HB1182

This bill redirects 10% of the federal forest payments that South Dakota receives from the Black Hills and Custer National Forests away from local counties and toward two new programs: a Native American achievement schools grant program and a tribal government infrastructure improvement fund. Previously, all of these federal payments went to the five affected counties (Lawrence, Meade, Pennington, Custer, and Fall River for Black Hills; Harding County for Custer National Forest) for roads and schools, but now those counties will receive 90% while the remaining 10% supports Native American education and tribal infrastructure projects.