Rosebud Sioux President Kathleen Wooden Knife delivers the State of the Tribes address on Jan. 14, 2026, at the Capitol in Pierre, alongside House Speaker Jon Hansen, left, and Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen, right. (Photo by Meghan O’Brien/South Dakota Searchlight)

PIERRE — South Dakota and the tribal nations in the state can make improvements for health care and public safety during the 2026 legislative session, Rosebud Sioux Tribe President Kathleen Wooden Knife said.

Wooden Knife, the first female president of Rosebud, delivered the annual State of the Tribes speech to a joint session of the South Dakota Legislature on Wednesday at the Capitol.

The State-Tribal Relations Committee endorsed bills on health care and public safety before the session began, and both have been filed and have sponsors.