along the way, we’ve also made some terrible mistakes. Our triumphs have occurred when we lived up to this ideal. Our mistakes have come when we fell short. (2/)

I believe that boys should play boys’ sports, and girls should play girls’ sports. I'm returning House Bill 1217 with the following recommendations as to STYLE and FORM. (1/) As the legislative findings in the original version of the bill set out, “[w]ith respect to biological sex, one is either male or female[.]" (2/)

March 10th is a tough day. On March 10, 2020, South Dakota diagnosed our first 5 cases of COVID-19, including our first death.

For my family, the day had double meaning. March 10, 1994, is also the day that my dad passed away in an accident on our family farm. (1/) My dad was a cowboy. He was the toughest person that I’ve ever known. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to grow up and be like him.

When he died, I was just 22 years old, and I had to take over as general manager of the family business. (2/)

Across America these last several months, we have witnessed violent actors trying to do an end-run around public discourse.

This has underscored a need to improve civic education in our country. (THREAD) Violent actors have tried to intimidate, to silence voices. These folks want to short-cut public debate through fear. They want to make people scared.

This is un-American. And it certainly has no place in South Dakota. (2)

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Today is the last day of Hanukkah (chag Chanukah sameach!), Christmas is right around the corner, and the New Year comes shortly thereafter. My family is excited to celebrate Christmas and spend some time together. (THREAD) Christmas trees are one of my favorite holiday celebrations. Every year in millions of homes around the world, we decorate evergreen trees to celebrate Christmas. It’s easy to take for-granted that this is just something that we do, but there’s a purpose for this tradition. (2/)

You can follow my budget address live here: fb.watch/2fxJXeS7Y6/ Before we begin today's budget address, I’d like to ask that we all please take a moment of silence to remember ALL the South Dakotans we have lost to this horrible virus.

Taking Inspiration from the women who secured our right to vote: news.sd.gov/newsitem.aspx?… (THREAD) Today, December 4th, marks the 101st anniversary of the day South Dakota ratified the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which recognized that women have the right to vote. (2/)

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and across the country families are planning how to celebrate with their loved-ones in the midst of #COVID19.

In South Dakota, we won’t stop or discourage you from thanking God and spending time together this Thanksgiving. (THREAD) Some states across the country are imposing restrictions on Thanksgiving celebrations. Some in the media are even looking ahead and planning to cancel Christmas.

I’ll continue to encourage each and every one of you to exercise personal responsibility and make smart choices. (2/)

It's been a tough year for the rule of law and law enforcement in some parts of our country. Violent crime has surged in big cities. Some politicians have gutted officers’ ability to respond to tough situations. Rioting and looting have devastated so many communities. (THREAD 1/) Calls to “defund the police” have turned into actual budget cuts for the officers who do so much to keep us safe. So far this year in NYC, more than 2,000 NYPD officers have resigned because more than $1 billion dollars was cut from the NYPD budget. foxnews.com/us/shakeup-nyp… (2/)

Here's what @argusleader didn't want you to read (THREAD): Recently, a South Dakota doctor wrote me, thanking me “for treating your fellow citizens of South Dakota like adults...”

But there are some South Dakota medical professionals who have told me of their fears about voicing their thoughts on the situation. (2/)

I recently had a chance to visit with a single mom, the mother of two young girls, from another state. Her state is locked down. Her little girls are doing 100% distance-learning. She is working full-time from home. And she is struggling. (THREAD 1/) She could balance the two... at first. But now, it seems like this horrible situation will never end. I could hear the fatigue in her voice, and I could see the anxiousness on her face. She is fed up, angry, and in need of some relief. My heart hurt listening to her story. (2/)

South Dakota is in a good spot as we rebound from #COVID19, but some of our small businesses were still hurt by this pandemic.

Today, I proposed a framework for up to $400 million in small business grants from South Dakota's Coronavirus Relief Funds. (THREAD 1/) Our small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities and economy. When I asked folks to adjust their way of life to help us flatten the curve, South Dakotans exercised their personal responsibility and responded. (2/)

Today, the rule of law is under attack in America. In cities across the country, violent mobs are running rampant. They’re looting, rioting, and destroying property, businesses, and – in some cases – people’s dreams. (THREAD 1/) Murder rates are up by double digits in 13 of our nation’s 15 largest cities. Many citizens are fleeing – what parent wants to raise their children in these violent situations? (2/)
wsj.com/articles/homic…

My administration is very grateful to @realDonaldTrump for the additional flexibility that the "Lost Wages Assistance" would have provided, but South Dakota is in the fortunate position of not needing to accept it. Here's why (THREAD): South Dakota's economy, having never been shut down, has recovered nearly 80% of our job losses.

We're the only state in the nation that didn't have extended unemployment benefits kick in because our insured unemployment rate has been the lowest in the nation. (2/)

Our state’s future depends on educating our kids. Online learning got us through the initial phase of #COVID19, but it’s absolutely NOT a long-term solution.

We need our kids back in the classroom. (1/) Preliminary research suggests students nationwide will return to school in the fall with roughly 70% of learning gains in reading relative to a typical school year, and less than 50% in math.

The losses are even greater for low-income and minority children. (2)

In South Dakota, we saw modeling as a tool to be prepared for the worst case scenario with #COVID19. I thank God that the worst case never happened, but we were ready (and still are) if it did.

But no model can take into consideration everything that makes real life work. (1/4) Models have two major shortcomings:

-No model can actually predict the future, especially when it's based on data that is incomplete;
-No model is capable of replacing human Freedom as the best path to responding to life's risks, including this virus. (2/4)