25.892.11 100th Legislative Session SC808
2025 South Dakota Legislature
Senate Commemoration 808
Introduced by: Senator Hulse
Underscores indicate new language.
Overstrikes indicate deleted language.
A LEGISLATIVE COMMEMORATION, Honoring Joelle Simpson of Rapid City as Miss 1
South Dakota. 2
WHEREAS, Joelle, a sixth-generation South Dakotan, is the daughter of Val and Dave 3
Simpson and was inspired at age five to be Miss South Dakota after participating in the Little 4
Sister Program and serving as a little sister to her cousin, Miss South Dakota Anna Simpson, 5
in 2011; and 6
WHEREAS, Joelle started learning how to play the harp at age eight and has played 7
professionally since age thirteen; and 8
WHEREAS, Joelle is the state’s most accomplished figure skater, having reached the 9
highest level of figure skating in four different disciplines of the sport, making her the first 10
and the only U.S. Figure Skating quadruple gold medalist from South Dakota; and 11
WHEREAS, Joelle is a U.S. bronze medalist in synchronized skating as part of the 12
Northernettes Synchronized Skating team; and 13
WHEREAS, Joelle’s community service initiative elevates the importance of nurturing 14
nature across the state, protecting South Dakota’s thirty-three threatened and endangered 15
species as well as preventing the spread of invasive species; and 16
WHEREAS, Joelle represented the state on the Miss America stage on January 5, 2025, 17
and will steadfastly complete the final four months of her service to the state of South Dakota 18
before crowning her successor on May 31, 2025; 19
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT COMMEMORATED, by the One Hundredth Legislature of the State 20
of South Dakota, that Joelle Simpson is Miss South Dakota. 21