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South Dakota Bills

Track legislation and stay informed about the bills that matter to you.

State Legislature US Congress

All 5,366 Active 493 In committee 2,157 Passed 1,789 Signed 2,134 Failed 546

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 9, 2026

SB 14: modify provisions related to the practice of pharmacy.

SB 14 amends South Dakota's pharmacy practice laws by updating key definitions in §36-11-2 and §36-11-11. It clarifies terms like "compounding" (now including preparation based on routine prescribing patterns), "dispensing," and "interchangeable biological product" to align with federal standards. These changes directly affect pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy owners by defining their scope of practice and responsibilities more precisely. The bill focuses on administrative clarity rather than creating new requirements or restrictions.

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 1007: amend the definition of law enforcement officer to include tribal law enforcement officers.

HB 1007 amends South Dakota's legal definition of "law enforcement officer" to explicitly include tribal law enforcement officers. This change directly affects tribal law enforcement personnel by ensuring they are recognized under the same legal definitions as state and local officers. The bill modifies Section 22-1-2 of state law to add tribal officers to the definition, aligning their status with other law enforcement roles. This is a technical definitional update with no new requirements or funding impacts.

passed · South Dakota · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 1279: permit technical college employees to join the state health plan.

HB 1279 permits technical college employees in South Dakota to join the state health plan, directly affecting permanent staff working 20+ hours weekly at least six months yearly. The bill requires the technical college’s local education agency (LEA) to pay equivalent monthly contributions instead of the state, and removes previous restrictions preventing these employees from enrolling. Key provisions include defining "technical college employee" and ensuring LEAs cover the same cost as the state does for other plan-eligible employees. The law takes effect July 1, 2027, and applies only to technical college staff, not other state workers.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

failed · South Dakota · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 1040: revise the child support obligation schedule.

HB 1040 revises South Dakota's child support calculation schedule to adjust the percentage of a noncustodial parent's net income required for child support based on income levels and number of children. It introduces a $871 monthly self-support reserve, protecting low-income parents from excessive payments by comparing their obligation to a proportional share calculated using both parents' incomes. The bill also requires incarcerated parents serving over 180 days to pay at least the minimum base amount specified in the schedule. This directly affects noncustodial parents across all income brackets, particularly those with lower earnings or who are incarcerated.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 5, 2026

SB 114: provide for the publication of ballot images and the cast vote record of automatic tabulating equipment.

SB 114 requires South Dakota election officials to make ballot images (digital copies of paper ballots) and cast vote records (electronic records showing how votes were counted) publicly available as public records. However, it prohibits releasing these records if they include voter-identifying details like names, timing of votes, or incomplete precinct data. Specifically, records from precincts with fewer than 100 ballots must be redacted to remove ballot style identifiers and combined with records from other precincts before public release. This law applies directly to local election officials responsible for managing and releasing election data.

Topics ✓ Technology

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.

passed both · South Dakota · Senate Mar 5, 2026

SB 198: restrict the use of a cell phone by a student during the school day.

SB 198 restricts student cell phone use during instructional time in South Dakota public schools. The bill prohibits students from using cell phones unless they have an approved medical or educational accommodation, or during an emergency affecting health/safety. School districts must create policies outlining disciplinary actions for violations. This directly affects all K-12 students in South Dakota public schools during the school day as defined by each district.

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.

introduced · South Dakota · House Mar 4, 2026

HC 8020: honoring the life of Dale Weber, longtime president of the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Association.

This bill is a legislative commemoration honoring Dale Weber, a longtime leader in South Dakota amateur baseball who served as president of the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Association for 37 years. The resolution formally recognizes his contributions to growing the sport in the state and his dedication to introducing young people to baseball over four decades. It acknowledges his passing on February 27, 2026, and celebrates his legacy as "Mr. Amateur Baseball" bestowed by the association upon his retirement. The bill does not create new laws or policies but instead serves as an official state recognition of his life and work.