PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Larry Rhoden updated technology and cybersecurity experts Wednesday on the progress of the Governor’s Resilience and Infrastructure Task Force, or GRIT, a group state officials say is becoming a model for the rest of the country.

Speaking at the South Dakota Digital Government Summit, Rhoden highlighted the state’s proactive approach to securing essential services. The summit serves as an annual forum for leaders to discuss the intersection of government policy and digital security.

“In South Dakota, we don’t sit around – we take action. GRIT is doing incredible work so our state can remain strong, safe, and free, and our results are setting an example for the rest of the nation,” Rhoden said. “Other states are looking to South Dakota’s example to strengthen their infrastructure and resiliency. We are protecting our communities, strengthening our economy, and building a future we can be proud of.”

Rhoden established GRIT as a strategic advisory body tasked with assessing vulnerabilities and developing policy recommendations for critical infrastructure. The task force includes sub-workgroups dedicated to the electrical grid, water systems, telecommunications, and transportation, utilizing experts from both the public and private sectors.

The state’s efforts have drawn attention beyond South Dakota’s borders. Recently, Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen, who serves as the chairman of GRIT, presented the program’s framework to the National Lieutenant Governors Association. Additionally, representatives from the state’s Homeland Security division and Adjutant General Mark Morrell have shared the GRIT model at national conferences and regional events, such as the Black Hills Defense Symposium held near Rapid City.

“South Dakota is leading in this space, and the GRIT task force continues to assess, analyze, and plan to strengthen our critical infrastructure,” Morrell said. “While we pray that threats never cross our borders, we must be clear-eyed that the services we depend on are vulnerable.”

During the most recent legislative session, the state moved to fund several of the task force’s primary recommendations. These include investments in the IT Modernization Fund and upgrades to State Radio, which is a vital communication link for public safety officials in Rapid City and across the state.

The task force has also initiated a nuclear energy study and collaborated with national experts from Idaho National Labs to refine South Dakota’s crisis response plans for critical infrastructure.