SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — South Dakota is still trying to spend all the federal COVID-19 relief money it received before a looming but somewhat undefined deadline from the federal government.
The state received about $1.2 billion in funding via the CARES Act. The legislature set aside $400 million of that for small business payments, but the state’s received fewer applications than expected.
Rep. Jean Hunhoff, who will chair the House Appropriations Committee at the 2021 legislative session, said she and her colleagues aren’t totally sure why applications have been slow, but thinks technical hiccups in the application process may have played a role.
“The state is working to identify what the problem areas are with the application,” Hunhoff said. “I think if people are interested they’re going to have to get on it right today.”
It isn’t clear if South Dakota can hold onto the money beyond January 1. Hunhoff said there are “some unanswered questions” about when and if South Dakota would have to return money to the federal government.
South Dakotans can start the application process for COVID-19 aid at the state’s website.
(Jerry Oster, WNAX, contributed to this report.)
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