HB 1212 repeals a provision that previously shielded women from criminal liability for unlawful abortions. It removes the exception that prevented homicide charges when an abortion caused an unborn child's death, making such cases subject to standard homicide laws (Class B felony). The bill directly affects women seeking abortions and medical providers performing them, as it eliminates prior legal protections for abortion-related deaths. Exceptions for lifesaving procedures to preserve the mother's life or spontaneous miscarriages remain unchanged.
SB 201 permits hunters to use drones to locate and recover mortally wounded deer or elk when standard tracking methods fail, directly affecting hunters who meet specific conditions. The bill requires hunters to reasonably believe the animal was mortally wounded during a lawful hunt and that it cannot be found with conventional methods. Drone use is restricted to private land, outside September-November, with pilot permission from landowners, FAA compliance, and adherence to rules set by the Game, Fish and Parks Commission. Violating these rules would be a Class 1 misdemeanor. The law does not change general hunting regulations but adds a specific exception for drone-assisted recovery under strict parameters.
SB 157 amends South Dakota's school funding formula to require using an *average fall enrollment* (instead of enrollment on a single date) when calculating a school district's "local need" for state funding. This directly affects all public school districts in South Dakota by changing how their student enrollment count is determined for funding calculations. The bill replaces the current method - using enrollment on the last Friday of September - with an average, which could stabilize funding by smoothing out seasonal enrollment fluctuations. The change applies specifically to the calculation of "local need" under § 13-13-10.1(32) in the education funding code.
HB 1114 requires South Dakota to submit specific mental health information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) for three groups: individuals acquitted by reason of insanity, those found incompetent to stand trial, and people involuntarily committed as dangers to self or others. The bill mandates that this information be transmitted to NICS within one business day but automatically removed after 18 months. It also requires notifying the affected person or their guardian about both the submission and removal. The law prohibits including diagnosis or treatment details in the reports, focusing solely on identifying information.
SB 143 requires South Dakota's Department of Health to submit an annual report to the legislature by March 1 each year, focusing on public health impacts of cannabis use. The report must include specific data like medical cannabis program expenses/revenues, cannabis-related poisonings, drug-related deaths with cannabis metabolites detected, hospitalizations, licensing violations, and patient demographics. It directly affects the Department of Health (as the reporting entity) and the legislature (as the recipient of the data). The bill mandates concrete data collection on public health outcomes without changing cannabis laws or regulations.
HB 1154 establishes a new legal structure for for-profit corporations in South Dakota called "public benefit corporations." These corporations must formally commit to pursuing either a general public benefit (affecting society/environment broadly) or a specific public benefit (targeting a particular group), and their names must include "general benefit corporation" (GBC) or "specific benefit corporation" (SBC). Existing for-profit corporations can convert to this status by amending their articles of incorporation and obtaining shareholder approval with a two-thirds vote ("minimum status vote"). The bill directly affects for-profit businesses seeking to legally prioritize social/environmental impact alongside profit, while excluding nonprofits and requiring clear public benefit commitments in corporate governance.
SB 104 requires South Dakota's Medicaid program to reimburse licensed therapists for equine-assisted therapy. The bill mandates reimbursement for physical therapists, occupational therapists, or speech-language pathologists who provide therapy using horse-human interactions to help patients meet treatment goals. This applies to Medicaid recipients and requires the state to submit a federal plan amendment by August 1, 2026, to implement the coverage. The law specifically defines "therapy using equine movement" as therapeutic activities leveraging horse interactions to achieve clinical objectives.
HB 1185 requires voters using optical scan ballots in South Dakota to mark their choices with a black ink ballpoint pen instead of a pencil. This change directly affects voters who cast ballots using optical scan machines at polling locations. The bill amends existing election law to specify that only black ink ballpoint pens are permitted for marking these ballots, replacing the previous allowance for pencils or other marking instruments.
SB 85 requires South Dakota school districts to hold a voter election before implementing or increasing an "excess tax levy" (property tax increases beyond the base amount). This applies to both general fund and capital outlay tax levies, meaning school boards can no longer unilaterally approve such increases - they must now seek voter approval through a formal election. The bill mandates specific public notice requirements (e.g., newspaper ads or mailed notices) and allows voters to petition for an election if 5% of registered voters sign a petition. The election must be held by October 1st of the year prior to tax payment, ensuring taxpayers have a direct say in local property tax changes.
SB 173 would amend South Dakota law to extend the fee exemption for motor vehicle and motorcycle license plates currently available to veterans with disabilities to include their spouses. Under the current law (§ 32-5-157.1), disabled veterans may obtain special plates without paying standard fees if they meet specific disability criteria. This bill would add "the spouse of a veteran with a disability" to the eligibility list for the same fee exemption. The change directly affects spouses of veterans who have a disability, allowing them to qualify for the same license plate fee benefit as the veterans themselves.
HCR 6001 is a non-binding resolution urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a tribal law enforcement training academy in South Dakota. It directly addresses DHS and aims to benefit law enforcement personnel serving South Dakota’s nine federally recognized tribal nations, including those working in culturally specific contexts. The resolution requests DHS collaborate with tribal leaders and state agencies to design training programs tailored to tribal communities’ unique needs. It does not create new laws or allocate funding but formally asks DHS to consider South Dakota as a location for such an academy. The resolution emphasizes South Dakota’s existing partnerships with tribal nations and the Bureau of Indian Affairs in law enforcement training.
HB 1005 exempts sales and use taxes on data center equipment and software for businesses operating qualified data centers in South Dakota. It specifically covers servers, cooling systems, power infrastructure, security systems, and related technology used in facilities meeting strict criteria (e.g., built between 2026-2036, meeting fire safety standards). Qualified businesses must verify eligibility with the Department of Revenue and maintain compliance with electric utility agreements and water usage requirements. The tax exemption lasts 50 years from the facility's construction permit date. This directly affects data center operators seeking to reduce operational costs in South Dakota.
