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require legislative approval for the acquisition, sale, or exchange of real property by the Department of Game, Fish and Parks.

# HB 1235 Summary The Department of Game, Fish and Parks will need to get approval from the legislature before it can buy, sell, or trade any real property. This change gives lawmakers direct oversight over how the department manages its land and building assets instead of allowing the department to make these decisions on its own.

provide additional time for camping permit acquisition by residents.

This bill changes state law to require—instead of merely allow—the Game, Fish and Parks Commission to adopt rules for managing South Dakota's state park system, including issuing camping permits and collecting fees. The shift from "may" to "must" and "shall" makes these rule-making responsibilities mandatory rather than optional for the commission.

transfer the Office of Indian Education to the Department of Education.

# SB 112 Summary SB 112 moves the Office of Indian Education from its current location to become part of the Department of Education. This consolidation brings Native American education programs under the state's main education department instead of operating as a separate office.

amend certain provisions relating to the small business credit initiative fund.

This bill transfers management of South Dakota's small business credit initiative fund from the Governor's Office to the Board of Economic Development. The bill also updates the federal regulations referenced in the law to reflect current standards for how administrative costs can be paid from the fund. These changes modernize the program's oversight while keeping its core purpose of providing loans for economic development intact.

make an appropriation to the Department of Labor and Regulation for the modernization of the reemployment assistance enterprise system and to declare an emergency.

SB 31 provides funding to the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation to upgrade and modernize its unemployment insurance system (called the reemployment assistance enterprise system). The bill declares an emergency, which allows the funding to take effect immediately rather than waiting for the normal effective date.

make an appropriation for the replacement of the Richmond Lake spillway, for the general maintenance and repair of other state-owned dams, and to declare an emergency.

SB 52 appropriates state money to replace the spillway at Richmond Lake and to pay for general maintenance and repairs on other state-owned dams. The bill declares an emergency, which allows the funds to be spent immediately rather than waiting for the normal budget process.

revise holiday pay for state employees.

This bill updates how state employees receive holiday pay by clarifying that employees qualify for holiday benefits if they work at least one shift or use approved paid leave during the week a holiday falls. The bill also specifies that when hourly employees work on a holiday, they receive whichever is greater: eight hours of pay or the actual hours worked, with part-time employees receiving a proportional amount based on their schedule.

revise certain provisions regarding the State Conservation Commission and conservation districts.

SB88 extends the deadline for the State Conservation Commission to hold a hearing on proposals to combine or divide conservation districts from 30 days to 60 days after receiving a petition or resolution. This gives the Commission more time to schedule and prepare for hearings on district reorganization requests.

require that taxpayer funded pool arrangements providing workers' compensation coverage demonstrate financial stability, reliable management, and fair pricing.

This bill strengthens oversight of taxpayer-funded worker's compensation pools by requiring them to file annual financial audits with the Department of Legislative Audit within three months (shortened from twelve months) and making those audits publicly available online. It also requires these pools to submit annual financial plans to the state and pool members detailing their coverage options, rate-setting methods, and cash reserves by September first each year.

prohibit lobbying by state officials and employees.

South Dakota state officials and employees are now prohibited from working as lobbyists to influence legislation on behalf of private interests, agencies, or businesses. The bill updates the state's lobbying registration requirements to enforce this ban by preventing anyone—including government workers—from being hired as a lobbyist and registered in the state's directory of registered lobbyists.

revise rulemaking authority related to medical cannabis.

This bill removes an outdated October 29, 2021 deadline that required the state Department of Health to create medical cannabis rules by that date, allowing the department to continue developing and updating those rules going forward. The department must still create rules covering how the public can petition to add medical conditions, application requirements for cannabis businesses, and a scoring system to evaluate competing applicants when there are more applications than allowed.

revise certain provisions relating to the South Dakota Retirement System.

SB 56 updates the definitions and technical rules used to calculate retirement benefits and funding levels for the South Dakota Retirement System. The bill clarifies how the system's assets are valued and determines the contribution rates that employers and employees must pay into the retirement fund. These changes ensure the retirement system's financial calculations remain accurate and sustainable.

make an appropriation to the Board of Technical Education to support the purchase of simulation equipment for a health sciences clinical simulation center on the campus of Southeast Technical College and to declare an emergency.

SB 61 provides state funding to the Board of Technical Education to buy simulation equipment for a health sciences clinical simulation center at Southeast Technical College. The bill declares this funding an emergency matter, allowing it to take effect immediately rather than waiting for the standard effective date.

establish certain pay provisions for state employees working shifts longer than eight hours a day.

State employees who work shifts longer than 8 hours will now receive holiday pay based on their actual shift length rather than a standard 8-hour day, ensuring they don't lose pay when a holiday falls on a day they normally work extended hours. Additionally, non-salaried state employees scheduled to work 12-hour or longer shifts must receive overtime pay for any hours worked beyond 36 hours in a single week, protecting workers on extended shift schedules from working excessive hours without additional compensation.

revise certain provisions regarding the investments authorized for state public funds.

HB 1002 updates the types of investments that South Dakota state public funds are allowed to make by reorganizing and clarifying the list of approved securities—including direct U.S. government obligations, corporate bonds with high credit ratings, bank deposits, and other traditional investments. The bill also clarifies which state trust funds (like education and health care trust funds) are covered by these investment rules. This is primarily a technical cleanup of the investment code to ensure the State Investment Council has clear guidance on how to manage public money.

permit nonresponsive insurance producer applications be deemed withdrawn as to not constitute a refusal or administrative action.

When the state insurance director asks an applicant for a missing piece of information on an insurance producer license application, the application will be automatically considered withdrawn if the applicant doesn't respond within 60 days. This withdrawal won't be treated as an official rejection or counted as a disciplinary action that gets reported to other states, allowing applicants to reapply without that mark against them.

revise the approval process for state employee household moving allowances.

This bill shifts approval authority for state employee moving allowances from the Board of Finance to the State Auditor. Employees who are transferred between South Dakota state offices can still receive reimbursement for moving expenses, but they now need the State Auditor's approval instead of the Board of Finance's approval before the allowance is authorized.

protect the integrity of reemployment assistance.

This bill requires South Dakota's Department of Labor and Regulation to conduct monthly checks comparing unemployment benefit recipients against new hire records and incarcerated individuals to verify that only eligible people receive reemployment assistance payments. The department can also enter into agreements with other state agencies to share information needed for these eligibility checks. This adds a new integrity verification process to the state's unemployment insurance system.

provide oversight regarding the exercise of gubernatorial emergency powers.

This bill adds new oversight requirements to the Governor's emergency powers by requiring legislative review of decisions made during declared emergencies. The specific oversight mechanisms and limitations on the Governor's authority are detailed in the amended statute, though the excerpt provided doesn't show the complete final language of those new restrictions.

establish emergency retire-rehire provisions for the South Dakota Retirement System.

HB1261 allows retired members of the South Dakota Retirement System to return to work temporarily without losing their cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) to their retirement benefits, reversing the current rule that eliminates COLA during any period of re-employment. The bill also makes technical clarifications to contribution requirements for the retirement system. This change is intended to help address staffing emergencies by making it easier for retirees to temporarily return to work.

classify 911 telecommunicators as Class B members of the South Dakota Retirement System.

This bill moves 911 telecommunicators into the Class B membership category of South Dakota's state retirement system, which likely provides them with enhanced retirement benefits similar to other public safety workers. The change means 911 dispatchers will now be treated like firefighters and other emergency personnel for retirement purposes rather than being classified as regular state employees.

revise provisions regarding the medical marijuana oversight committee.

SB 11 requires South Dakota's medical marijuana oversight committee to meet at least twice per year to evaluate and recommend improvements to the Legislature and state department regarding patient access, dispensary and cultivation facility effectiveness, testing facility adequacy, and regulatory safeguards. The bill expands the committee's review responsibilities to include specific areas like dispensary pricing, complaints, security issues, educational services, and potential regulatory changes related to security, labeling, employment, and medical complications.

establish provisions for the South Dakota Retirement System.

# SB 141 Summary This bill establishes new rules for the South Dakota Retirement System, though the actual provisions are not detailed in the excerpt provided. To give you an accurate summary of what specifically changes for retirees, employees, or employers, the full bill text showing the detailed amendments would be needed.

create the Office of Ombudsman for State Employees.

South Dakota would create a new Office of Ombudsman for State Employees to investigate complaints from state workers about illegal actions or improper decisions by executive branch agencies. The ombudsman, appointed by the Legislative Research Council, would review complaints to determine whether they're valid and worth investigating, while steering employees toward other available remedies when appropriate. This is a new office and function in state government, with no existing law being changed—only added.

require legislative approval for the acquisition, construction, or expansion of certain campgrounds.

SB 193 requires the South Dakota Legislature to approve any new acquisition, construction, or expansion of state-owned campgrounds before they can proceed. This change gives lawmakers a say in how the state's campground resources are developed and funded, rather than allowing agencies to make these decisions on their own.

revise the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act.

SB208 updates South Dakota's unclaimed property law to align with the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, which governs how the state handles money and assets that owners have abandoned or lost track of. The bill makes changes to the rules about when property is considered unclaimed, how long businesses must hold it before turning it over to the state, and what the state does with these abandoned funds. These updates modernize the law to match standards adopted by other states and improve how unclaimed property is managed and returned to rightful owners.

make an appropriation for water, wastewater and storm water projects throughout state government, and to declare an emergency.

SB 50 provides state funding for water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects across South Dakota government agencies. The bill declares an emergency, which allows the appropriation to take effect immediately rather than waiting for the normal effective date.

make an appropriation to support firefighter training equipment and recruitment efforts in the state, and to declare an emergency.

SB 51 allocates state funding to purchase firefighter training equipment and support recruitment programs to help bring more firefighters into service across South Dakota. The bill also declares an emergency, which allows the funding to take effect immediately rather than waiting for the normal effective date. This is new spending rather than a change to existing law.

revise the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2022.

This bill adjusts the state budget for fiscal year 2022 by increasing funding for several agencies, including the Bureau of Finance and Management, Bureau of Administration, Bureau of Information and Telecommunications, and the Department of Revenue's Motor Vehicles division. The changes include adding 2 full-time employees to the Finance and Management bureau, reducing staff at the Health and Education Facilities Authority, and reallocating millions of dollars among different departments' operating expenses and personnel costs. Overall, the bill modifies how the state's previously-approved 2022 budget money is distributed across these government agencies.

update the South Dakota Coordinate System to conform to national standards.

South Dakota updates its coordinate system rules to align with the National Geodetic Survey's current standards instead of referencing outdated 1927 and 1983 systems. The state will now use the National Spatial Reference System framework to define geographic zones within South Dakota rather than the previous "north zone" and "south zone" division. This change modernizes how surveyors and government agencies officially measure and describe locations of property and geographic features within the state.

make an appropriation to the Board of Regents to renovate the science laboratories in the Churchill-Haines Building at the University of South Dakota.

SB 96 directs state money to the Board of Regents specifically to renovate the science laboratories inside the Churchill-Haines Building at the University of South Dakota. This is a one-time funding appropriation to improve those lab facilities.

revise notice and record keeping requirements of real estate brokerages.

This bill clarifies how real estate brokers must notify the state Department of Labor and Regulation when their business location changes, requiring them to report the change in writing either before moving or within ten days afterward. It also specifies that brokers must maintain all work files at their registered main office location and that the state can send official communications there. If a broker fails to register a new address, their license will be automatically placed on inactive status.

revise provisions concerning civil penalties imposed for violations related to medical cannabis.

South Dakota is eliminating a specific $150 civil penalty for medical cannabis cardholders and businesses that fail to provide required notices, and replacing it with a broader penalty system that allows the state health department to fine medical cannabis establishments up to $1,000 for any violation of medical cannabis laws where no other penalty is already specified. This change gives regulators more flexibility to penalize violations but could result in steeper fines for some infractions.

revise certain provisions related to the use of epinephrine and supraglottic airway devices by ambulance services.

This bill allows ambulance services in South Dakota to equip their vehicles with epinephrine and supraglottic airway devices (equipment used to manage airways), and allows trained emergency medical technicians to use these tools following state-approved protocols and their service's medical director's guidelines. The bill requires the state health department to create statewide protocols for how these medications and devices should be used by ambulance personnel.

repeal obsolete lease requirements for the Black Hills Playhouse.

This bill removes outdated state laws that governed the Black Hills Playhouse's lease of land in Custer State Park, including requirements to negotiate a lease agreement, provisions that expired in 2019, and rules about building repairs and maintenance spending. These provisions are no longer in effect or are obsolete, so the bill simply cleans up the state's legal code by deleting them.

amend certain provisions relating to the small business credit initiative fund.

HB1051 updates South Dakota's small business credit initiative fund to reflect current federal guidelines and clarify how the state can manage the fund's finances. The bill modifies federal compliance references from outdated 2012 standards to current 2022 standards, and makes technical language changes to clarify that loan repayments and interest must be deposited back into the fund for administrative costs and asset protection. These changes allow the Governor's Office of Economic Development to better administer federal small business lending programs while maintaining alignment with current federal oversight requirements.

revise requirements for involvement in the medical cannabis program.

HB1098 streamlines the medical cannabis program by requiring the state to register new medical cannabis businesses within 90 days of receiving a complete application, rather than using a longer approval process. The bill clarifies specific application requirements that businesses must meet, including submitting proper identification of owners, operating procedures, proof of compliance with local zoning rules, and demonstrating the facility is at least 1,000 feet away from schools.

include a common paymaster as within the meaning of employing unit.

This bill expands South Dakota's unemployment insurance law to formally recognize "common paymasters" as employers. A common paymaster is a business entity that handles payroll and pays employees for two or more related companies, and under this change, the common paymaster is now considered an employing unit responsible for unemployment insurance purposes.

clarify the Corrections Commission's ability to obtain criminal justice information.

This bill clarifies that the state Corrections Commission can request criminal justice information from state and local law enforcement agencies in two ways: either data that agencies already collect and can easily report, or any other information the commission deems necessary to study South Dakota's criminal justice system. The bill also protects agencies by stating the commission cannot require them to create or maintain new data collection systems just to fulfill requests.

revise the deadlines for state agencies to submit annual budget requests to the Legislative Research Council.

This bill moves up the deadline for state agencies to submit their annual budget requests to the Legislative Research Council by two months—from October 15th to August 15th. It also requires the Bureau of Finance and Management to send those budget requests to the Legislative Research Council by August 30th instead of November 1st, giving lawmakers more time to review agency spending plans before the budget process begins.

codify minimum requirements for high school graduation.

This bill sets specific minimum course requirements that all South Dakota public high schools must follow for graduation, including four English units, three math units, three science units, and courses in social studies, personal finance, fine arts, and physical education. Instead of allowing each school district to set its own graduation standards through department rules, this bill writes the requirements directly into state law so they apply uniformly across the state. The bill also updates a scholarship eligibility rule to reference these new statutory graduation requirements.

provide for remote work for employees of money lending licensees and mortgage lender businesses.

HB 1271 allows employees of money lending companies and mortgage lenders to work remotely instead than requiring them to work on-site. The bill modifies the state's licensing requirements for these businesses to permit remote work arrangements while still maintaining oversight of their operations.

revise certain provisions regarding the expenditure of moneys allotted to the state by the United States of America.

This bill requires the Governor to get approval from a special legislative committee before spending federal money or grants that exceed amounts already approved in the state budget. The change clarifies that all federal funds—whether received under existing authority or through new grants—must go through this committee review process before the state can use them.

make various clarifying changes to the state budgeting process.

HB1336 clarifies and reorganizes the definitions used in South Dakota's state budgeting process, such as what counts as an "appropriation," "budget," and "budget unit." The bill updates the language of these definitions to make the budgeting law clearer and more precise, though it doesn't change how the actual budgeting process works.

Urging the executive branch to refrain from seeking or promoting specific legislative outcomes.

This concurrent resolution urges the Governor and executive branch officials to avoid actively seeking or promoting specific legislative outcomes during the legislative session. The resolution expresses the House's view that the executive branch should refrain from lobbying for particular bills or policy positions, leaving those decisions to the legislature.

revise certain provisions regarding motor vehicle license plates.

South Dakota now requires vehicle owners to receive one license plate or sticker instead of two when they register their vehicle. The bill also clarifies that county treasurer offices must stock standard license plates, specialty plates, commercial trailer plates, and regular trailer plates to meet registration requests.

revise Senate Bill 60, the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2022, as previously enacted in the Ninety-Seventh Session of the South Dakota Legislature.

SB 213 adjusts the state budget that was originally passed for fiscal year 2022, making revisions to how state money is allocated across agencies and programs. The specific changes are not detailed in the provided excerpt, but the bill addresses concerns raised by the Department of Human Services and healthcare providers regarding the original budget's implementation.

revise certain provisions regarding money transmission.

SB47 reorganizes South Dakota's money transmission licensing rules by adding a new definition of "controlling person" and renumbering the existing definitions to eliminate gaps. The bill clarifies that someone controls a money transmission company if they own or can vote at least 25 percent of its shares, and it counts ownership stakes held by their spouse, parent, or child toward that threshold. These changes make the state's money transmission regulations clearer and more consistent.

revise provisions regarding the Teacher Compensation Review Board.

This bill changes how often the Teacher Compensation Review Board reviews teacher pay in South Dakota, shifting from every two school years to every three school years, and updates their reporting schedule from annually to every third year. The bill also reduces board members' term lengths from three years to two years. These changes slow down how frequently the state examines and reports on teacher compensation compared to other states.

Honoring Clint Johnson as the recipient of the 2021 Legend of ProRodeo award and for his outstanding representation of South Dakota on the national stage.

This resolution honors Clint Johnson for receiving the 2021 Legend of ProRodeo award and for representing South Dakota at the national level. The bill makes minor technical changes to state laws related to motorized scooters and transportation recordkeeping, but these are procedural adjustments that don't substantially alter how those regulations work.

Commending Grady Kane for his outstanding accomplishments in the sport of archery.

This is a commendation bill honoring Grady Kane for his archery accomplishments—it does not make substantive changes to state law. The technical amendments to sections governing motorized scooters and transportation recordkeeping appear to be procedural corrections made during the legislative process rather than policy changes related to the bill's main purpose.

codify a joint committee for legislative redistricting.

This bill creates a permanent joint committee that will meet every ten years (starting in 2031) to help redraw state legislative district lines after the census. The committee will have 15 legislators—eight from one chamber and seven from the other, with the larger group alternating between the House and Senate each cycle—and will be co-chaired by one House and one Senate member with staff support from the Legislative Research Council.

establish provisions for the regulation of certain products derived from industrial hemp.

This bill requires the Department of Health to create safety testing and labeling rules for hemp products made through chemical processing (isomerization or acetylation) that are meant to be eaten or consumed. The new rules will mandate that these products be tested for cannabinoid potency, harmful substances like pesticides and metals, and microbial contamination, and that labels must display test results, health warnings, ingredients, and allergen information.

create a task force on jail planning, to make an appropriation of general contingency funds therefor, and to declare an emergency.

HB 1238 creates a new task force to plan for future jail facilities in South Dakota. The bill appropriates general contingency funds to support the task force's work and declares an emergency so the task force can begin immediately.

limit the manner in which legislation may be introduced.

This bill restricts which committees can introduce legislation by limiting committee bill introductions to standing committees, interim committees of the Legislative Research Council, and five specific interim committees (Rules Review, Government Operations and Audit, Retirement Laws, Joint Bonding Review, and State-Tribal Relations), plus bills requested by the Governor or Supreme Court. The change removes language that previously allowed other committees to introduce bills, while still allowing individual legislators to introduce bills on their own. Committee chairmen can now pre-file these bills without a full committee vote.

require an annual report from associations that represent boards of school districts.

School board associations in South Dakota must now submit an annual report to the Legislature's government operations committee detailing what dues members pay, what services they provide for those dues, any additional paid services, and their involvement in administering insurance pools. The report must also disclose all compensation the association or its employees receive for managing insurance programs. This creates new transparency requirements so lawmakers can see how school boards' membership dues are being used.

exempt motor vehicle service contracts from the insurance code.

Motor vehicle service contracts—agreements that cover repairs or maintenance on cars—will no longer be regulated as insurance under South Dakota law. This exemption means companies selling these contracts won't need insurance licenses or follow the same rules as traditional insurance companies. The change removes motor vehicle service contracts from the definition of "insurance" in the state's insurance code.

authorize the Department of Corrections to purchase certain real property, construct a community work center for offenders committed to the Department of Corrections, to make an appropriation therefor, transfer funds from the budget reserve fund, and to declare an emergency.

South Dakota is authorizing the Department of Corrections to buy land and build a new community work center for inmates. The state will appropriate funds for this construction project and transfer money from the budget reserve fund to pay for it, declaring the project an emergency to expedite its implementation.

add gaming enforcement agents to Class B membership of the South Dakota Retirement System.

Gaming enforcement agents will now be eligible to join Class B of South Dakota's state retirement system, the same retirement benefits group that covers other state law enforcement and public safety employees. This change allows these agents to earn retirement benefits on the same terms as similar state workers rather than being excluded from this retirement option.

to honor and remember the life of Brandon Valley High School teacher, coach, father, and husband, Chad Garrow.

This bill honors the memory of Chad Garrow, a Brandon Valley High School teacher, coach, father, and husband, through a ceremonial resolution passed by the South Dakota Senate. The bill does not change any state law—it is a memorial resolution recognizing his life and contributions to his community.

Honoring and Commending Stevi Fallis for earning her 1,000th point and the Red Cloud High School girls basketball team for their exceptional athleticism throughout the 2021-2022 basketball season.

SC825 is a ceremonial resolution honoring Stevi Fallis for scoring her 1,000th basketball point and commending the Red Cloud High School girls basketball team for their 2021-2022 season. This bill makes no changes to state law—it is purely a recognition of athletic achievement by the South Dakota Senate.

update provisions regarding self-service storage.

This bill updates South Dakota's self-service storage laws by expanding the definition of "owner" to include anyone who owns, leases, manages, or operates a storage facility (not just the property owner), and clarifies that "occupant" includes sublessees and assignees, not just the original renter. The bill also adds a new definition for "property that has no commercial value" to describe items that don't receive any bids or offers during a sale. These changes modernize the law to better reflect how storage facilities are actually operated and managed today.

appropriate money for the ordinary expenses of the legislative, judicial, and executive departments of the state, the current expenses of state institutions, interest on the public debt, and for common schools.

HB1338 is South Dakota's general appropriations bill that allocates state money for the day-to-day operations of the legislature, courts, governor's office, state institutions, and public schools, as well as payments on the state's debt. The bill amends the state budget law (SDCL 13-8-14) to authorize spending for these core government functions for the current fiscal year.

make an appropriation for the construction of a storage garage in Rapid City and to declare an emergency.

HB 1018 authorizes the state to spend money to build a new storage garage in Rapid City. The bill also declares the project an emergency, which allows it to proceed more quickly than normal legislative procedures would allow.

authorize the Bureau of Administration to construct an addition to the Kinsman Building in Pierre, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency.

The state Bureau of Administration is authorized to build an addition to the Kinsman Building, which is a state office building in Pierre. The bill provides funding for this construction project and declares it an emergency matter to speed up the approval process.

make an appropriation regarding fiscal policy of the State and to declare an emergency.

This bill appropriates $1 from the state general fund to the Legislature to implement the state's fiscal policy, giving the state treasurer and auditor authority to process payments for this purpose. The bill declares an emergency so it takes effect immediately upon the governor's signature rather than waiting for the standard effective date, and any unused funds must be returned to the general fund by June 30, 2026.