HB1172

This bill changes how zero-based budgets are required in South Dakota by making them optional rather than mandatory—instead of all departments submitting them annually, the Joint Committee on Appropriations can now choose to request between one and three specific departments to submit zero-based budgets each year. A zero-based budget requires departments to justify all spending from scratch rather than simply requesting increases to existing budgets. This gives lawmakers more flexibility in which agencies undergo this detailed budget review process.