South Dakota Bills

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 5, 2026

SB 30: amend the reasons for challenging an individual's eligibility to vote.

SB 30 restricts the reasons a voter's eligibility can be challenged to only one specific issue: whether the voter has already voted or registered to vote in another state. The bill deletes existing provisions allowing challenges based on residency (per §12-1-4) or U.S. citizenship status. This change directly affects voters whose eligibility might be challenged, county auditors who process such challenges, and the Secretary of State who can file them. The policy change narrows the grounds for filing eligibility challenges, making it harder to contest a voter's registration on residency or citizenship grounds.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 5, 2026

SB 31: permit the use of a confirmation letter to verify a voter's registration.

SB 31 allows South Dakota voters to use a confirmation letter (instead of just a postcard) to verify their registration status. The letter must include the voter's current information, instructions for confirming details or updating an address within 30 days, and a warning that failure to respond will make their registration inactive. This directly affects voters who receive these notices from county auditors due to potential address changes or undeliverable mailings. The bill updates existing voter registration maintenance procedures to clarify the required content and purpose of these verification notices.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 5, 2026

SB 138: revise the time within which a recount for a school board election must be completed.

SB 138 revises South Dakota's school board election recount process by requiring recounts to be completed before the annual board meeting. It affects candidates who lose by a margin of two percent or less, allowing them to request a recount within five days of the official vote count. The bill clarifies that recounts must be finished prior to the annual board meeting specified in §13-8-10, rather than relying on prior ambiguous timing. This change ensures recounts conclude in time for the board's regular meeting schedule without altering the request window or recount board composition rules.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 5, 2026

SB 32: amend and repeal provisions pertaining to the ballot requirements for certain elections and to declare an emergency.

SB 32 modifies ballot requirements for South Dakota primary elections. It removes party designations for judicial candidates on primary ballots (replacing "nonpolitical judiciary ballot" with standardized candidate lists) and changes how constitutional amendments and initiated measures are printed on ballots. The bill repeals an existing section specifying the form of the nonpolitical judiciary ballot. These changes directly affect county auditors and election officials who print and distribute ballots. The bill also declares an emergency to expedite its implementation.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 5, 2026

SB 101: amend provisions pertaining to the duties of presidential electors.

SB 101 is a procedural bill that clarifies South Dakota's requirements for presidential electors. It updates timing deadlines (changing references from "nine a.m." to "11 a.m. central time") for electors to notify the Governor of their presence and readiness, and refines procedures for filling vacancies if electors fail to appear. This directly affects South Dakota's presidential electors and state officials handling election logistics. The bill makes technical adjustments to existing election code without altering voting outcomes or elector qualifications.

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 4, 2026

HB 1260: authorize the establishment of municipal property tax rebate programs.

HB 1260 allows South Dakota municipalities to create programs that rebate property taxes on owner-occupied single-family homes within their borders. If a city or town adopts such a program through a local ordinance, it must provide rebates to qualifying homeowners who meet the criteria set by that ordinance. The bill specifically limits rebates to taxes levied directly by the municipality, not state or county taxes. This policy change gives local governments a tool to potentially reduce housing costs for residents, but only if they choose to implement such a program.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 4, 2026

SB 27: revise the description of certain highways included in the state trunk highway system.

SB 27 amends two sections of South Dakota law (31-4-156 and 31-4-235) to update the precise geographic descriptions of existing highways within the state trunk highway system. The bill corrects the written route descriptions for specific highways in Butte, Lawrence, and other counties, clarifying points like "from a point on the Wyoming state line southeasterly to Interstate Highway 90" and "from U.S. Highway 16 in Custer." It does not change the physical routes or create new policies; it only revises the official legal descriptions to match current highway alignments. This is a technical correction to state code, not a substantive policy change.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 4, 2026

SB 26: revise procurement for highway construction contracts.

SB 26 exempts highway construction contracts entered into by South Dakota's Department of Transportation (DOT) from standard state procurement rules. This means the DOT can bypass typical competitive bidding requirements when awarding these specific contracts. The bill amends existing law to clarify that DOT highway construction contracts are explicitly excluded from general procurement statutes. It directly affects the DOT and contractors working on state highway projects, streamlining their procurement process. The change focuses on administrative efficiency for highway construction, not altering the scope of work or funding.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 4, 2026

SB 75: amend the type of entities eligible to participate in the cybersecurity services initiative.

SB 75 expands eligibility for South Dakota's cybersecurity services initiative to include nonprofit utility companies and utilities operated by local governments (like cities or counties). It appropriates $7 million from the general fund to the Attorney General's Office to fund cybersecurity infrastructure and administrative costs for eligible entities. The bill modifies existing law to allow these newly included organizations to access the initiative's resources, which previously covered only counties and municipalities. Funds must be used to protect IT assets and address specific cybersecurity needs of participating local governments and utilities. The initiative aims to improve cybersecurity across state government and service provider networks.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Technology

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 4, 2026

SB 129: update references in certain statutes to the 2024 standard building codes.

SB 129 updates South Dakota statutes to reference the 2024 edition of the International Building Code, International Property Maintenance Code, and International Residential Code instead of the 2021 editions. It directly affects local governments (cities and counties) that adopt building ordinances, requiring them to use the newer 2024 code standards for construction, maintenance, and residential structures. The bill does not change building requirements but ensures local ordinances align with the latest national model codes. It specifically excludes mobile homes, farmsteads, and certain residential structures from these updated references, as defined in existing law.

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 4, 2026

HB 1119: modify provisions regarding directors serving on a farm mutual insurer’s board.

HB 1119 modifies governance rules for farm mutual insurers in South Dakota by increasing the maximum number of board directors from 11 to 15 and clarifying eligibility requirements. The bill requires that directors must be members of the insurer or one of its affiliates (defined as entities controlling or controlled by the insurer). This directly affects the board composition of all South Dakota farm mutual insurers operating under these rules. The key change streamlines board size limits while ensuring directors have a direct connection to the insurer through membership or affiliation.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 4, 2026

SB 71: authorize the assumption of certain responsibilities and the waiver of sovereign immunity in connection with certain actions under federal environmental law.

SB 71 allows South Dakota's Department of Transportation to take over federal environmental review responsibilities for highway projects under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It directly affects the state DOT and any parties involved in lawsuits related to these highway projects. Key provisions include waiving South Dakota's sovereign immunity (meaning the state can be sued in federal court) for compliance disputes and requiring the state to pay damages and attorney fees from highway funds if it loses such cases. The bill streamlines environmental reviews for state highway projects but does not change federal environmental standards.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Bill results