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Prohibit the use of public funds for campaigning or other partisan activity, and to provide a penalty therefor.

This bill strengthens restrictions on government use of public money for political campaigns and partisan activities by state employees, officials, and candidates. It prohibits using public funds, facilities, equipment, and other resources to influence elections or political issues, and prevents political candidates and committees from accepting contributions from government agencies, tribes, or foreign governments. Violations will result in penalties under state law.

Limit the amount of money that a political action committee may accept from an authorized committee of a candidate for federal office.

This bill creates a new limit on how much money federal candidates can transfer from their official campaign accounts to South Dakota political action committees—capping it at $10,000 per year. The restriction applies only to authorized committees of candidates running for federal office, preventing them from funneling large amounts of federal campaign funds into state-level PACs.

Require the disclosure of an outstanding loan balance on a campaign finance disclosure report.

Campaign finance disclosure reports in South Dakota must now include the outstanding balance of any loans held by a political committee, giving voters more complete information about a candidate's or committee's financial obligations. This change adds a new requirement to the existing disclosure rules that already require campaigns to report cash on hand, contributions, and expenditures.

Limit the amount of money that a political committee may accept from an inactive candidate campaign committee.

South Dakota law currently allows political committees to accept unlimited contributions from inactive candidate campaign committees (leftover funds from candidates who are no longer running). This bill caps the amount of money that political committees can receive from these inactive campaign accounts. The change restricts how candidates' remaining campaign funds can be redistributed to other political groups.

Limit the amount of money that may be loaned to a candidate or political committee.

This bill prevents candidates and political committees from accepting loans that would allow a single person to give more money overall than state law currently permits as direct contributions. Loans made to candidates or committees will now count toward the same spending limits that apply to regular campaign donations, closing a loophole that previously allowed larger total contributions through borrowed funds.

Clarify when a political committee must file certain campaign finance disclosure statements.

SB 17 updates South Dakota's campaign finance definitions and reporting rules to clarify when political committees must file disclosure statements. The bill reorganizes and refines key terms like "ballot question committee" and "auxiliary organization" to better specify which groups must report their fundraising and spending activities. These changes aim to make campaign finance rules clearer and more consistent for the organizations that must follow them.

Prohibit contributions and loans from an authorized committee of a candidate for federal office.

South Dakota candidates and political committees are now prohibited from accepting money or loans from federal candidate committees. This creates a new rule preventing the mixing of funds between state-level politics in South Dakota and federal campaign committees operating under federal election law.

Revise the provisions for preparing a fiscal note for ballot questions.

This bill revises the rules for creating fiscal notes (cost estimates) that accompany ballot measures in South Dakota. It clarifies when the Legislative Research Council must prepare these notes and tightens the requirement that fiscal notes include estimates of impacts on state and local government revenues, spending, and liabilities, plus any effects on prison or jail populations. The bill also limits fiscal notes to a maximum of 50 words and repeals a related provision while updating several definitions and procedures.

Revise the process for nominating candidates for lieutenant governor.

This bill changes how lieutenant governor candidates are chosen in South Dakota. Instead of delegates voting to nominate a lieutenant governor at the state party convention, the gubernatorial candidate will now directly nominate their own running mate by submitting a certification to the secretary of state by a deadline in August. The nominated lieutenant governor candidate can withdraw, in which case the governor candidate must submit a replacement nominee by the same deadline.