Search Bills

provide for an E15 fuel tax refund.

Starting in 2025, gas stations that sell E15 ethanol fuel can claim a refund of 5 cents per gallon from the state for each year through 2029. The refunds come from an existing ethanol infrastructure fund and are available to retailers who apply through the Governor's Office of Economic Development within 30 days after each calendar year ends.

make an appropriation to the Department of Education for grants to support the provision of telemedicine in school districts.

HB1226 provides state funding to the Department of Education to award grants that help school districts offer telemedicine services to students. This expands access to remote medical care in schools by giving districts financial resources to set up and support these programs.

make an appropriation to create the healthy forest critical infrastructure relief and grant program and to declare an emergency.

South Dakota is creating a new grant and relief program for businesses that remove timber and treat forest land in the Black Hills to prevent wildfires and insect damage, funded with $20 million in federal pandemic relief money administered by the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Eligible businesses can apply for either compensation for losses they've already suffered since 2020 or grants to prevent future losses, with a cap of $15 million per applicant. This is a new program—no existing law is being changed, just created.

Applying 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 members of Congress and other federal officials.

South Dakota is applying to Congress to call a national constitutional convention focused on three goals: requiring the federal government to balance its budget, limiting federal power and authority, and imposing term limits on members of Congress and other federal officials. This is a formal request under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, which allows states to petition for a convention to propose constitutional amendments. The bill adds South Dakota's voice to other states making similar applications for this type of convention.

address the administration of State Conservation Commission functions by the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

HB1033 transfers administration of State Conservation Commission functions from an independent commission to the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The bill eliminates several outdated statutes related to the old commission structure while updating the department's authority to oversee conservation activities.

encourage sales of meat through the use of animal share agreements and the creation of a processor grant program.

SB206 makes it easier for farmers and ranchers to sell meat directly to consumers through "animal share agreements" (where customers buy a share of an animal) by amending existing rules around direct meat sales. The bill also creates a new grant program to help meat processors expand their operations, supporting local food production. These changes are designed to boost South Dakota's meat sales through direct-to-consumer and local processing channels.

restrict the power of eminent domain to a utility used for a public purpose.

SB218 limits when utilities can use eminent domain (the government power to take private property) by requiring that the taking must genuinely serve a public purpose. The bill modifies existing law in §10-39-45.1 and adds new restrictions in Chapter 12-4 to prevent utilities from seizing land for projects that primarily benefit private interests rather than the public.

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

SB 70 appropriates state funding to replace the Richmond Lake dam and spillway and to maintain and repair other state-owned dams across South Dakota. The bill also repeals several outdated provisions of state law related to dam management and declares an emergency to expedite implementation of these repairs.

permit the appointment of a circuit court judge or Supreme Court justice as a member of the Public Utilities Commission in place of a disqualified or incapacitated commissioner.

SB177 allows a circuit court judge or Supreme Court justice to temporarily serve on the Public Utilities Commission when a regular commissioner becomes unable to work due to disqualification or incapacity. This change makes it easier to keep the commission functioning during unexpected vacancies by tapping judges who are already state employees rather than having to find an outside replacement.

include shelterbelts as a factor affecting productivity in determining assessed value of agricultural land.

SB 131 adds shelterbelts (rows of trees planted to block wind and protect crops) to the list of factors that county assessors can consider when calculating the assessed value of agricultural land for tax purposes. Previously, assessors could only account for surface obstructions in general; this bill specifically names shelterbelts as an example that affects land productivity and can justify adjusting property values accordingly.

improve agriculture in South Dakota.

expand definitions pertaining to the purchasing of grain.

This bill expands South Dakota's grain purchasing regulations to cover more types of agreements and products. It broadens the definition of "grain buyer" to include anyone contracting to purchase grain regardless of where it's delivered or when title transfers, and expands what counts as "grain" to include beans, pulse crops, and oil seeds (while still excluding seed grain and livestock feed). The changes also clarify that grain purchase contracts can be written or oral and cover various pricing structures and timelines.