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require criminal background checks for emergency medical technicians and advanced life support personnel.

South Dakota will now require emergency medical technicians and advanced life support personnel to undergo state and federal criminal background checks as part of their licensing process, with applicants paying for fingerprinting and background check fees. The state licensing board cannot issue a license until it receives the criminal history information and must consider that information when deciding whether to approve the applicant. The board can also require existing licensed personnel under investigation for discipline to submit to background checks and can deny, suspend, or revoke licenses for failure to comply.

revise the number of class hours required to obtain a responsible broker's license.

This bill increases the continuing education requirement for obtaining a responsible broker's license in real estate from 15 class hours to 24 class hours beyond the broker associate level. Applicants who have completed 15 hours but not the full 24 can still be approved temporarily if they commit in writing to finish the remaining hours within six months.

create a critical care endorsement for emergency medical technician-paramedics.

South Dakota paramedics can now earn a critical care endorsement by completing board-approved critical care transport training or by holding certain national certifications (such as critical care paramedic certification). The state health board is required to adopt rules that establish the educational requirements and conditions for this new endorsement.

prohibit a grain broker from engaging in certain transactions or activities and to provide a penalty therefor.

South Dakota grain brokers must now obtain a state license before buying grain, with violations treated as a Class 5 felony if the person claims to be a grain broker (or a Class 1 misdemeanor otherwise). The bill increases civil penalties for unlicensed grain purchases from $1,000 to $5,000 per transaction, with a maximum fine of $50,000 per licensing period instead of $20,000. Each grain purchase without a license counts as a separate offense that can be prosecuted or enjoined by the Public Utilities Commission.

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.

authorize the Department of Corrections to purchase certain real property and contract for design of a community work center for offenders committed to the Department of Corrections, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency.

SB 53 authorizes the Department of Corrections to buy property and hire designers to build a new community work center where offenders can be housed and work. The bill includes state funding for these purchases and design work, and declares the project an emergency so it can proceed quickly.

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.

make an appropriation for the construction of a new state public health laboratory and the renovation of the existing laboratory and to declare an emergency.

SB58 appropriates state funding to build a new public health laboratory and renovate the existing one in South Dakota. The bill declares an emergency, which allows the funding to take effect immediately rather than waiting for the normal implementation timeline. This ensures the state can proceed quickly with these critical infrastructure improvements to its public health facilities.

Honoring the 2021-2022 Canton C-Hawk girls wrestling team for its outstanding accomplishments.

This resolution honors the Canton C-Hawk girls wrestling team for their accomplishments during the 2021-2022 season. The bill does not change any state law—it is a ceremonial recognition passed by the South Dakota Senate to celebrate the team's achievements.

update certain provisions related to the licensure of optometrists.

This bill updates South Dakota's optometry licensing board from four members to five members, with four required to be licensed optometrists who have practiced in the state for at least five years and one required to be a public representative with no financial ties to optometry. The change adds a public member to the board and clarifies the definition of "board" in the optometry licensing chapter. These updates modernize the board's composition to include consumer representation while maintaining professional expertise requirements.

revise renewal and licensing requirements for plumbers.

HB1043 establishes specific annual expiration dates for plumber and plumbing contractor licenses, with licenses expiring on December 31st each year and renewals due by January 31st. The bill also sets maximum fee limits, capping exam and reexam fees at $100 and license renewal fees at $300. These changes standardize and clarify the licensing renewal process for plumbing professionals in South Dakota.

provide for diploma privilege for admittance to the practice of law.

University of South Dakota law graduates can now become licensed attorneys in South Dakota without taking the bar exam, as long as they meet age and moral character requirements and are state residents. This diploma privilege only applies to graduates of the University of South Dakota law school, not attorneys from other law schools who still must pass the standard bar examination.

modify the licensing of barbers.

HB 1169 allows the Board of Barber Examiners to set fees for barber licenses, registrations, renewals, barber school operations, and barbershop operations through their rule-making authority, rather than having these fees fixed in state law. The bill also clarifies that people who pass the barber exam and are at least 18 years old are entitled to receive a license or certificate of registration.

revise provisions related to physician assistants.

SB134 revises South Dakota's rules for physician assistants by allowing two new types of supervisors: experienced physician assistants (with at least 4,000 practice hours) can now supervise newer physician assistants, not just licensed doctors. The bill also clarifies that practice collaborative agreements—the written contracts between physician assistants and their supervisors—must be kept on file at the physician assistant's main workplace and must outline the terms of their working relationship.

revise provisions providing that certain professions are not subject to discipline for certain conduct relating to medical cannabis.

This bill expands protections for licensed professionals in South Dakota so that not just attorneys, but doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other state-licensed professionals cannot be disciplined by their professional licensing boards for providing services related to medical cannabis businesses or patients. The change allows these professionals to work with medical cannabis activities authorized under state law without fear of losing their license, even though cannabis remains illegal under federal law.

clarify the certification process for teachers and school administrators.

This bill clarifies when the state education secretary can refuse, renew, revoke, or suspend teacher and school administrator certificates by specifying that ethics violations must first be confirmed by the appropriate professional practices commission before action is taken. The bill makes explicit that certificate decisions can only be made for incompetency, ethics violations, neglect of duty, failure to meet certification requirements, moral turpitude, or other causes allowed by law.

revise certain definitions in laws regarding physical therapists.

SB 86 updates the definitions of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in South Dakota law to include those who hold a "compact privilege"—a credential that allows licensed practitioners from other states to practice in South Dakota under an interstate agreement. The changes clarify that both physical therapists and their assistants with compact privileges have the same legal standing as those licensed directly by South Dakota.

codify an advisory council for the appraiser certification program.

South Dakota will create an official advisory committee for the state's appraiser certification program, with ten members including appraisers, banking representatives, and real estate officials who will advise the Department of Labor and Regulation. Committee members will serve three-year terms, meet quarterly in open meetings, and receive travel expenses and per diem payments for their service.

increase penalties for actions related to grain transactions.

This bill increases penalties for grain warehouse operators who violate state regulations. Specifically, it raises the daily civil fine for operating an unlicensed public grain warehouse from $1,000 to $5,000 per day (with a maximum of $50,000 instead of $20,000), and increases the maximum fine for refusing to let state inspectors examine warehouse records from $2,000 to $20,000.

create a registration requirement for sober living homes.

South Dakota sober living homes—residential facilities that house people recovering from substance abuse—must now register annually with the Department of Social Services. To qualify for registration, these homes must meet specific standards including allowing medication-assisted treatment, verifying abstinence fairly, ensuring residents don't negatively affect their neighborhoods, and promptly addressing community complaints.

Addressing the Governor's unacceptable actions in matters related to the appraiser certification program.

This is a House Resolution expressing the legislature's disapproval of Governor Kristi Noem's actions regarding the state appraiser certification program, specifically related to her daughter's failed applications for appraiser licensure. The resolution does not change any existing state law, but rather documents concerns about whether the Governor and her appointed officials upheld ethical standards in administering the certification program.

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 a provision regarding when a license is not required of a person installing electric wiring.

This bill expands the types of property where homeowners can install electrical wiring without a license—now including single-family homes they own and are building to live in, plus non-habitable structures like sheds or garages they own that aren't used for business. The bill keeps all the existing rules about licensing requirements, inspection fees, and penalties the same, but clarifies that the license exemption applies more broadly to different kinds of property a person owns.

authorize the formation of corporations and limited liability companies by physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists.

# HB1229 Summary Physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists can now form corporations and limited liability companies to operate their practices, whereas state law previously restricted how these professionals could organize their businesses. This change allows these healthcare providers the same business structure flexibility that other professionals and business owners already have in South Dakota.

prohibit frivolous or vexatious complaints against commercial pesticide applicators and to provide a penalty therefor.

This bill adds protections for commercial pesticide applicators by allowing the state to dismiss damage complaints it determines are frivolous or vexatious and to fine complainants up to $5,000 per false report. Previously, the law allowed anyone to report pesticide damage, but it did not address baseless or harassing complaints or provide penalties for making them.

revise annuity sales standards.

South Dakota is strengthening its rules for selling annuities by expanding the definition of what counts as an annuity product and clarifying what compensation insurance agents can receive. The law now requires agents to gather detailed information about customers' finances, income, debts, investment experience, and risk tolerance before recommending an annuity to ensure the sale is appropriate for that person.

establish provisions regarding ejection of persons from certain lodging establishments and recreational vehicle facilities.

This bill creates a legal list of 10 reasons why hotels, campgrounds, and RV parks can eject guests without refunding their payment, including nonpayment, disorderly conduct, unlawful activity, bringing explosives onto the premises, exceeding occupancy limits, and violating posted house rules. The law clarifies that establishments can remove guests for these specific reasons, though they cannot use ejection policies to violate South Dakota's anti-discrimination laws.

establish licensure for rural emergency hospitals.

South Dakota is creating a new type of licensed healthcare facility called a "rural emergency hospital" by adding it to the state's definition of what counts as a health care facility. This allows rural areas to operate emergency-only hospitals with a different licensing structure than traditional full-service hospitals, potentially making emergency care more accessible in underserved communities.

prohibit medical abortion by telemedicine and to increase the penalty for the unlicensed practice of medicine when performing a medical abortion.

This bill bans telemedicine abortion by requiring that abortion medications (Mifepristone and Misoprostol) be prescribed and taken only in person at a licensed abortion facility, not remotely. It also increases the penalty for unlicensed people who prescribe these medications to induce abortion from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony.

provide protections and workplace safety for meat and poultry processing workers.

This bill creates new workplace safety requirements for meat and poultry processing facilities with at least 100 workers, requiring them to establish committees to develop and implement worker safety programs. It also establishes a meatpacking industry worker rights coordinator position to oversee these protections and defines which businesses must comply (slaughterhouses, processing plants, and egg production facilities, but not grocery stores or restaurants). The law expands the definition of "worker" to include temporary workers and contractors, ensuring broader safety protections across the processing facility workforce.

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.