Search Bills

clarify determinations regarding the injection of a COVID-19 vaccine.

This bill establishes a right for South Dakota workers to decide whether or not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine after reviewing medical information, and prohibits employers from firing, demoting, or disciplining employees who choose not to be vaccinated. Instead of terminating an employee, employers may only reassign them to work remotely or at a different location if the job duties allow it. The law applies to both public and private sector workers statewide.

create the Dr. Nicholas W. Drummond Center for Civic Engagement at Black Hills State University.

Black Hills State University will establish the Dr. Nicholas W. Drummond Center for Civic Engagement, a new center named after Dr. Drummond to support civic education and engagement activities. This creates a new institutional center at the university but does not appear to make changes to existing state law based on the text provided.

Celebrating the Sioux Falls Lincoln Patriots football team.

HC8008 is a resolution celebrating the Sioux Falls Lincoln Patriots football team and does not change any state law. This bill is ceremonial in nature, designed to honor the team's achievements rather than to create, amend, or repeal any legal requirements or policies.

Celebrating the success of the Mitchell Show Choir, Friend de Coup, at the Southwest Showdown competition.

HC8025 is a ceremonial resolution that honors the Mitchell Show Choir group "Friend de Coup" for their success at the Southwest Showdown competition. This bill does not change any state law; it simply celebrates the choir's achievement through a House resolution.

revise the process to vacate certain highways.

SB121 changes the procedures that South Dakota counties and municipalities must follow to officially close or remove highways from the road system. The bill modifies existing requirements in state law and adds new provisions governing how local governments can vacate certain roads, likely streamlining or clarifying the legal process for abandoning unused or unnecessary highway segments.

modify the amount of time to report an injury for workers' compensation.

South Dakota workers who are injured on the job now have 15 business days instead of 3 business days to notify their employer in writing about the injury. The bill also makes it easier for workers to claim compensation if they miss the deadline by requiring that "good cause" for the late notice be interpreted in a way that favors the employee.

create provisions for the protection of warehouse distribution center employees.

Senate Bill 179 creates new worker protections for employees at large warehouse distribution centers in South Dakota by establishing rules around work quotas and performance tracking. The law applies to employers with at least 100 employees at a single warehouse or 500 across multiple warehouses, and defines key terms like "employee work speed data" and "quota" to set up a framework for regulating how these employers monitor and measure worker productivity.

authorize the disclosure of referral status by Department of Human Services personnel.

SB46 allows Department of Human Services personnel to disclose whether someone has been referred for services, addressing privacy rules that previously restricted such information sharing. The bill repeals several outdated confidentiality provisions while modifying existing disclosure rules to permit this specific type of referral status information to be shared. This change makes it easier for DHS staff to confirm referral status with the public while maintaining other privacy protections.

enhance right to work laws and provide a penalty therefor.

This bill prohibits employers and other entities from requiring employees or workers to show proof of vaccination (except for diseases like polio, measles, and tetanus) or to disclose their vaccination status as a condition of employment. It also makes it illegal to punish, threaten, or discriminate against someone based on their vaccination status, with violations treated as Class 2 misdemeanors.

clarify determinations regarding the wearing of facemasks.

This bill gives all South Dakota employees the right to decide whether to wear a facemask at work based on their personal evaluation of medical evidence and individual health circumstances. If an employee chooses not to wear a mask, their employer can require them to work remotely or in a different location, but cannot fire, demote, or discipline them for that choice.

make an appropriation to establish a cybersecurity services initiative for counties and municipalities and to declare an emergency.

SB187 appropriates state funding to establish a new cybersecurity services program that will help counties and municipalities protect their computer systems and data from cyber attacks. The bill declares an emergency, allowing the funding to take effect immediately rather than waiting for the typical delayed implementation period.

Honoring the Slovek Ranch as the 2023 Leopold Conservation Award recipient.

This resolution honors the Slovek Ranch as the recipient of South Dakota's 2023 Leopold Conservation Award, recognizing the ranch's conservation efforts and stewardship practices. The bill does not change any existing state law—it is a ceremonial measure expressing legislative recognition of the award.

modify the amount of time allowed to an employee to vote at any election in this state.

South Dakota employees currently get two consecutive hours off work to vote on election day; this bill extends that to four consecutive hours. The change applies to all elections in the state, including primary elections, and maintains the same protections against employer penalties or wage deductions for taking time to vote.

increase the state minimum wage.

South Dakota's state minimum wage would increase in three steps: to $12.50 per hour on July 1, 2024, then to $13.50 on January 1, 2025, and finally to $15.00 on January 1, 2026. Starting in 2027, the minimum wage would automatically adjust each year based on changes in the cost of living, rather than staying fixed at $15.00.

provide information to an injured employee about eligibility in a program offered by a nonprofit organization.

South Dakota's workers' compensation department can now inform injured workers and their families about nonprofit programs that offer benefits related to work injuries—but only if the injured worker or family member consents in writing before the department shares their contact information with the nonprofit. This adds a new exception to state law's strict confidentiality rules for workers' comp information while protecting workers' privacy by preventing the department from sharing contact details without permission.