Search Bills

repeal and make technical changes to provisions regarding the Board of Military Affairs.

This bill eliminates the Board of Military Affairs and removes the legal requirements for appointing its seven members and defining its powers. The adjutant general will now handle the board's former duties directly within the Department of the Military, simplifying the military department's structure.

update and clarify certain provisions relating to the South Dakota Retirement System.

HB1009 updates the technical definitions and rules that govern how South Dakota manages its state retirement system, including how the system calculates its financial health and contribution rates. The bill clarifies terms like how the system values its assets and determines required employer contributions, and it adds a specific definition for air rescue firefighters at Joe Foss Field in Sioux Falls as a covered employee group.

modify provisions related to procurement for the state and other purchasing agencies.

HB1060 raises the dollar threshold for small purchases by state agencies from $25,000 to $50,000, meaning agencies can now use simplified purchasing procedures (like getting three quotes instead of formal bidding) for purchases up to $50,000 instead of the lower amount. This change applies to both supplies and services purchased by state government and other public purchasing agencies, streamlining the procurement process for mid-range purchases.

revise provisions related to the One-Call Notification Board.

South Dakota's One-Call Notification Board—which operates a service letting people request the marking of underground utilities before digging—is clarified to function as an independent state agency that manages its own personnel, finances, and operations, even though it's attached to the Public Utilities Commission only for budgeting purposes. The bill confirms that interest earned on the board's fund automatically goes back into that fund and that money is continuously available to run the system without needing separate legislative approval each year.

revise provisions on correcting minor errors on motor vehicle titles.

HB1198 streamlines the process for fixing small mistakes on vehicle titles in South Dakota. The bill revises the existing rules for correcting minor errors—such as misspelled names or address mistakes—to make it easier for vehicle owners to get accurate titles without extensive paperwork or delays.

Honoring Jackie Kocak for receiving the Direct Care Worker of the Year Award by the National Association of Special Education Centers.

HC 8009 honors Jackie Kocak for receiving the Direct Care Worker of the Year Award from the National Association of Special Education Centers. This is a ceremonial bill that recognizes an individual achievement and does not create or change any substantive state law requirements.

prohibit certain persons from using the title veterinary technician.

SB 142 restricts who can use the title "veterinary technician" in South Dakota by amending the state's veterinary licensing law. The bill changes existing requirements in state law (§24-11-13) to prohibit certain individuals from calling themselves veterinary technicians, likely those who lack proper credentials or training. This protects the veterinary technician title as exclusive to qualified, licensed professionals.

create term limits for future public utilities commissioners.

This bill limits future Public Utilities Commissioners to serving no more than two consecutive terms on the commission. The restriction does not apply to commissioners already serving when the law takes effect, and filling a vacancy or completing someone else's unexpired term doesn't count toward the two-term limit.

streamline examination reports.

This bill streamlines the process for state regulators to examine insurance companies and issue findings. It establishes clear timelines and procedures: examiners must file reports within 60 days, companies get 30 days to respond, and the director has 30 days to review everything and issue a final order—either adopting the report, ordering a new examination, or holding a hearing if needed.

revise and repeal obsolete provisions related to the Department of Social Services.

This bill updates South Dakota's Department of Social Services laws by moving the Human Services Center in Yankton under the Mental Health Division's authority and modernizing the language in fraud penalties to refer to current "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" (SNAP) benefits instead of the outdated term "food stamps." The changes reflect organizational restructuring and bring the law's terminology in line with current federal program names.

make an appropriation to support the South Dakota Small Business Development Center and the South Dakota Procurement Technical Assistance Center, and to declare an emergency.

HB 1118 provides state funding to support the South Dakota Small Business Development Center and the South Dakota Procurement Technical Assistance Center, which help small businesses grow and compete for government contracts. The bill declares an emergency, meaning the funding takes effect immediately rather than waiting for the standard July 1st budget implementation date.

Recognizing Lincoln Kienholz's high school athletic achievement and commitment to play collegiate football.

# HC8017 Summary This resolution recognizes Lincoln Kienholz's achievements as a high school athlete and his commitment to play collegiate football. The measure is a ceremonial recognition that does not change any state law.

Affirming, supporting, and defending certain principles, values, and goals.

HCR 6008 is a ceremonial resolution expressing the House of Representatives' appreciation for seven House pages who served during the 2023 legislative session. This resolution does not change any state law; it simply recognizes and thanks these young staff members for their work supporting the legislature.

clarify the requirements for using state aircraft and vehicles.

SB 199 tightens rules on when state employees can use state-owned or leased aircraft and vehicles. The bill prohibits non-employees from using state aircraft and bars all state employees—including the Governor—from using state planes for social, recreational, religious, political, or personal events, while requiring aircraft trips to take the shortest and most direct route. State vehicles have more flexibility, as supervisory personnel can authorize their use for commuting between employees' homes and worksites if it improves efficiency, though this exception does not apply to aircraft.

revise provisions relating to actuarial terminology used by the South Dakota Retirement System.

This bill updates the definitions of technical actuarial terms used by the South Dakota Retirement System, such as clarifying that the "actuarial value of assets" now equals the fair value of assets and refining what "actuarially determined contribution rate" means. These changes standardize the language the retirement system uses to calculate pension fund health and contribution requirements. The revisions align the system's terminology with modern actuarial practices recommended by the retirement system itself.

make an appropriation for increased costs related to the construction of the new state public health laboratory, and to declare an emergency.

HB1022 provides additional state funding to cover unexpected cost increases for constructing South Dakota's new public health laboratory. The bill declares an emergency, meaning the funding takes effect immediately rather than waiting for the normal effective date. This is a budget appropriation bill that doesn't change existing law, but rather allocates extra money to a specific construction project.

revise certain provisions pertaining to the Department of Veterans Affairs and residency in the State Veterans Home.

HB 1038 updates the language in South Dakota's veterans affairs laws to clarify staffing requirements and operations at the Department of Veterans Affairs, including making the secretary's annual report to the Governor mandatory and requiring state veterans service officers to be veterans themselves. The bill also modernizes the statutory language by replacing outdated terms like "shall" with "must" to reflect current drafting standards, without changing the actual rules or requirements for the department.

revise the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2023.

HB 1049 adjusts the state budget for fiscal year 2023 by reallocating funding across several agencies, including increases to the Bureau of Finance and Management's employee compensation pools and the Department of Game, Fish and Parks' state parks operations, while decreasing funding for the Bureau of Administration's central services. The bill modifies General Funds, Federal Funds, and Other Funds appropriations for various departments to reflect updated spending needs identified during the fiscal year.

limit the manner in which legislation may be introduced.

This bill limits which committees can introduce legislation, allowing only standing committees, interim committees referred through the Legislative Research Council, and five specific interim committees (Rules Review, Government Operations and Audit, Retirement Laws, Joint Bonding Review, and State-Tribal Relations) to introduce bills—plus bills requested by the Governor, executive agencies, or the Chief Justice. The change prevents other interim committees from introducing bills on their own authority. Individual legislators remain free to introduce bills themselves.

lower the state sales tax rate and the state use tax rate on food to three and one-half percent.

HB1096 reduces the state sales tax and use tax on food from the current rate to 3.5 percent. This change makes groceries and food purchases cheaper for South Dakota residents by lowering the tax they pay at checkout.

revise provisions regarding the duties of the medical marijuana oversight committee.

South Dakota's Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee now has two additional duties: reviewing research studies on the health effects of medical cannabis for patients, and evaluating medical and clinical aspects of the state's medical cannabis program. These new responsibilities are added to the committee's existing role of meeting at least twice yearly to assess patient access, dispensary and cultivation facility performance, and testing facility adequacy.

update travel expenses, moving expenses, and other reimbursements.

HB1153 updates South Dakota's rules for reimbursing state employees' meal and moving expenses. The bill clarifies that employees can be reimbursed for meal costs at events that run through mealtime if the event is approved by their department head, and it expands moving expense eligibility to include all current full-time state employees (not just those continuously employed for six months) who are transferred to a new location.

revise Public Utilities Commission procedure regarding permits for energy conversion and transmission facilities.

This bill extends the deadline for the Public Utilities Commission to make decisions on energy facility permits from 12 months to 24 months after receiving an application. The bill also changes who can request deadline extensions—allowing any party involved in the case (not just the applicant) to ask the commission for more time.

update the deposit threshold for actions related to general rate cases.

This bill updates how much money utility companies must deposit with the Public Utilities Commission when applying for permits related to energy projects, changing the fee calculation from a percentage of construction costs (up to a maximum of $500,000) to a simpler system where the commission sets fees based on actual processing costs, with a minimum of $8,000 and a maximum of one-quarter of one percent of the first $100 million in construction costs plus smaller percentages above that. The deposit money now covers both reviewing the application and the costs of enforcing the permit if it's approved, rather than just application review.

include school employees in certain assault provisions and provide a penalty therefor.

SB 129 expands South Dakota's assault law to include school employees as protected individuals under certain assault provisions. This means school workers now receive the same legal protections against assault that other specified groups already have under state law. The bill increases penalties for assaulting school employees to match those protections.

authorize the awarding of deobligated grants in accordance with policies of the Board of Water and Natural Resources.

This bill allows the Board of Water and Natural Resources to reassign water or natural resource grants that were originally awarded but then deobligated (unused or returned) on or after October 1, 2022, to other eligible systems or municipalities. Previously, these deobligated grant funds were subject to stricter conditions; now the board has flexibility to award them according to its own policies rather than following the original grant restrictions. This gives the state more ability to redirect unused grant money to communities that need it.

modify provisions regarding educator complaints.

School administrators and district boards must now report suspected violations of the professional ethics code by educators to the state Department of Education within 15 days, or face penalties themselves. This creates a new mandatory reporting requirement for schools to alert state officials when they have reasonable cause to believe a teacher or administrator has violated professional conduct rules.

revise certain provisions regarding money transmission.

SB43 updates South Dakota's money transmission licensing rules by revising how the state defines key terms used to regulate companies that transmit money and issue payment instruments. The bill clarifies definitions for important roles like "executive officers" and "key individuals" who oversee these businesses, and defines what counts as an "electronic instrument" (like prepaid cards with computer chips). These changes help the Division of Banking better identify and regulate the people and companies involved in money transmission services.

repeal provisions related to the jail mental health screening pilot program and oversight council.

SB 64 eliminates a pilot program that required jails to screen inmates for mental health issues and removes the oversight council that was created to monitor this program. The bill repeals the legal requirements and structures that were previously established to support mental health screening in South Dakota county jails.

modify the approval process for certain out-of-state travel and related costs by a legislative member.

SB 68 modifies how state legislators get approval to travel out of state and pay for related costs by changing the process through the Legislative Research Council's executive board. The bill appears to clarify or adjust the executive board's authority over these travel approvals, though the specific changes are not fully visible in the provided excerpt.

create the South Dakota Board of Physical Therapy and make an appropriation therefor.

South Dakota is creating a new Board of Physical Therapy to regulate physical therapists and physical therapist assistants, replacing oversight by the State Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners. The bill updates the definitions and rules for physical therapy practice to reflect this new independent board structure and includes state funding for the board's operations.

modify the use of conservation district special revenue fund monies and to provide an appropriation therefor.

This bill changes how interest earned in the conservation district special revenue fund is handled by requiring that interest be kept in the fund rather than potentially being diverted elsewhere. The bill also clarifies that conservation districts receive money from the fund on a reimbursable loan basis, with the State Conservation Commission setting the rules for how loans are distributed.

update provisions related to the licensure of funeral directors and the provision of funeral services.

HB 1015 updates South Dakota's funeral service laws by clarifying definitions of key terms like "branch chapel" (a visitation facility with no embalming connected to a licensed funeral home) and "funeral director" (expanding the definition to explicitly include conducting funeral services, burials, disinfecting, preserving, and cremating remains). The changes modernize the regulatory language to better reflect current funeral industry practices and the services funeral directors actually provide.

repeal certain requirements for Game, Fish and Parks licensing agents.

HB1019 eliminates the bonding and security requirements that Game, Fish and Parks licensing agents currently must provide when selling hunting and fishing licenses. The bill repeals the rules allowing agents to either pay a $25 annual fee (if previously appointed) or post a bond equal to the value of licenses they hold, removing the department's ability to collect unpaid amounts through certificates of deposit or other security instruments.

amend the eligibility for admission to the state veterans’ home and repeal the residency requirement.

HB 1037 removes the requirement that veterans must be South Dakota residents to be admitted to the state veterans' home. This change allows veterans from other states to access care at South Dakota's facility, expanding who is eligible to use this state-funded benefit.

allow for the appointment of county coroner by all counties.

Currently, only counties with 60,000 or more people can appoint their coroner instead of electing one; this bill allows **all counties** to choose appointment by county commissioners instead of holding an election. Counties that want to switch to an appointed coroner must pass a resolution by April 1st before the scheduled coroner election, and the change doesn't take effect until any currently elected coroner's term ends.

lower the state sales tax rate and the state use tax rate on food to two and one-half percent.

HB 1095 reduces South Dakota's sales tax and use tax on food purchases from the current rate to 2.5 percent. This change makes groceries and other food items less expensive for consumers by lowering the tax they pay at checkout.

require the secretary of state to determine if a legislatively proposed constitutional amendment complies with the single subject requirement and is not a constitutional revision.

This bill requires the Secretary of State to review all legislatively proposed constitutional amendments—in addition to voter-initiated ones—to check whether they follow the state constitution's rule that amendments can only address one subject and cannot be a "revision" of the constitution rather than a simple amendment. If the Secretary of State approves the proposal, they must issue a written certification and publish it on their website within 15 working days.

add dental practices as eligible facilities to participate in the rural health care recruitment assistance program.

HB1155 expands South Dakota's rural health care recruitment assistance program to include dental practices, meaning dentists who set up practices in underserved rural areas can now access the same recruitment incentives previously available only to other health care providers. This change helps address dental care shortages in rural communities by offering financial or other assistance to attract dental professionals to those areas.

revise certain provisions related to mileage reimbursement.

South Dakota legislators' mileage reimbursement will now be based on the federal IRS business mileage rate (adjusted annually on October 1st) instead of a rate set by the state Board of Finance. The bill also ties the daily living expense allowance to whichever is greater: the current $123 per day or the federal IRS per diem rate for that year, ensuring legislators' reimbursements automatically adjust with federal tax standards.

Recognizing South Dakota Infertility Awareness Day and families from South Dakota Surrogacy, Inc.

HC 8004 designates a specific day in South Dakota as "Infertility Awareness Day" and officially recognizes families who have used surrogacy services through South Dakota Surrogacy, Inc. This is a ceremonial resolution that honors these families but does not change any existing laws or regulations.

Honoring Rod Bowar for his life, achievement, and legacy.

HC 8015 is a ceremonial resolution that honors Rod Bowar for his life, achievements, and legacy—it does not change any state law. This type of resolution simply expresses the South Dakota House of Representatives' appreciation and gratitude to the honoree. No new rules, regulations, or legal requirements are created or modified by this resolution.

revise the eligible disability level for veterans to receive state park benefits.

SB127 changes which veterans qualify for discounts and benefits at South Dakota state parks by adjusting the disability level requirements. Instead of the current eligibility standard, veterans with a different level of disability will now be able to receive these state park benefits. The bill modifies the existing veteran benefits law to make these parks more accessible to veterans with varying degrees of service-related disabilities.

revise the appointment of legislators to the Agricultural Land Assessment Implementation and Oversight Advisory Task Force.

SB 132 changes how legislators are appointed to serve on the Agricultural Land Assessment Implementation and Oversight Advisory Task Force. The bill modifies the appointment process outlined in state law to adjust which lawmakers serve on this agricultural advisory board. The specific details of the appointment changes are contained in the revisions to South Dakota Codified Law Section 24-11-13.

modify the design of license plates to include the state motto.

SB133 modifies South Dakota's license plate design to include the state motto. The bill amends the existing license plate statute (§24-11-13) to require this new design element on state-issued plates.

clarify and modernize cremation requirements and procedures.

SB 141 updates South Dakota's cremation laws to clarify procedures and modernize requirements for crematories and funeral homes. The bill amends the existing cremation statute (§24-11-13) to make the rules clearer and more current with modern practices.

make an appropriation to provide funding for major infrastructure projects to support South Dakota airports.

SB 158 provides state funding for major infrastructure projects at South Dakota airports. The bill amends state law governing airport funding to allocate money for these improvements, though the specific project details and dollar amounts are not included in the provided text excerpt.

revise public meeting requirements.

South Dakota's public meeting law now requires government bodies to allow public comment at their regular scheduled meetings, though they can limit how much time each person gets to speak. The bill also clarifies that when a government body's members attend events hosted by non-governmental organizations where policy might be discussed, the government body can post a simple notice listing the date, time, and location instead of a full meeting agenda. Additionally, the law exempts certain ceremonial meetings—like inaugurations and annual report presentations—from the public comment requirement.

create the Commission on Indian Affairs.

SB 164 creates a new Commission on Indian Affairs in South Dakota state government. The bill amends existing law (§24-11-13) to establish this commission, which will serve as a dedicated body to address issues and policies affecting Native American tribes and communities in the state.

prohibit purchasing agencies from contracting with companies owned or controlled by certain foreign entities or governments.

South Dakota state agencies are now prohibited from signing contracts with companies that are owned or controlled by foreign governments or entities from China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or Venezuela. This ban applies to all vendors, suppliers, and subcontractors bidding on or hired for state purchases of goods, services, construction, or public improvements. The law does not apply to individual U.S. citizens or sole proprietorships.

authorize participation in contracts by certain board members and employees of water districts.

This bill allows water district board members and certain employees to participate in contracts that benefit them personally, as long as they disclose their financial interest in writing and get the board's written approval through a resolution that determines the contract is fair and not against the public interest. The bill defines what counts as a "direct benefit," including owning more than 5% of a company involved in the contract, earning income from it, or acquiring property through it. This removes an automatic conflict-of-interest ban and replaces it with a disclosure-and-approval process.

prohibit the improper storage and disposal of records containing personal or protected information and provide a penalty therefor.

South Dakota law now requires anyone who handles records with personal or protected information—including businesses, government agencies, and individuals—to either keep those records secure or destroy them properly (by shredding, burning, erasing, or similar methods) once they're no longer needed. If someone discovers records that weren't disposed of properly, they must report it to the Attorney General within ten business days. Businesses that hire a third party to destroy records are no longer responsible if that contractor fails to properly dispose of them.

amend the requirements to be a legal newspaper.

This bill updates South Dakota's definition of a "legal newspaper" eligible to publish official notices by allowing newspapers with primarily online readership to qualify. Under the new option, a newspaper needs at least 200 paid online subscribers and must distribute a printed edition at least 50 weeks per year with 500 copies circulated (whether sold or free) to be recognized as a legal newspaper. Additionally, newspapers must now file an annual affidavit each October confirming they meet these requirements.

require members of the Legislature to attend a course on the federal and state constitutions.

This bill requires all newly elected state legislators to complete a two-hour course on the federal and state constitutions before the start of their first regular legislative session. The Legislative Research Council director will coordinate and teach the course, which can be attended either in person or remotely, and legislators only need to take it once even if they serve multiple terms.

appoint an advisory committee for use of force and qualifying handgun course development.

This bill creates a new advisory committee that will help South Dakota's Attorney General develop and update firearms training courses, including a use-of-force course for instructors and a qualifying handgun course. The committee will include the state's NRA training counselor (who chairs it), two certified use-of-force instructors, and two handgun experts, with members serving three-year terms and receiving standard state compensation.

revise residency requirements for the purposes of voter registration.

SB 139 changes the residency requirements that voters must meet in order to register to vote in South Dakota by amending the state's voter registration law. The specific details of what residency period or conditions are being revised are not included in the provided bill text excerpt, which contains only procedural legislative documents rather than the actual bill language.

identify the means of conducting a criminal background check for the renewal of a gold card or an enhanced permit to carry a concealed pistol.

This bill specifies exactly how sheriffs must conduct criminal background checks when people renew their enhanced concealed carry permits, requiring a computer check of online records plus the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The bill also clarifies that permit renewals require proof of completing a live fire handgun course with instruction on use of force and recent criminal law changes, or proof of law enforcement firearms qualification within the past year.

establish use of force course standards.

HB1071 reduces how often the Division of Criminal Investigation must offer use-of-force training for NRA-certified pistol instructors, changing from at least twice yearly to at least once per year. The bill also allows the Division to set course standards for both initial instructor certification and renewal, establish fees up to $150, and create rules for how the training program operates.

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.

SB 203 appropriates money from the state treasury to cover operating costs for South Dakota's legislative, judicial, and executive branches for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, including funding for state institutions, schools, and debt interest. The bill allocates specific amounts across general funds, federal funds, and other funds—for example, $2.7 million for the Governor's office and $74.4 million for the Office of Economic Development. This is a standard annual budget bill that funds the day-to-day operations of state government.

update additional charges allowed for mailing decals and plates and to declare an emergency.

South Dakota is increasing the mailing fees for vehicle decals and license plates: decal fees go from $1 to $2 per decal, and license plate fees jump from $5 to $10 per plate when sent by mail, with handling fees remaining at $1 and $2 respectively. County treasurers must now deposit these mailing and express mail fees into the county general fund instead of keeping them separately. The bill takes effect immediately as an emergency measure.

amend provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code.

HB1193 updates South Dakota's Uniform Commercial Code by revising the definitions of key business and financial terms used throughout the state's commercial law. The changes clarify and modernize definitions for concepts like "agreement," "bank," "bearer," and "bill of lading" to better reflect current business practices, including references to electronic documents of title alongside traditional paper documents. These definitional updates apply across all chapters of the Commercial Code that rely on these foundational terms.