Governor Noem and others testify in favor of DSU legislative bills

Governor Kristi Noem joined a number of Dakota State University, Sioux Falls, and other state officials in voicing support of her proposal to send 30-million dollars to help expand DSU’s cyber security program to a state legislative committee on Wednesday.  The Senate State Affairs Committee held a hearing on two bills benefitting DSU during its meeting Wednesday morning.  Governor Noem told the committee that she was inspired by DSU President José-Marie Griffiths and her vision for this program in the state.

Noem told committee members that the money will help DSU expand their cyber security program in Madison and create jobs in both Madison and Sioux Falls.  She said it will also mean that the state’s Cyber Academy can be taken statewide.

DSU President Griffiths told state Senate Committee members how the idea for this public/private partnership plan got started.

Griffiths said that DSU plans to expand its capacity in Madison in order to produce more graduates in the cyber security field, and hope to keep graduates in-state with the new opportunities being developed.  

Some others who testified before the Senate State Affairs Committee Wednesday were PREMIER Bankcard CEO Miles Beacom, Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken, and leaders from the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, Sanford Health, and the state Board of Regents.

District 8 Senator Casey Crabtree serves on the committee and made the motion to recommend both DSU bills – Senate Bills 54 and 130 – to the Joint Appropriations Committee, which passed unanimously.