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require the dispensing of drugs prescribed for an off-label use during a public health emergency.

During a public health emergency, pharmacists must dispense drugs that doctors prescribe for uses not approved by the FDA (called "off-label" uses), even if state pharmacy rules normally wouldn't allow it. The bill also clarifies that schools can keep epinephrine auto-injectors on hand without following standard prescription requirements when used for severe allergic reactions.

make an appropriation for eligible water and wastewater projects and to declare an emergency.

South Dakota is appropriating money for water and wastewater infrastructure projects across the state. The bill removes several outdated provisions from state law and updates the rules governing how these funds are allocated and managed. The legislature is declaring this an emergency matter to expedite the funding.

repeal and revise certain provisions regarding the petition circulation process to comply with federal court decisions.

SB 182 updates South Dakota's rules for gathering petition signatures to match requirements set by federal courts in recent legal decisions. The bill revises Section 21-16-7, which governs how people can circulate petitions to get initiatives and referendums on the ballot, removing or changing provisions that courts found violated constitutional rights.

modify agency reporting requirements on licensure, certification, job placements, and the labor market.

HB1058 streamlines state agency reporting requirements by eliminating outdated reporting rules (repealing four existing law sections) and modifying how agencies report on licensing, certifications, job placements, and labor market data. The bill consolidates and updates these reporting requirements to reduce administrative burden while maintaining oversight of workforce development programs. The changes affect how state agencies track and report on professional licensure outcomes and employment data.

require a study of radio communication services in the Piedmont Valley region and make an appropriation to perform the study and purchase digital vehicular repeater systems.

The state Department of Public Safety will study radio communication problems in the Piedmont Valley region and report back to the Legislature by June 2025 with recommendations for improving coverage. The bill appropriates $100,000 for this study and $250,000 to reimburse local law enforcement and fire departments in that area for purchasing new digital radio equipment.

require free voice communication services for correctional inmates and to make an appropriation therefor.

# HB1222 Summary South Dakota will provide free voice communication services to inmates in state correctional facilities, requiring the state to cover the cost of phone calls that inmates currently pay for themselves. The bill includes a budget appropriation to fund this new service.

recognize hair discrimination as an unfair or discriminatory practice for employment.

SB163 adds hair discrimination to South Dakota's list of unfair or discriminatory employment practices, meaning employers cannot make hiring, firing, or other job decisions based on an employee's hair texture, style, or grooming choices. This expands the state's anti-discrimination law (§21-16-7) to protect workers from bias related to hairstyles that may be associated with their race or cultural identity.

authorize transportation activities by air ambulance operators.

Air ambulance operators can now use their ground ambulances to transport patients between hospitals and the airports where they operate. Additionally, when an air ambulance can't fly due to mechanical or weather problems, the operator's ground ambulance can transfer non-emergency patients between healthcare facilities—but only if the local ambulance service can't respond within 30 minutes or the patient's doctor approves a different timeframe.

provide special motor vehicle license plates for advanced life support personnel and emergency medical technicians.

South Dakota now allows advanced life support personnel and emergency medical technicians—in addition to firefighters—to apply for special license plates that identify their profession. The Secretary of Health will design the plates for paramedics and EMTs (similar to how the Fire Marshal designs firefighter plates), and owners must pay a $10 fee for the initial issuance, with those fees going into a special revenue fund.

make an appropriation for the site preparation and construction of a prison facility for offenders committed to the Department of Corrections in Rapid City, to transfer moneys to the incarceration construction fund, and to declare an emergency.

SB 50 appropriates state funds to pay for building a new prison facility in Rapid City and transfers money into the state's construction fund for incarcerations. The bill also repeals several outdated statutory provisions related to appropriations and fund management. An emergency clause allows the bill to take effect immediately rather than waiting for the standard effective date.