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Adopt the dietitian licensure compact.

South Dakota is adopting an interstate agreement that allows licensed dietitians to practice in multiple states without needing separate licenses in each state, making it easier for dietitians to relocate and serve patients across state lines. The bill requires dietitians participating in this compact to undergo a fingerprint-based criminal background check at their own cost. This agreement reduces paperwork burdens on both dietitians and state regulators while maintaining South Dakota's ability to protect public health and safety.

Provide rulemaking authority for the licensure of fishing guides, hunting guides, and outfitters, and to provide a penalty.

South Dakota's Game, Fish and Parks Commission will now have the authority to create licensing rules for fishing guides, hunting guides, and outfitters. The rules must cover eligibility requirements (including residency), license fees, liability insurance, inspection procedures, and grounds for denying or revoking licenses. This establishes a new regulatory framework where the commission sets the specific standards these professionals must meet to operate legally in the state.

Modify massage therapist licensure requirements and to create a penalty therefor.

South Dakota massage therapists must now include their license number in any advertisements for their services, and violating this requirement is a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill also clarifies that unlicensed massage practice, operating a business that knowingly employs unlicensed practitioners, and falsely using massage therapy titles are all Class 1 misdemeanors, and changes massage therapy licenses to expire two years after issuance instead of automatically expiring on September 30th following issuance.

Increase licensure fees related to the practice of funeral service and cremation.

HB1015 increases the maximum fees that the State Board of Funeral Service can charge for licenses and applications. Specifically, it raises the cap on annual funeral service practice renewal fees from $100 to $225 and increases the cap on funeral establishment application fees from $200 to $350.

Provide that equine dental maintenance not constitute the practice of veterinary medicine.

HB1176 clarifies that people performing routine dental maintenance on horses are not practicing veterinary medicine and therefore do not need a veterinary license to do this work. The bill adds equine (horse) dental care to the list of activities that are explicitly exempted from South Dakota's veterinary medicine regulations.

Revise provisions relating to the promulgation of rules to set licensing and inspection fees for plumbers and related professions.

SB 24 updates how South Dakota's State Plumbing Commission sets fees for plumbers and related tradespeople by requiring the commission to follow proper rule-making procedures under state law. The bill reorganizes and clarifies which license types (like plumbing contractors, water conditioning installers, and appliance contractors) have their fees established through this formal rule-making process rather than other methods.

Revise provisions regarding students and trainees engaged in the practice of funeral service.

SB 80 clarifies the rules for people learning to become funeral directors by allowing students in accredited funeral service programs to perform certain funeral duties (like embalming) under a licensed funeral director's direct supervision without needing a separate trainee license. The bill also gives the state licensing board authority to set specific qualifications, supervision requirements, and duration limits for trainees and traineeships through its rules.

Revise provisions related to the practice of physician assistants.

This bill replaces the requirement for physician assistants to have "supervising physicians" with a new system based on "collaborating physicians" who work with PAs as part of a healthcare team rather than directly supervising them. The bill also updates related definitions and the collaborative agreement process to reflect this shift from a supervision model to a collaboration model.

Revise licensure and supervision requirements for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.

SB 110 updates South Dakota's rules for licensing physical therapists by clarifying that applicants must file a written application and removing outdated accreditation references that are no longer used. The bill also streamlines English proficiency requirements for foreign-trained applicants by allowing them to take any board-approved English exam instead of only the TOEFL test.

Modify practice criteria for physician assistants.

HB1071 changes the definitions and requirements for how physician assistants work in South Dakota by replacing the term "supervising physician" with "collaborative agreement" language that emphasizes consultation and referral based on patient needs rather than direct oversight. The bill modifies the definition of "collaboration" to focus on the physician assistant's consultation with other healthcare providers based on the patient's condition, the assistant's qualifications, and standard care—rather than requiring a specific supervising physician relationship. These changes give physician assistants more flexibility in their practice by shifting from a supervision model to a collaboration model.

Revise provisions relating to licensing fees for cosmetology, esthetics, and nail technology.

South Dakota is updating the rules that the Cosmetology Commission can create regarding licensing and fees for cosmetology, esthetics, and nail technology professionals. The changes mostly clean up the language to make it clearer and more consistent—for example, changing "examinations" to "examination" and "salons" to "salon" where appropriate, and updating references to related laws. These revisions streamline the commission's authority without fundamentally changing what fees they can charge or what licensing requirements exist.

Exempt trailer manufacturers and trailer dealers from certain provisions regarding motor vehicle dealer license requirements.

Trailer manufacturers and dealers who make or sell lightweight trailers (under 3,000 pounds) that aren't semitrailers or travel trailers are now exempt from several specific motor vehicle dealer regulations. These businesses will still need to follow other licensing requirements in state law, but won't have to comply with the particular rules listed in the exemption. This change simplifies regulatory requirements for small trailer businesses while keeping basic licensing rules in place.

Modify requirements relating to the operation of salons and booths and to declare an emergency.

HB 1232 adds a new category of salon licenses for businesses that offer only one or a few specific cosmetology practices (rather than all practices), instead of requiring them to get a full cosmetology salon license. The bill also allows multiple licensed cosmetologists, estheticians, or nail technicians to share the same work station within a licensed salon, which wasn't previously permitted.

Revise amounts for licensing fees for the practice of accountancy.

South Dakota is increasing the maximum licensing fee for certified public accountants from $50 to $100 per certificate issuance or renewal. The South Dakota Board of Accountancy will now have authority to set fees up to this new higher limit when it creates rules for regulating accountants in the state. This change allows the board more flexibility to adjust licensing costs to cover its administration and enforcement activities.

Require proof of workers' compensation insurance for contractors of public improvements.

Public construction projects in South Dakota must now require contractors and all their subcontractors to carry workers' compensation insurance, with this requirement applying even to projects that receive government funding like grants or tax increment financing. The Department of Labor and Regulation and the contracting agency gain authority to verify coverage and can request payroll records and subcontractor lists to ensure compliance and prevent fraud.

Remove the maximum fee permitted to be charged by a notary.

South Dakota currently limits notaries public to charging a maximum of $10 per document they notarize, but this bill removes that cap entirely, allowing notaries to set their own fees. Notaries would still be prohibited from charging for notarizing absentee ballot requests.

Repeal the board of barber examiners and cosmetology commission, and to create the cosmetology and barbering board, to provide a penalty, and to make an appropriation therefor.

South Dakota is consolidating the Board of Barber Examiners and the Cosmetology Commission into a single agency called the Cosmetology and Barbering Board, effective July 1, 2025. Both agencies' functions and oversight will be transferred to the Department of Labor and Regulation under this new combined board structure. This merger streamlines state regulation of barbers and cosmetologists under one unified licensing and regulatory authority.

Clarify the adoption and use of the plumbing code.

South Dakota's State Plumbing Commission will now have clearer authority to set and update plumbing standards through its rulemaking process, rather than being locked into a specific version of the national plumbing code. The bill keeps the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code as the baseline standard but allows the Commission to adopt amendments and revisions as needed to protect public health and safety. This gives the state more flexibility to update plumbing requirements without needing new legislation each time standards change.