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prohibit the internet publication of certain land records.

South Dakota county registers of deeds would be prohibited from publishing land records (such as deeds, mortgages, and plats) on the internet without the landowner's written permission. The bill requires the Department of Labor and Regulation to create a consent form that landowners must complete to allow their property records to be made publicly available online.

Requesting the members of South Dakota's congressional delegation to annually appear before a joint session of the Legislature to provide information and answer questions.

This concurrent resolution asks South Dakota's U.S. senators and representatives to appear before the state Legislature once per year to report on their work and answer lawmakers' questions. The bill modifies existing rules about how the Legislature conducts joint sessions and repeals two outdated provisions related to legislative procedures.

To urge the adoption of a joint rule requiring the state Constitution to be read aloud on the floor of both houses each Legislative Session.

This resolution urges the South Dakota Legislature to adopt a new rule requiring the state Constitution to be read aloud on the floor of both the House and Senate during each legislative session. The bill makes various technical amendments to existing statutes to implement this practice. This is a non-binding resolution asking the Legislature to establish the procedure, rather than a law that directly changes existing regulations.

permit the Department of Revenue to disclose tax returns and tax return information to the Legislative Research Council in certain circumstances.

SB 110 allows the Department of Revenue to share tax return information with the Legislative Research Council when the legislature needs it for research or policy analysis purposes. This changes current law, which generally keeps all tax returns confidential and prohibits their disclosure to other state entities without specific authorization.

repeal certain provisions regarding initiated measures.

SB 112 removes requirements that petition circulators for initiated constitutional amendments must disclose to signers whether they are volunteers or paid, and if paid, how much they're being compensated. The bill eliminates this transparency provision that was previously required on the form given to each person signing an initiated amendment petition.

establish requirements certain state entities must follow when applying for federal grants.

State agencies must now notify the Governor, Bureau of Finance and Management, and legislative appropriations committees at least 60 days before applying for federal grants, providing detailed information about the grant's costs, benefits, and long-term financial impacts over ten years. This new requirement applies whether the state is the direct recipient or sub-recipient of the federal funds, and requires agencies to analyze whether the grant's benefits will exceed its costs to the state and local governments.

limit gifts to directors or employees of certain government districts.

Regional recycling and waste management districts, water development districts, water project districts, irrigation districts, and water user districts are now prohibited from using district funds to give gifts worth $100 or more in a calendar year to their own directors or employees. This new rule prevents these government districts from using public money to benefit their own leadership and staff through gifts.

establish meetings to review certain electric systems.

This bill requires electric utilities with adjoining service areas to hold a public meeting each May to review their electric systems and any planned improvements in areas outside municipal boundaries. The utility's governing body must provide public notice, record the meeting, and file both the recording and minutes with the state commission.

provide certain provisions that require the Governor to consult the Legislature before mobilizing the National Guard or law enforcement in certain circumstances.

This bill requires the Governor to consult with the Legislature before mobilizing South Dakota's National Guard or state law enforcement agencies to help another state under a mutual aid agreement. Currently, the Governor can make this decision alone; this new law adds a requirement to get input from the Legislature first.

require parental permission and website posting of student survey instruments.

# HB1163 Summary Schools must get written parental permission before giving students surveys and must post all survey instruments on their websites for public review. This ensures parents know what questions their children are being asked in school and can opt their children out if they choose.

create a monitor to review and respond to complaints related to the care provided to youth in the custody or care of certain care facilities, treatment centers, and programs.

South Dakota will create a new monitor position to investigate and respond to complaints about how youth are treated in state care facilities, treatment centers, and youth programs. This establishes an oversight mechanism to ensure these institutions are properly caring for the young people in their custody.

provide for certain insurer corporate governance disclosure requirements.

This bill requires insurance companies operating in South Dakota to file annual reports with the state's insurance director that describe their corporate governance structure and practices. The reports must be submitted by June 1st each year and are treated as confidential documents, though the bill clarifies it doesn't create new corporate governance requirements beyond what state law already requires. The requirement applies to all insurers based in South Dakota, including those that are part of larger insurance holding company systems.

authorize video monitoring of residents in assisted living centers and nursing facilities.

This bill allows residents of assisted living centers and nursing facilities—or their spouses, guardians, or attorneys-in-fact—to install video cameras in their own rooms to record what happens there. Before installing a camera, the resident or their representative must notify the facility in writing using a form created by the Department of Health.

revise the seller's property condition disclosure statement.

HB1178 updates the official form that sellers must use when disclosing the condition of their property to buyers in South Dakota real estate transactions. The bill revises the required disclosure statement to clarify that sellers must report any material changes that occur before the sale closes by submitting a written amendment. This ensures buyers have the most current information about property conditions before they purchase.

To authorize a legislative study for the continuum of care for the disabled and elderly of South Dakota.

The Legislature authorizes a study to examine South Dakota's system of care and services for disabled and elderly residents, including how different programs and providers work together to serve these populations. This resolution directs lawmakers to investigate the full range of care options available—from community-based services to institutional care—to identify gaps and potential improvements in the state's support system.

limit the disclosure of presidential election results and to provide for a suspension of such disclosure.

South Dakota officials would be prohibited from publicly disclosing the total number of votes cast for each presidential candidate in the general election until after all states have completed their electoral voting (typically in December). However, the Secretary of State could still release the winner of the election and the percentage breakdown of votes for each candidate rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent. This delays full vote disclosure for presidential races while allowing partial results and the election outcome to be announced immediately.

revise the legal notice process.

SB 179 revises the process for publishing legal notices in South Dakota by amending the rules in state law that govern how notices must be distributed to the public. The specific changes to the legal notice requirements are detailed in the amendment to §10-56-22, though the exact modifications are not fully shown in the provided excerpt.

require the Department of Social Services to fully support a statewide centralized resource information system.

SB 2 requires the Department of Social Services to fully support a statewide system that helps residents find information about social services, mental health resources, disaster assistance, and other help—changing the law from merely allowing cooperation to requiring it. The department must provide a 50% funding match for each county to develop and maintain this centralized resource information system, which must meet national accreditation standards.

revise certain provisions regarding public access to voter registration data.

This bill restricts public access to voter registration data by prohibiting the release of driver license numbers (in addition to the already-prohibited social security numbers) and limiting access to only the year of birth rather than the full date of birth. The master registration file remains open to public inspection during office hours, but people can no longer view voters' driver license numbers, social security numbers, or the day and month of their birth.

revise certain provisions regarding documents of the Legislature.

This bill updates the rules for how the Legislature handles prefiled bills and resolutions by clarifying that the Legislative Research Council director must follow Legislature-adopted rules when processing these documents. The bill repeals three outdated provisions that addressed printing contracts, delivery timelines for legislative journals, and related penalties, streamlining the legislative document process.

require certain adjustments to the assessed value of agricultural land if factors impact the land's productivity and to require those adjustments to be documented.

Agricultural land assessors must now adjust property values when specific factors affect productivity—such as soil quality, terrain, or climate—and document why they made each adjustment using a standardized county protocol. This changes current law by making adjustments mandatory ("shall") rather than optional ("may") and requiring written justification for those adjustments so the reasoning is transparent and consistent across counties.

revise certain provisions regarding the termination of a political committee under certain circumstances.

This bill changes when a political committee can be terminated for violations. Currently, a committee can be shut down regardless of whether it pays penalties; this bill instead requires that a committee both submit overdue reports AND pay any penalties before it can be terminated for violations.

revise certain provisions regarding restrictions on State Investment Council members.

HB1105 removes two existing restrictions that applied to members of South Dakota's State Investment Council. By repealing these two sections of law, the bill eliminates limitations on who can serve on this council that invests state funds.

provide for a regular review of parenting guidelines.

South Dakota courts currently use standard guidelines to determine the minimum amount of parenting time for noncustodial parents in custody cases, but this bill adds a requirement that these guidelines be formally reviewed and potentially updated at least every five years through a public hearing process. The state court administrator will oversee these regular reviews to ensure the guidelines stay current with changing family circumstances and child-rearing practices.

revise provisions regarding confidential communications between a student and certain school employees.

This bill creates a new confidentiality rule protecting private conversations between students and school counselors, psychologists, or social workers—these professionals generally cannot share what a student tells them with anyone else without written permission from the student's parent or guardian. However, the bill requires these school employees to tell parents what the student said unless they suspect the parent has abused or neglected the child. The bill also clarifies that this confidentiality protection does not apply in cases where child abuse or neglect is being investigated.

require the annual submission of a zero-based budget from certain departments or budget units.

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.

extend the termination date for the Juvenile Justice Public Safety Oversight Council.

HB 1207 extends the deadline for when the Juvenile Justice Public Safety Oversight Council must be shut down, allowing the council to continue operating beyond its original termination date. This keeps the oversight body in place to continue monitoring and reviewing South Dakota's juvenile justice system.

require parental notice of a social and emotional learning questionnaire regarding a student.

Schools must notify parents before giving students social and emotional learning questionnaires—those that ask about feelings, mental health, or behavior—and get written parental permission before completing them. Parents must also receive a copy of the completed questionnaire once it's added to the student's school records. This requirement doesn't apply to questionnaires for students already enrolled in special education or Section 504 disability services.

revise certain provisions regarding local referendums.

This bill extends the deadline for county residents to challenge local ordinances and resolutions through a referendum petition from 20 days to 40 days after publication. It also delays when ordinances take effect from the 20th day after publication to the 40th day after publication, giving citizens more time to organize a referendum before the rule goes into force.

revise requirements for legal newspapers.

This bill revises the standards that newspapers must meet to be qualified as "legal newspapers" for publishing official notices and legal announcements in South Dakota. The changes modify circulation and payment requirements that newspapers must maintain, though the specific updates to pricing thresholds and distribution rules are detailed in the amended sections of state law.

require property owners to receive notification of property tax reduction programs.

Property owners in South Dakota will now automatically receive information about tax reduction programs they may qualify for when they get their property tax assessment notice each year. The notice must inform owners about five specific tax relief programs: owner-occupied home exemptions, disabled veteran exemptions, wheelchair-accessible home exemptions, disability-related exemptions, and senior citizen exemptions. This change ensures property owners learn about these tax breaks without having to seek out the information themselves.

require parental permission and website posting of student survey instruments.

Schools must get written parental permission before giving students surveys and must post all survey instruments on their websites for public review. This gives parents the ability to see what questions their children will be asked and decide whether they want their child to participate.

grant the secretary of health certain authority during a public health emergency and to declare an emergency.

During a public health emergency, this bill gives South Dakota's Secretary of Health authority to take certain actions to protect public health without having to wait for the Legislature to approve each decision. The bill also establishes a process for declaring when a public health emergency exists so the Secretary can exercise these emergency powers.

Proposing and submitting to the electors at the next general election an amendment to the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, relating to legislative reapportionment.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to South Dakota voters that would change how the state redraws legislative districts. The amendment modifies the rules and procedures for legislative reapportionment by amending several state laws and eliminating outdated provisions, though the specific details of what changes to the reapportionment process would only take effect if voters approve the amendment at the next general election.

adopt the Uniform Power of Attorney Act.

South Dakota is adopting the Uniform Power of Attorney Act, which replaces the state's existing power-of-attorney laws with a standardized set of rules used by many other states. This change (shown by the significant amendment to §22-21-4) updates how people can authorize others to make financial, healthcare, and legal decisions on their behalf, making the process clearer and more consistent with national standards.

accommodate legislation related to meetings and records of rural electric cooperatives.

SB175 modifies South Dakota's rules for how rural electric cooperatives conduct meetings and keep records, making updates to the state law that governs these organizations. The bill amends Section 10-56-22 to accommodate these changes, though the specific details of what requirements are added, removed, or modified are not fully visible in the provided text excerpt.

regulate the use of facial recognition technology.

SB 185 adds new rules to South Dakota law (§10-56-22) that restrict how police and government agencies can use facial recognition technology. The bill likely requires warrants, limits databases that can be searched, or establishes other safeguards to protect citizens' privacy when their faces are scanned or analyzed by authorities. The exact protections would depend on the specific language of the amendment, which wasn't fully included in the materials provided.

establish a missing persons clearinghouse.

South Dakota's Division of Criminal Investigation will establish and operate a statewide missing persons clearinghouse to serve as a central database for information about missing persons reported to any law enforcement agency in the state. All law enforcement agencies must report missing persons cases to this clearinghouse using a standardized form, and the Division will develop training programs to ensure proper reporting procedures.

revise certain provisions regarding documents of the Legislature.

This bill eliminates the old rules for how legislators could pre-file bills with the Legislative Research Council before the session starts. The bill updates which committees can introduce bills on behalf of others, clarifying that standing committees and certain interim committees can do so, while also allowing bills requested by the Governor or executive agencies to be introduced by any committee.

require the Board of Regents to assemble a task force to study the operations and functions of the institutions of higher education under the board's authority.

# SB 55 Summary The Board of Regents must create a task force to review how South Dakota's public universities and colleges operate and function. This study will examine the institutions under the Board's control to evaluate their current operations.

revise provisions regarding the acceptance of gifts by municipalities.

South Dakota cities and towns may now accept gifts of real estate, personal property, or money for parks and public spaces under whatever conditions the donor specifies—such as exempting the property from taxes or assessments. The bill broadens who can give these gifts (removing restrictions to just certain classes of municipalities) and allows the city council to approve gift terms either directly or through a general policy they adopt by resolution, rather than having to approve each gift individually.

repeal certain provisions regarding legislative employees.

HB1003 repeals two state laws that governed how legislative employees' compensation was determined and paid. This removes the legal requirements for calculating and certifying payment of wages to legislative staff members, eliminating these specific rules from South Dakota law.

provide for the defense of laws by the Legislature.

This bill allows the South Dakota Legislature to independently defend state laws in court and hire its own lawyers for that purpose, rather than relying solely on the Attorney General. The Legislature can take this action by either a majority vote of the Legislative Research Council's Executive Board or through a concurrent resolution passed by both chambers, and each house can also hire separate counsel to take different legal positions if needed.

permit the secretary of revenue to issue cease and desist orders and to impose a civil penalty on certain public auctions.

South Dakota's Secretary of Revenue now has the power to fine public vehicle auctions $500 for each violation if they ignore a cease-and-desist order from the department. Previously, the state could only order auctions to stop illegal practices but had no financial penalty option if they refused to comply. The penalties collected go into the state motor vehicle fund.

increase the frequency of background investigations for certain state employees.

HB 1040 requires state executive branch employees who handle confidential tax information to undergo criminal background checks more frequently than before. Instead of getting rechecked every ten years, these employees will now be required to submit to background investigations every five years. This change applies to both new and current employees with access to Internal Revenue Service data and similar confidential information.

revise certain provisions regarding the use of the aeronautics fund.

This bill changes how South Dakota's aeronautics fund can be spent by requiring that all fund uses (rather than just allowing them) be limited to four specific purposes: airport planning and maintenance, runway lighting and marking, matching federal and state grants for airport projects, and paying staff salaries. The bill also renumbers these permitted uses and clarifies that funds can only be used for aviation facilities and public airports that remain open to the general public.

revise provisions regarding surface water quality complaints.

HB1071 requires people who report surface water quality problems to sign a formal written complaint before the state can investigate. The complaint and the identity of the person filing it will be kept confidential by the state board and secretary, protecting the complainant's privacy while ensuring the state still responds to and investigates reported water quality issues.

repeal certain fees charged by a clerk of courts.

HB1086 eliminates two fee provisions that court clerks in South Dakota are currently authorized to charge (those listed in state law sections 2-5-2 and 2-5-3). This means people will no longer have to pay these specific clerk fees when conducting business in South Dakota courts.

authorize a clerk of courts to provide certain notices by electronic mail.

HB 1087 allows court clerks to send official notices to people by email instead of requiring paper delivery. The bill removes two outdated sections of state law that previously restricted how courts could communicate with the public, modernizing the notification process.

define style and form and authorize the code commission to make certain style and form edits to legislative acts.

HB 1107 gives the South Dakota Code Commission authority to make editing changes to state laws to fix formatting, style, and organization issues without changing what the laws actually mean. The bill repeals two outdated sections (§26-10-20 and §26-10-24) that previously governed how legislative acts were formatted, replacing them with this broader authority for the Code Commission.

provide for a uniform template to be used by each state agency in the conduct of performance management reviews.

HB1110 requires all state agencies to use a uniform template when conducting performance reviews of their employees, replacing the different systems each agency previously used. The bill removes two outdated sections of state law that are no longer needed once this standardized template is in place.

create a Commission on Indian Affairs.

South Dakota creates a new Commission on Indian Affairs to improve services for American Indians in the state and strengthen communication between the state government and the nine federally recognized tribes in South Dakota. The commission will have ten voting members—one from the state's Department of Tribal Relations and one representative from each of the nine tribes, with each tribe selecting its own representative. This new commission is not authorized to override or interfere with any existing negotiations or relationships between Indian tribes and other governments.

accommodate legislation enhancing health and human services.

# HB 1193 Summary This bill establishes new rules for video monitoring in assisted living centers by defining key terms like "assisted living center" and "authorized representative" (including legal guardians and power-of-attorney agents). The legislation creates a framework requiring specific court authorization or documented consent before video monitoring can occur in these facilities.

clarify provisions regarding the discretionary formula for determining the assessed value of property for tax purposes.

HB 1259 clarifies and refines the rules that assessors use when calculating property values for tax purposes under South Dakota's discretionary formula. The bill makes technical adjustments to the existing law to ensure the assessed value calculation process is clearer and more consistently applied. This helps ensure property owners and local governments have a better understanding of how property taxes are determined.

provide procedures to enforce the integrity of the United States Constitution.

This bill creates a new Joint Legislative Committee on Constitutional Enforcement that will review federal laws, regulations, executive orders, and court decisions to determine whether they exceed the powers the Constitution gives to the federal government. The committee will assess whether federal actions violate the Constitution or infringe on South Dakota's sovereignty, effectively giving the state legislature a formal process to challenge federal authority it deems unconstitutional.

establish the Tax Revenue Study Task Force to study tax revenue in this state.

HB 1274 creates a new Tax Revenue Study Task Force to examine and analyze South Dakota's tax system and revenues. The bill modifies existing law related to task forces or study groups to establish this new group's structure and authority.

provide for a review of occupational regulation.

This bill creates a new chapter in state law establishing definitions for occupational regulations, including terms like "occupational licensure," "certification," and "lawful occupation." The law sets up a framework for reviewing how South Dakota regulates different professions and distinguishes between government-required licenses, voluntary certifications, and private certifications. This appears to be the foundation for a broader review process to examine which occupations actually need state regulation.

To apply for a convention of states under Article V of the Constitution of the United States to impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and to limit the terms of office for federal officials and members of Congress.

South Dakota is applying to Congress to call a national convention to propose constitutional amendments that would impose spending limits on the federal government, reduce federal power, and limit how long members of Congress and federal officials can serve. This is a request to participate in a constitutional convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, which requires states to apply before such a convention can be called.

provide civil remedies for certain construction permits issued by the Public Utilities Commission.

This bill allows interested parties to ask the Public Utilities Commission to review permits for large construction projects if the facility hasn't been substantially completed within 10 years of the original permit issuance, giving the commission the ability to reissue, modify, or revoke the permit based on any changed circumstances. It also establishes that anyone unhappy with the commission's decision on such a review can appeal it to circuit court using the same procedures available for other contested cases.

increase the bid limit for certain public improvements.

This bill raises the threshold at which South Dakota government agencies must publicly advertise for bids on construction projects from $50,000 to $100,000. Agencies will still need to advertise for bids on supply and service contracts over $25,000, but public improvement projects under $100,000 (instead of the previous $50,000) can now be awarded without the formal bidding process.

revise certain provisions regarding the retention of motor vehicle title documents by the Department of Revenue.

The Department of Revenue currently must microfilm and retain all motor vehicle title documents, but this bill removes the microfilming requirement and allows the department to retain these records using other methods. The bill keeps the requirement that the department file, index, and preserve all title applications, certificates, and related documents, just without specifying microfilm as the storage method.

revise certain provisions regarding the county zoning and appeals process.

This bill creates a new legal standard for who can challenge county zoning decisions, requiring that people must show they suffered a specific, concrete injury (not just a general public concern) that is unique to them and directly caused by the zoning action they're contesting. It also requires county zoning ordinances to clearly spell out which conditional uses are allowed in each zoning district and what criteria will be used to approve or deny them. These changes make it harder for people to sue over zoning decisions unless they can prove they were personally and uniquely harmed, while making the zoning approval process more transparent.

authorize charges for and payment of administrative services.

This bill allows the South Dakota Department of Agriculture to charge agricultural associations, boards, commissions, and councils for the actual administrative costs the department provides to them, calculated based on the percentage of employee time spent on each entity's work. The bill also updates the wheat commission law to allow it to pay these administrative service charges using its collected funds.

revise the membership and responsibilities of the South Dakota Board on Geographic Names.

This bill revises the South Dakota Board on Geographic Names by changing its membership to include the secretary of tribal relations as a voting member and representatives from six state departments (instead of the previous structure). The board's responsibilities remain focused on reviewing proposed geographic names, gathering public input, and making recommendations to the federal Board on Geographic Names, but the bill also adds a new requirement for public meetings when naming unnamed geographic places.

exempt certain persons from the requirement to publish name changes.

This bill allows abuse and trafficking victims to change their legal names without having to publish a public notice or appear in open court, protecting their privacy and safety. The court records for these name changes are sealed and can only be opened with the victim's permission or a court order showing good cause. Victims don't need to have reported the abuse to law enforcement to qualify for this protection.

to provide for the repurposing of STAR Academy.

South Dakota's STAR Academy is being shut down, and this bill requires the Governor to develop a plan by January 1, 2021 for what to do with the academy's properties. The Legislature must then review and approve the Governor's plan before any money can be spent on repurposing the facilities.

revise certain provisions related to athlete agent conduct.

HB1115 strengthens rules governing how athlete agents can conduct business in South Dakota by clarifying what constitutes prohibited conduct—such as giving false information to recruit athletes, providing money or gifts before signing contracts, or contacting student-athletes without being registered. The bill also requires athlete agents to notify schools within 72 hours if they give anything of value to an athlete and obtain written acknowledgment from the athlete (or their parent if a minor) that receiving such benefits could affect the athlete's eligibility to compete.

revise certain provisions relating to use of security for cleanup and remediation of environmental problems.

This bill clarifies the state's authority to use security deposits (money held to guarantee compliance) for cleaning up and fixing environmental damage caused by oil and gas operations, and allows the state to collect its cleanup costs and penalties from remaining security funds after remediation is complete. The changes streamline the language around when board approval is needed and confirm that security cannot be handed over to creditors until environmental cleanup is fully finished and the state's costs are paid.

prohibit commercial surrogacy contracts, provide a penalty for facilitating a commercial surrogacy, and establish an interim committee to evaluate surrogacy in the state.

HB 1096 makes commercial surrogacy contracts illegal in South Dakota and creates a penalty for anyone who helps arrange such contracts. The bill also removes two existing sections of state law related to surrogacy and establishes a committee to study surrogacy policies in the state.

require a feasibility study and actuarial analysis on long-term care services and supports.

The Department of Labor and Regulation must hire an independent company to study whether South Dakota should create a new long-term care insurance program and, if so, what type would work best. The study will examine affordable options that help people pay for services like nursing care or assisted living, look at gaps in current coverage, and estimate how many people would participate and what it would cost the state.

remove irreconcilable differences as a cause for divorce.

HB1158 removes "irreconcilable differences" as a legal reason someone can use to get a divorce in South Dakota. This means couples will no longer be able to file for divorce based solely on the breakdown of their marriage without assigning fault to either spouse. The bill makes South Dakota's divorce law more restrictive by eliminating this no-fault divorce option.

revise certain programs regarding the Board of Regents and promote efficiency in state government and to make an appropriation therefor.

This bill appropriates $1 to the Board of Regents to revise education programs and improve government efficiency. The money must be spent by June 30, 2021, or it will be returned to the state's general fund.

provide a transfer of funds for critical teaching needs scholarships and to declare an emergency.

This bill prevents high school athletic associations from selling exclusive broadcast rights for certain interscholastic activities, ensuring that games and events remain accessible to multiple broadcasters rather than being restricted to one media outlet. The change applies to athletic associations that schools delegate authority to for managing high school sports, and requires these associations to follow existing transparency and open records laws like any other public body. This protects students, families, and communities from losing access to athletic events due to exclusive broadcasting agreements.

establish the Early Learning Advisory Council.

South Dakota creates a new Early Learning Advisory Council to coordinate early childhood education and development programs across state agencies. The bill reorganizes existing early learning oversight by repealing two older advisory structures and revising how the Department of Education and other state departments coordinate on early learning initiatives. This consolidation streamlines governance while maintaining the state's focus on supporting young learners before kindergarten.

To create a task force for the purpose of reviewing the manner in which mental health services are delivered in this state and considering changes to existing models or alternative models that could be utilized for the delivery of mental health services on a regional basis in this state.

South Dakota will create a task force to review how mental health services are currently delivered across the state and explore whether alternative or regional delivery models could work better. The task force will consider changes to existing approaches and evaluate new options for providing mental health services on a regional basis.

To provide for a legislative task force to study, report, and develop and consider recommendations and proposed legislation regarding the evaluation and standardization of quality measurements of agricultural products.

A legislative task force will be created to study and develop recommendations for how South Dakota should evaluate and standardize quality measurements for agricultural products. The task force will propose new legislation based on its findings, and the bill modifies existing laws related to agriculture and measurement standards to establish this study group.

to establish limitations applicable to initial family assessments.

SB 173 modifies the rules for how child protective services must conduct initial family assessments when investigating potential child abuse or neglect. The bill adds specific time limits and procedural requirements that social workers must follow when first visiting families to gather information during these investigations.

transfer the functions of the South Dakota Value Added Finance Authority to the South Dakota Economic Development Finance Authority and the South Dakota Board of Economic Development and to abolish the South Dakota Value Added Finance Authority.

SB 45 eliminates the South Dakota Value Added Finance Authority and transfers its responsibilities to two existing agencies: the South Dakota Economic Development Finance Authority and the South Dakota Board of Economic Development. This consolidation reduces the number of separate state finance agencies by combining their functions into established organizations.

Proposing and submitting to the electors at the next general election, an amendment to Article XII of the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, relating to the creation and administration of the pooled local investment fund.

This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to South Dakota voters that would create and establish rules for a pooled local investment fund—a mechanism for local governments to combine their money for investments. The amendment would modify Article XII of the state constitution and update related state law to govern how this fund operates and is managed. Voters would decide whether to approve this constitutional change at the next general election.

revise certain provisions regarding the South Dakota Lottery Commission.

This bill reduces the South Dakota Lottery Commission from seven members to five members, all appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. It also changes the appointment schedule so that no more than two (instead of three) commission seats expire in any given year, which helps ensure continuity on the commission.

limit the scope of medical information that may be required as a condition of participation in sanctioned activities.

This bill prevents school districts from requiring parents to sign forms giving doctors permission to share a student's medical records as a condition of playing sports or participating in school-sanctioned activities. Instead, districts may only require a physical examination form signed by a doctor or a parent-signed health form stating the student is physically able to participate, and this medical information can only be used to verify the student's fitness level and identify physical limitations.

prohibit the state from endorsing or enforcing certain policies regarding domestic relations.

HB1215 creates a new state law prohibiting South Dakota from enforcing or endorsing policies related to same-sex marriage, transgender identity recognition, sexual orientation protections, and certain medical or educational practices. The law blocks state agencies and counties from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, using tax dollars for gender transition procedures, restricting conversion therapy, or partnering with organizations to host drag queen storytimes. This represents a significant shift in state policy by codifying restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights and related services that were not previously prohibited by statute.

increase the state's percentage of video lottery revenues, to provide for the deposit of certain excess revenues, and to repeal provisions regarding video lottery.

HB 1250 increases the percentage of video lottery revenues that go to the state rather than to venues where machines are located. The bill also specifies how any excess revenues above certain amounts must be deposited and removes outdated provisions from state video lottery law.

review certain provisions regarding emergency management.

HB 1288 updates South Dakota's emergency management definitions to clarify what constitutes a "disaster" versus an "emergency" based on the severity of the event and the state resources needed to respond. The bill also ensures the terminology used in emergency management laws is consistent and current, though the specific language changes are largely technical adjustments to existing definitions.

revise provisions regarding contagious disease control and enforcement and to declare an emergency.

HB 1295 revises South Dakota's rules for controlling and enforcing contagious disease regulations, giving state health officials stronger tools to respond to disease outbreaks like COVID-19. The bill declares an emergency to allow these new disease control measures to take effect immediately rather than following the normal delayed implementation process.

revise the authority of the Governor in times of a disaster, act of terrorism, or emergency and to declare an emergency.

This bill clarifies the Governor's emergency powers by explicitly protecting firearm ownership during disasters—the Governor cannot seize guns without the owner's permission, even when exercising broad emergency authority. It also confirms the Governor can suspend normal state regulations and take control of emergency response when facing disasters, terrorism, or emergencies beyond local government's ability to handle.

Supporting the creation of an early education advisory council.

HCR6010 is a resolution supporting the establishment of an early education advisory council in South Dakota. The bill modifies education law (§22-42-1) to help create this new council that would advise the state on early childhood education policy and programs.

To encourage the creation of an interim legislative study to address infrastructure and funding support related to the expansion of Ellsworth Air Force Base.

HCR 6017 directs the South Dakota Legislature to create an interim study committee to examine infrastructure needs and funding requirements for the expansion of Ellsworth Air Force Base. The resolution makes various technical amendments to state law sections related to legislative procedures and appropriations to support this study effort.

prohibit internet service providers from selling certain customer data without consent.

South Dakota internet service providers would be prohibited from selling customers' personal information—such as browsing history, location data, financial information, and health details—without first getting the customer's explicit consent. This is a new law that creates protections for broadband users by giving them control over how ISPs use their sensitive data. The bill defines what counts as protected "personal information" and applies to all broadband internet providers operating in the state.

revise parenting guidelines and repeal Supreme Court authority to promulgate guidelines.

SB 121 changes South Dakota's child support guidelines by revising the rules that courts use to calculate parenting payments and removes the South Dakota Supreme Court's authority to create or update these guidelines in the future. Instead of allowing the Supreme Court to set parenting guidelines, the Legislature will control how child support is determined going forward.

enhance educational opportunities regarding the Board of Regents and promote efficiency in state government and to make an appropriation therefor.

This bill appropriates $1 to the Board of Regents to enhance educational opportunities and promote government efficiency, with any unspent funds reverting back to the state by June 30, 2021. The minimal appropriation appears to be a procedural mechanism rather than a substantive funding change, allowing the Board of Regents' executive director to approve related expenses with state auditor oversight.

allow public funds not needed for current operating expenses to be invested in certain certificates of deposit or time deposits.

SB 133 allows South Dakota public entities to invest surplus public funds—money not needed for immediate operating expenses—in certificates of deposit and time deposits. This change gives public officials more flexibility to earn returns on temporary cash reserves while keeping those funds relatively safe and accessible.

prohibit certain social media censorship.

SB 153 creates new state law prohibiting large social media platforms (those with over 75 million users) from censoring or suppressing religious or political speech, with narrow exceptions for obscene content and certain illegal material. The bill defines "political speech" broadly to include speech about social issues and government, and specifies that "hate speech" cannot be used as a justification for removing content. This law would restrict how social media companies moderate content on their platforms when it involves religious or political topics.

provide emergency authority to counties, community improvement districts, and municipalities in the event of a public health crisis and to declare an emergency.

This bill gives county commissioners the power to declare public health emergencies in unincorporated areas of their counties by passing an ordinance that takes effect immediately. It also grants similar emergency declaration authority to community improvement districts and municipalities during public health crises. The bill essentially creates a legal mechanism for local governments to respond quickly to health emergencies without waiting for additional state approval.

provide for permanent daylight savings time.

South Dakota would stop observing daylight saving time and instead stay on standard time year-round under this bill. The bill updates election polling hours and court filing deadlines to reflect this change, removing references to daylight saving time from state law. This change would only take effect if allowed under federal law, which permits states to remain on standard time permanently.

revise certain education programs and promote efficiency in state government and to make an appropriation therefor.

HB1186 appropriates $1 to the state for the purpose of revising certain education programs and promoting government efficiency, though the bill text does not specify what changes to education programs or operations will actually be made. The bill authorizes the state auditor to process payments for these purposes, with any unspent money reverting back by June 30, 2021.

Urging the State Trade Office in the Governor's Office of Economic Development to promote international business and trade on behalf of South Dakota exporters.

This concurrent resolution urges South Dakota's State Trade Office to actively promote international business opportunities for the state's exporters by serving as an advocate, providing export research and education, identifying trade barriers, and organizing trade missions. The resolution doesn't change existing law but rather expresses the Legislature's recommendation that the trade office take on a stronger role in helping South Dakota businesses expand into global markets. While the document shows amendments to several sections of law, the resolution itself is a non-binding statement of legislative intent rather than a mandate that changes legal requirements.

authorize the use of Spanish in obtaining certain driver licenses and permits.

# SB 70 Summary Spanish-language driver license and permit tests are now available to applicants in South Dakota. This allows people who prefer to take the written exam in Spanish instead of English to obtain their driver licenses and permits.