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Providing legislative approval for a future use water permit application by the Western Dakota Regional Water System.

The legislature approves the Western Dakota Regional Water System's application to reserve about 20,765 acre-feet of water annually from the Missouri River for future use by 20 counties in western South Dakota. State law requires legislative approval for water permits exceeding 10,000 acre-feet per year, and the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources has already recommended approval of this application.

Prohibit the exercise of eminent domain for a pipeline that carries carbon oxide.

South Dakota would prohibit companies from using eminent domain (the government power to seize private property) to build or operate pipelines designed primarily to transport carbon dioxide. This blocks a common tool used by pipeline companies to acquire land from unwilling property owners for carbon capture and transport projects.

Modernize provisions relating to water development districts.

HB1072 updates South Dakota's water development district laws to clarify that these districts are legal entities and can be created either by the Legislature or through a specific petition process outlined in state law. The bill also refines the duties of water development districts, emphasizing their role in promoting water conservation and management while serving as a central resource for communities seeking technical and financial help with water projects.

Prohibit natural asset companies.

This bill prohibits South Dakota state agencies and political subdivisions from doing business with natural asset companies—entities that hold rights to manage land for conservation or ecological benefits and profit from those natural assets. The law bars the state from selling, leasing, or granting easements on public lands to these companies or otherwise giving them any direct or indirect interest in state resources. This creates a new restriction on how the state can use or manage its property and natural resources.

Create the McCook Lake contingency fund and to transfer moneys to the fund.

South Dakota creates a new McCook Lake contingency fund in the state treasury to pay for cleaning up and restoring McCook Lake, including fixing its pumping system and planning for flood mitigation. The state will transfer $2 million from the general fund to this new account, which will be managed by the state treasurer and will keep any interest earned within the fund.

Establish the minimum compensation for an easement obtained through the exercise of eminent domain for a project affecting multiple landowners.

When the government uses eminent domain to obtain easements (like for pipelines or power lines) from multiple landowners on the same project, this bill requires that every landowner receive compensation equal to the highest price the government negotiated with any other landowner for a similar easement on that same project. This change removes easements from the standard jury trial process for determining compensation and instead sets a minimum payment standard based on whatever the best deal was for comparable easements.

Create the water infrastructure development fund.

South Dakota creates a new water infrastructure development fund to help pay for rural water projects approved by the federal Bureau of Reclamation. The state can contribute grants covering up to 10 percent of a project's construction costs and loans up to 50 percent, with the fund being replenished through legislative appropriations, federal grants, and loan repayments. The Board of Water and Natural Resources will manage the fund and set rules for which projects qualify and what terms apply to the aid.

Extend the area in which a director for an irrigation district may reside.

This bill expands where irrigation district directors can live by increasing the allowed distance from the district boundary from 15 miles to 25 miles. Directors must still be qualified voters in their division (or the whole district if elected at-large), but now have more flexibility in their residency location as long as bylaws allow it.

Make appropriations for water and environmental purposes and to declare an emergency.

SB 33 appropriates $15 million from South Dakota's water and environment fund to the Board of Water and Natural Resources for three water projects: $1 million for a Dakota Mainstem regional water system study, $2 million for the Water Investment in Northern South Dakota project, and $12 million for grants and loans to local sponsors through the state consolidated water facilities construction program. The bill declares an emergency, allowing these funds to be spent immediately rather than waiting for the normal budget process.

Make an appropriation for the replacement of the Richmond Lake dam and spillway, for the general maintenance and repair of other state-owned dams, and to declare an emergency.

This bill allocates $13,046,882 in state funding to replace the Richmond Lake dam and spillway and maintain other state-owned dams under the Office of School and Public Lands. The emergency declaration allows the bill to take effect immediately upon passage rather than waiting until the next fiscal year.

Make an appropriation for the reconstruction of Custer West Dam.

The state will give the City of Custer $1.5 million to rebuild Custer West Dam and cover all costs related to the project. Any money from this appropriation that the city doesn't spend or commit to spending will be returned to the state according to standard procedures. The funding becomes available on June 29, 2025.

Affirming the state's rejection of carbon dioxide pipelines and urging President Donald Trump to avoid interfering with the Summit Carbon Solutions carbon dioxide pipeline through exercise of federal eminent domain powers.

This is a concurrent resolution expressing South Dakota's opposition to carbon dioxide pipelines and requesting that President Trump not use federal eminent domain authority to force the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline project through the state. The resolution affirms that South Dakota voters rejected the pipeline in a 2024 ballot measure and notes that the state legislature already passed a law prohibiting eminent domain seizures for carbon dioxide pipelines. This resolution does not change existing law but serves as an official statement of the state's position on the issue.

Specify the funds into which certain boat fees are deposited.

SB 46 directs boat registration fees collected by the state to be deposited into the parks and recreation fund instead of their previous destination. The bill also clarifies the registration process and documentation requirements for boat owners, and maintains criminal penalties for falsifying registration information.