Search Bills

To provide for an interim study regarding foreign ownership of agricultural land.

This resolution directs the legislature to study the issue of foreign ownership of agricultural land in South Dakota. The bill makes technical changes to state law governing legislative procedures and repeals several outdated statutory sections related to legislative operations, while establishing a framework for investigating foreign agricultural land ownership as an interim study project.

require active efforts in abuse and neglect proceedings that involve Indian children.

SB 202 requires child protective services to make "active efforts" to prevent the removal of Native American children from their families in abuse and neglect cases, strengthening protections under federal Indian Child Welfare Act standards. The bill amends existing law and adds new requirements to ensure that before removing an Indian child from their home, the state must demonstrate it has actively tried to address the family's problems through services and support.

revise the malt beverage license to also allow the sale of spirits produced by an artisan distiller.

This bill expands existing malt beverage licenses to also permit the sale of spirits made by artisan distillers in South Dakota. Currently, malt beverage licenses only allow beer sales, so this change lets license holders add locally-produced distilled spirits to their product offerings.

Recognizing the Chester Lady Flyers as the 2023 State B Volleyball Champions.

This is a ceremonial resolution that honors the Chester Lady Flyers volleyball team for winning the 2023 State B volleyball championship—it doesn't change any state laws. The bill is simply a formal recognition by the South Dakota House of Representatives of the team's athletic achievement.

modify the definition of public infrastructure to allow a federally recognized Indian tribe to be eligible for housing infrastructure loans and grants.

This bill expands the definition of "public infrastructure" under South Dakota's Housing Development Authority program to include infrastructure owned or maintained by federally recognized Indian tribes, not just by local government units. This change allows Indian tribes to become eligible for housing infrastructure loans and grants that help support single-family and multi-family housing projects on tribal lands.

make an appropriation for a grant to the Douglas school district for the construction costs of a new school.

HB 1206 provides state funding as a grant to the Douglas school district to help pay for construction costs of a new school building. This is a one-time appropriation (spending authorization) rather than a change to existing law—it simply allocates money from the state budget for this specific school construction project.

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.

HB1259 appropriates state funding for the routine costs of running South Dakota's legislature, courts, executive branch agencies, state institutions, and public schools, as well as payments on the state's debt. This is the state's general operating budget bill that provides the money needed to keep basic government functions running during the fiscal year. The bill doesn't change existing law—it simply allocates funds to cover these established expenses.

Celebrating the LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit community in South Dakota.

This bill is a ceremonial resolution celebrating the LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit community in South Dakota, rather than a change to state law. The resolution does not modify, create, or repeal any existing legal rules or requirements. It serves as a statement of recognition from the South Dakota House of Representatives.

create the Commission on Indian Affairs.

South Dakota is creating a new Commission on Indian Affairs to improve services for American Indians in the state and strengthen communication between the state government and the nine federally recognized tribes. The commission will have ten voting members—one from the Department of Tribal Relations and one representative from each of the nine tribes, selected by each tribe's own governing body. The commission cannot override or interfere with any tribe's existing negotiations or relationships with state, federal, local, or other tribal governments.

require the Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council to establish an interim study committee on minors' access to pornographic material.

HB1257 requires South Dakota's Legislative Research Council to create a temporary study committee to examine how minors are accessing pornographic material and what can be done about it. This establishes a fact-finding effort rather than creating new laws immediately, giving lawmakers time to research the issue before deciding whether to pass stricter regulations.

revise provisions relating to the possession, manufacture, and distribution of child pornography.

HB1045 revises South Dakota's laws on child sexual abuse material (CSAM) by updating penalties and definitions related to possession, manufacturing, and distribution of such material. The bill repeals several outdated provisions while expanding and clarifying the remaining statutes to strengthen protections against these crimes. These changes modernize the state's approach to prosecuting offenses involving child exploitation.

authorize the Board of Regents to accept and use easement proceeds for the purposes authorized by the 2022 Session Laws, chapter 198.

HB 1049 allows South Dakota's Board of Regents to use money received from easements (rights to use land) for the purposes authorized in a 2022 law, rather than being restricted in how they can spend those funds. The bill removes several outdated statutory sections and clarifies the Board's authority to manage these easement proceeds.

define and require active efforts for purposes of preserving and reuniting families following instances of abuse or neglect.

South Dakota's Department of Social Services must now make "active efforts"—defined as more intensive than current "reasonable efforts"—to keep children with their families or reunite them after abuse or neglect cases, including helping parents complete case plans and access needed resources. This new requirement applies to all child welfare proceedings involving the department and emphasizes working in partnership with parents, extended family, and tribes (for Native American children) using approaches tailored to each family's cultural circumstances. The bill raises the legal standard for how hard the state must work to preserve and reunite families rather than removing children or terminating parental rights.

require an official declaration of war or other Congressional action before the South Dakota National Guard may be deployed by the federal government.

HB 1191 requires the federal government to obtain an official declaration of war from Congress or take other specific Congressional action before deploying South Dakota's National Guard outside the state. This prevents the President from unilaterally sending South Dakota National Guard troops into military operations without Congressional approval.

Celebrating Doris Neilan as the first woman to serve as a sergeant-at-arms in the South Dakota Legislature.

HC 8006 is a ceremonial resolution that honors Doris Neilan for becoming the first woman to serve as sergeant-at-arms in the South Dakota Legislature. This bill doesn't change any state laws—it's simply a recognition of this historical achievement by the House of Representatives.

prohibit discrimination based on military status.

SB30 adds protections against discrimination based on military status in South Dakota law, preventing employers, housing providers, and other covered entities from treating people unfairly because of their military service or veteran status. The bill repeals several outdated provisions and updates existing anti-discrimination statutes to include military status alongside other protected categories like race and gender.