South Dakota state and local government employees grew at a faster rate than most of the country’s between 2007 and 2012, according to recent U.S. Census data. The Mount Rushmore State, along with fellow Northern Plains states Wyoming and Nebraska, had government employment grow by more than 4 percent during that period.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rounds is clear about what he thinks about Obamacare. “It’s a way of rationing health care. It’s wrong. It’s not what we want for our dads, our grandmas, for our moms, for our kids.”. In fact, Rounds says rationing what the federal government does – or will do – in all its involvement in health care, from the Indian Health Service to the Department of Veteran Affairs to the Affordable Care Act.

Note: This is the first of a series of articles on health care with the four candidates vying for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Democratic U.S. Tim Johnson. Former South Dakota governor Mike Rounds, the U.S. Senate candidate front-runner, wants to make one thing clear: much of what the federal government does — and will do — is rationing health care.

SIOUX FALLS (NPN) — In a wide-ranging news conference Friday, state Rep. Stace Nelson continued his attacks on Republic primary front-runner Mike Rounds and added a new charge — that the former governor precipitated the Department of Veterans Affairs desire to close the VA hospital in Hot Springs.

According to information from the South Dakota Secretary of State's office, GOP U.S. Senate candidate Annette Bosworth registered to vote under her married name, Annette Haber. Her husband's name is Chad Haber. Copyright 2013-14 Northern Plains News, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Columnists and other content providers syndicated on NPN retain all rights to their works.

According to Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, some 70,000 fewer low-income families used housing vouchers to rent private housing in December than a year earlier. CBPP’s projections, based on new Department of Housing and Urban Development data, show that low-income seniors, people with disabilities and families with children continue to feel the effects of the across-the-board sequestration cuts, which started last March.

South Dakota and most Northern Plains states spend less on welfare than the national average but are above, below and at national averages for education spending, according to a recent government study by the U.S. Census Bureau. South Dakota and nearly all Northern Plains states spend a lower percentage of their state budgets on welfare than the national average.

A progressive advocacy group has targeted Gov. Dennis Daugaard for failing to support expanded Medicaid coverage in South Dakota. Anna Galland from MoveOn.org sent a 670-word email to South Dakota MoveOn subscribers and supporters Wednesday. The email begins, “25,480 South Dakota residents are being denied health care coverage because South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard is refusing to expand Medicaid.”.

(NPN) – Fewer than 400 South Dakotans have obtained health care insurance through the healthcare.gov from Oct. 1. to Nov. 30, 2013.

While there is much debate about the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) and insurance, the legislation is credited with getting more doctors and other health professionals into the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, according to a new report. The National Health Service Corps received a funding boost under the ACA, which meant more loan repayments for health care providers who agree to practice in underserved areas.

(NPN) – If you were to guess that South Dakota counties bordering Minnesota and Iowa have a lower effective property tax rate on homes, you’d be wrong. A new study by the Brookings Institution analyzing homeowner property tax rates has some surprising results for South Dakota, in both in-state and state-to- state comparisons.

You’re a felon so you can’t vote in the 2014 election that’s just one year away. Not necessarily. It depends upon where you live.

With the temporary increase in SNAP food assistance running out today, what are the SNAP numbers for South Dakota?

More than 4,000 South Dakota veterans could see their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food benefits reduced Nov. 1 when the temporary increase in SNAP benefits runs out. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities did a state-by-state analysis of veterans living in SNAP households and released its report Monday.

South Dakota is one of the few states that has no statewide ban or fine for texting while driving, according to a recent survey of state laws by Mother Jones Magazine.

Annette Bosworth, Republican U.S. Senate candidate, does not like big government & she doesn’t like the Affordable Care Act, aka, “Obamacare,” very much.