When inmates are released from South Dakota correctional facilities, the state must now provide transportation to one of three specific locations: the county where they lived when the crime occurred, the county where they were sentenced, or a location of equivalent distance—whichever involves the shortest mileage. This revises the previous rule by limiting transportation options and establishing a clear distance-based standard to determine which location the state will pay to transport the inmate to.
The amendment restructures the discharge assistance requirements to clarify that inmates must receive suitable clothing, money, and transportation as separate mandatory items rather than listing transportation as optional, and it removes the inmate's choice in selecting the destination by replacing "as chosen by the inmate" with a fixed set of three alternative locations. This change STRENGTHENS the bill by making all three forms of assistance explicitly mandatory while NARROWING inmate discretion over their discharge destination.
The amendment clarifies and tightens the language requiring correctional facilities to provide inmates with clothing, money, and transportation upon discharge by removing conditional language ("if not already provided" at the beginning) and specifying that transportation must go to one of three defined locations (the county of residence, sentencing county, or an equivalent distance location)—STRENGTHENING the bill's mandate by making the obligation clearer and the transportation provision more precise.
Signed by the Governor S.J. 548
Delivered to the Governor S.J. 520
Signed by the Speaker H.J. 553
Signed by the President S.J. 505
House of Representatives Do Pass Amended Passed, YEAS 65, NAYS 2. H.J. 523
Judiciary Certified uncontested, placed on consent
Judiciary Do Pass Passed, YEAS 12, NAYS 0.
Judiciary Scheduled for hearing
First read in House and referred to House Judiciary H.J. 279
Senate Do Pass Amended Passed, YEAS 33, NAYS 0. S.J. 221
Judiciary Certified uncontested, placed on consent S.J. 17
Judiciary Do Pass Amended Passed, YEAS 5, NAYS 0. S.J. 17
Judiciary Motion to amend S.J. 17
Judiciary Scheduled for hearing S.J. 1
Senate Referred to Senate Judiciary S.J. 130
First Reading Senate S.J. 121
Prime sponsor · Sen.
D
Prime sponsor · Rep.
R
Do Pass Amended
Judiciary — Do Pass
Do Pass Amended
Judiciary — Do Pass Amended