South Dakota Bills

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 98: prevent virtual currency kiosk fraud.

SB 98 requires operators of virtual currency kiosks in South Dakota to obtain a license under existing financial regulations (Chapter 51A-17). It mandates detailed reporting to the state, including transaction volumes, user complaints, refund requests, and suspicious activity. The bill also requires kiosk operators to provide users with receipts containing transaction details, exchange rates, virtual currency addresses, and refund policies. These provisions directly affect kiosk operators (licensees) and users engaging in virtual currency transactions at these locations. The law aims to increase transparency and accountability in virtual currency kiosk operations.

Topics ✓ Technology

Nicole Uhre-Balk (D) Glen Vilhauer (R) Eric Emery (D) Carl Perry (R) Liz Larson (D)

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 1092: update provisions pertaining to open records.

HB 1092 updates South Dakota's open records law by clarifying which government records can be kept private. It exempts specific categories, including student personal information (except directory details), medical records (excluding birth/death records), trade secrets, attorney work product, law enforcement investigation details, property appraisal records, and security plans for buildings or critical infrastructure. The bill explicitly states it does not change existing laws regarding birth/death records or certain law enforcement privileges. This affects public entities like schools, hospitals, police departments, and government agencies that handle these exempt records.

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 1107: modify restrictions on lands for certain public purposes.

HB 1107 modifies South Dakota law (§ 43-25-18.3) to give courts greater flexibility when land restrictions for public purposes (like religious, educational, or charitable uses) become impractical due to changed conditions. The bill allows courts to either adjust land use restrictions to better serve the original purpose or authorize selling the land and reinvesting the proceeds in new land that matches the original purpose. This directly affects landholders (grantees) who hold property subject to restrictions set by grantors for public purposes. The key change is enabling courts to adapt land management without requiring strict adherence to outdated conditions. The bill does not create new requirements but adjusts judicial authority under existing land-use laws.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 36: authorize certain utilities to establish wildfire mitigation plans and associated liability limitations for wildfire damages.

SB 36 requires electric utilities and wholesale electricity generators in South Dakota to develop and submit wildfire mitigation plans to either the Public Utilities Commission or their local governing body (like a city council). These plans must include specific strategies for risk assessment, infrastructure inspections, vegetation management, and community outreach to reduce wildfire risks. Utilities must also submit annual compliance reports by April 1st each year, with filing fees of $500 for initial plans and $250 for reports. The bill establishes a standardized process for these plans and reports but does not specify liability protections beyond the plan requirements.

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 1238: protect financial institutions taking action to prevent the financial exploitation of consenting, senior, or vulnerable adults.

HB 1238 allows South Dakota financial institutions to delay or block specific transactions when they reasonably suspect financial exploitation of consenting adults aged 65+ (seniors) or adults aged 18+ with mental impairments or court-appointed guardians (vulnerable adults). The law permits banks to refuse transfers, withdrawals, ownership changes, beneficiary updates, or power-of-attorney instructions if exploitation is suspected. Financial institutions are protected from liability for acting under this law, though they are not required to intervene - decisions are based on available information. This directly affects banks and the vulnerable adults they serve by providing a legal framework to prevent financial abuse.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 11, 2026

SB 164: require that any holder of a commercial driver license in this state must be proficient in the English language, and to provide a penalty therefor.

Senate Bill 164 (SB 164) requires all current and new holders of commercial driver licenses (CDLs) in South Dakota to demonstrate English language proficiency by January 1, 2026. This requirement aligns with federal standards (49 C.F.R. § 391.11) for commercial motor vehicle drivers and applies directly to individuals seeking or renewing CDLs. The bill amends state law to add English proficiency as a mandatory condition for CDL issuance, referencing existing federal qualifications. Violations may result in penalties, though specific penalties are not detailed in the provided text.

Topics ✓ Transportation

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 10, 2026

HB 1286: amend the process by which moneys are distributed from the employer's investment in South Dakota's future fund.

HB 1286 amends South Dakota's "Employer's Investment in South Dakota's Future Fund" to clarify how funds are distributed for economic development projects. It directly affects businesses, universities, and workforce programs seeking grants by requiring applicants to submit detailed business plans - including job descriptions, education requirements, pay scales, and accounting practices - before receiving funds. The bill mandates that grants only reimburse actual project costs, require itemized invoices for grants over $1 million, and demand biannual public reporting on recipient locations, job impacts, and fund balances. All grant agreements must be posted online, increasing transparency while limiting funding to specific qualifying projects like workforce training, infrastructure, and business expansion.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 10, 2026

SB 236: create the county and township infrastructure fund for the accounting, safekeeping, and allocation of unobligated rural access infrastructure fund moneys.

SB 236 creates a new "county and township infrastructure fund" in South Dakota's state treasury to manage unspent money from existing rural access infrastructure funds. It requires counties to transfer any unobligated funds (money not committed to specific projects) by June 30, 2029, to this state fund instead of letting them revert to the general budget. The fund will hold these unspent moneys for future allocation to counties, following existing rules for rural road projects, and will be administered by the Department of Revenue. This bill does not change how funds are spent but provides a formal mechanism for accounting, safekeeping, and future distribution of leftover funds.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 10, 2026

SB 111: require that social media companies provide collected personal data of a user at the user's request and maintain transparent interoperability interfaces.

SB 111 requires social media companies operating in South Dakota to give users access to their collected personal data upon request and maintain transparent, publicly available technical standards (open protocols) that allow different social media platforms to share user data. It directly affects social media companies by mandating data access for users and requiring interoperability interfaces that are free from licensing fees or patent restrictions. Key provisions define "personal data" as information linked to an identifiable individual (excluding de-identified or public data) and specify that interoperability must enable data exchange between platforms via open protocols. The bill focuses on concrete policy changes: user data access and standardized data-sharing mechanisms, without specifying enforcement or penalties.

Topics ✓ Technology

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 10, 2026

HB 1099: reschedule the pharmaceutical composition of crystalline polymorph psilocybin in a drug product approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a Schedule IV controlled substance.

HB 1099 would reclassify FDA-approved psilocybin medications from Schedule I to Schedule IV under South Dakota law. This change would allow medical providers to prescribe these specific pharmaceutical products without the strict restrictions currently applied to Schedule I substances. The bill specifically affects only psilocybin in drug products approved by the FDA, not raw psilocybin or unapproved formulations. This amendment aligns South Dakota's scheduling with federal approval status for medical use.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 10, 2026

SB 113: increase the penalty for preventing practice of religion.

This bill amends South Dakota law (§ 22-19B-4) to upgrade penalties for preventing someone from practicing their religion through threats or violence. Currently a Class 1 misdemeanor, the offense would become a Class 6 felony under this bill. It directly affects individuals who use intimidation or force to stop others from engaging in legally protected religious activities. The key change is reclassifying the penalty level in the statute, increasing the legal consequences for such conduct.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 10, 2026

HB 1106: revise the terms of county extension board members.

HB 1106 clarifies the term structure for county extension board members in South Dakota. It revises Section 13-54-11 to specify that board members serve staggered terms expiring annually on January 10th, replacing inconsistent phrasing about "one-to-three years." This change directly affects county extension boards and their appointment process, ensuring clear annual expiration dates for terms. The bill does not alter board composition requirements (such as farmer representation or county commissioner membership) or substantive responsibilities.

Bill results