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make an appropriation for the purchase of a new Division of Highway Patrol airplane and mission equipment and to declare an emergency.
South Dakota is spending $5 million from its general fund to buy a new airplane for the Highway Patrol Division, along with equipment to install in it. The bill declares an emergency so the spending can take effect immediately rather than waiting for the normal budget process. Any money not actually spent or committed will be returned to the general fund.
make an appropriation for grants to support the purchase of personal protective equipment by volunteer fire departments and to declare an emergency.
South Dakota will provide $5 million in grants to volunteer fire departments (those with at least 70% volunteer firefighters) to help them buy protective equipment like gear and clothing for their firefighters. The Department of Public Safety will review applications in the order they're received and prioritize funding to departments with the greatest safety needs, with any unspent money reverting to the state by June 30, 2030.
make an appropriation for a fire management officer position within the Department of Public Safety.
South Dakota will allocate $750,000 to the Department of Public Safety to create a new fire management officer position that supports wildfire operations in the eastern part of the state. This is a one-time appropriation from the state's general fund that takes effect on June 30, 2026, and any money not spent will be returned to the state treasury.
make an appropriation for providing a grant to a nonprofit that delivers programming to support offenders and correctional staff.
South Dakota is setting aside $2.7 million to give as a grant to a nonprofit organization that provides trauma-informed training programs to inmates and prison staff at state correctional facilities. To receive the grant, the nonprofit must already be offering leadership development and skills training at South Dakota's three main prisons and must have delivered these programs there within the past six months. The money must be spent by June 30, 2031, or it will be returned to the state's general fund.
urging the United States Department of Homeland Security to establish a tribal law enforcement training academy in South Dakota.
This concurrent resolution doesn't change state law—instead, it's a formal request from South Dakota's legislature asking the federal Department of Homeland Security to establish a tribal law enforcement training academy in the state. The resolution emphasizes that South Dakota's location and its nine tribal nations make it an ideal location for such an academy to train law enforcement officers serving Native American communities across the country.
revise the daily meal allowance for wildland fire employees and fire suppression forces in certain circumstances.
The Department of Public Safety will now set a daily meal allowance for wildland firefighters and fire suppression crews working on uncontrolled fires in the Black Hills or during gubernatorial emergencies, capped at the federal General Services Administration per diem rate for South Dakota. This new allowance applies only to meals that the department approves for ordering and distribution, and will be updated each October. The change overrides previous meal allowance rules for these specific fire-fighting situations.
classify 911 telecommunicators as Class B members of the South Dakota Retirement System.
This bill moves 911 telecommunicators (the people who answer emergency calls) into Class B of the South Dakota Retirement System, which likely provides them with different retirement benefits than their current classification. The change amends the state retirement law to officially recognize 911 telecommunicators as a distinct group eligible for Class B membership benefits.
make an appropriation for victim services provided by nonprofit organizations.
South Dakota allocates $5.5 million annually to the Department of Public Safety to award grants to nonprofit organizations serving abuse victims, domestic violence survivors, sexual assault victims, and trafficking victims. These grants can fund emergency services, counseling, 24/7 crisis lines, case management, and sexual assault nurse examiners, but cannot start new programs or pay for legal services. The department will prioritize organizations that have already tried to raise their own funding for these services.
amend provisions pertaining to the required criminal background investigation of certain school employees.
South Dakota schools must now conduct criminal background investigations on all employees over 18 through fingerprint checks with state and federal authorities before they start work, though schools can allow temporary employment while waiting for results. Schools can withdraw job offers or fire temporary employees if the background check reveals disqualifying criminal records, and schools may cover the costs of fingerprinting and investigations. The bill also clarifies that people officiating school events and technical college instructors are either exempt from or included in these background check requirements, respectively.