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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 · House Feb 23, 2026

HB 1080: allow a business owner who is a veteran to display military specialty plates on a noncommercial vehicle registered to the veteran's business and to limit personal liability to the business owner and veteran.

HB 1080 allows veteran business owners to display military specialty plates on noncommercial vehicles (like personal cars or vans) registered to their business, provided the veteran is listed as an additional owner on the vehicle's title. It also limits the veteran's personal liability for damages from accidents involving these business vehicles. The bill requires the veteran to meet standard military plate eligibility and vehicle registration rules, with a $10 additional fee for the specialty plates. This directly affects veteran business owners who operate noncommercial vehicles under their business registration.

Topics ✓ Veterans

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 23, 2026

SB 91: clarify the procedure for petitioning a board of county commissioners for a change to the comprehensive plan or zoning ordinances.

SB 91 clarifies the process for citizens to request changes to a county's comprehensive plan or zoning ordinances by setting specific deadlines. It requires county commissioners to hold a public hearing within 45 days of receiving a petition, and mandates the county planning commission to review the request and provide a recommendation within 45 days of the petition's submission. This bill directly affects residents, property owners, and local government officials by streamlining the petition process and ensuring timely responses. The key mechanism adds clear timeframes to existing procedures, reducing delays in reviewing land-use change requests. The bill focuses solely on procedural timing, not on the substance of zoning decisions.

signed · South Dakota · House Feb 23, 2026

HB 1020: increase the maximum amount allowable for the livestock ownership inspection fee and to declare an emergency.

HB 1020 increases the maximum allowable fee for livestock ownership inspections from $1.65 per head to a higher amount, as specified in amended law. The bill directly affects livestock owners in South Dakota who pay this inspection fee when registering or transferring livestock brands. It amends Section 40-18-16 of South Dakota law to raise the fee cap, requested by the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The bill also declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation upon passage. This change adjusts the fee structure for livestock branding and inspection compliance without altering existing fee collection practices.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 18: repeal income modifications for the bank franchise tax pertaining to bad debts.

SB 18 repeals a requirement that banks add back to their South Dakota franchise tax base any bad debt deductions they claimed on federal tax returns but later determined were not actually worthless. This change eliminates the need for banks to adjust their state taxable income for "recovered" bad debts, potentially lowering their tax burden. The bill directly affects banks operating in South Dakota subject to the state's franchise tax on banking activities. It removes specific provisions in the tax code that previously mandated this adjustment for bad debt accounting.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 19: revise certain references to the Internal Revenue Code.

This bill updates South Dakota tax law to reference the Internal Revenue Code as it existed on January 1, 2026 (instead of 2025). It specifically revises Section 10-1-47 and applies to several other tax statutes and subdivisions related to income, sales, and business taxes. The change is administrative, ensuring South Dakota's tax references align with the current federal tax code as of the new date. It does not alter tax rates, eligibility, or policy - only the date used for reference in existing laws.

signed · South Dakota · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 1029: revise provisions related to the practice of addiction counseling and prevention services.

HB 1029 revises South Dakota's regulations for addiction counseling and prevention services by updating definitions and clarifying the role of the South Dakota Board of Addiction and Prevention Professionals. The bill requires the board to regulate practitioners (including certified addiction counselors, prevention specialists, and peer support specialists) to ensure competency, comply with national examination standards, and protect public safety. Key provisions include setting professional practice standards, conducting competency exams at least twice yearly, maintaining a public registry of practitioners with status and disciplinary history, and collecting fees for licensing, exams, and renewals. These changes apply directly to licensed or certified addiction and prevention service providers in South Dakota.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 52: clarify statutes governing the administration of disability benefits by the South Dakota Retirement System.

This bill clarifies the process for applying for and receiving disability benefits through the South Dakota Retirement System. It specifically amends three sections of state law to define how the executive director determines eligibility (requiring provider/employer statements, allowing medical exams, and specifying refusal leads to denial), when benefits begin (starting the month after service ends), and how benefits are terminated (requiring certification of non-disability, following the same review process as initial applications, and providing 30 days' notice before termination). The bill directly affects current and future South Dakota Retirement System members applying for or receiving disability benefits. It focuses on administrative clarity without changing eligibility criteria or benefit amounts.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 53: ensure uniformity in member identification provisions governing the South Dakota Retirement System.

SB 53 standardizes identification requirements for South Dakota Retirement System members applying for withdrawals or benefits. It requires members to submit a current driver's license or government-issued photo ID when withdrawing contributions (Section 3-12C-602) or applying for retirement benefits (Section 3-12C-1208), with spouses also needing to provide ID and sign if married. Married members may bypass spouse signatures by certifying inability to obtain them with documentation and choosing a specific benefit option. The bill directly affects retirement system members seeking to withdraw funds or receive benefits, ensuring consistent ID verification across all processes.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 51: revise certain requirements for contesting actions of the South Dakota Retirement System.

SB 51 revises the process for individuals to contest decisions made by the South Dakota Retirement System. It changes the deadline for requesting a contested case hearing from 30 days to 60 days after receiving a decision, requiring written requests sent by certified mail to specify the contested portion and the alleged factual or legal error. The bill also clarifies that requests postmarked within 60 days count as timely received, and failure to meet this deadline bars court review. This directly affects retirees or beneficiaries who disagree with Retirement System determinations about their benefits. The changes streamline the appeal timeline and documentation requirements without altering benefit eligibility or amounts.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 50: update the reference to the Internal Revenue Code to reflect current federal law for the administration of South Dakota Retirement System statutes.

SB 50 updates a South Dakota statute to reference the correct year of the federal Internal Revenue Code (2026 instead of 2025) for administering the state's retirement system laws. It directly affects the South Dakota Retirement System's administrative processes by ensuring their statutes align with current federal tax law references. The bill makes a technical, non-substantive change to a legal citation - no new benefits, rules, or eligibility criteria are altered. It is purely procedural, requiring no action from retirees or employers.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 65: revise certain required minimum distribution provisions of the South Dakota Retirement System.

SB 65 revises South Dakota Retirement System distribution rules for beneficiaries when a participant dies after December 31, 2021. It requires that if a participant dies before their entire account is distributed and has a designated beneficiary, the account must be paid out by the 10th anniversary of the death, or beneficiaries may choose lifetime payments based on their life expectancy. This applies directly to retirees' beneficiaries (including surviving spouses) who were not covered under the previous rules for deaths before 2022. The bill aligns South Dakota's rules with federal SECURE Act provisions, replacing the prior requirement for lump-sum payments within five years for non-spouse beneficiaries.

signed · South Dakota · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 1028: establish a criminal background check requirement for multistate licensure under the social work licensure compact.

HB 1028 requires social work license applicants seeking a multistate license under South Dakota's social work licensure compact to undergo a criminal background check. The bill mandates that applicants submit fingerprints to the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners, which then conducts a state and federal background check through the Division of Criminal Investigation and FBI. Applicants must sign a release and pay associated fees, and the Board cannot issue a multistate license until it receives the background check results. This directly affects social work license applicants pursuing multistate licensure under the compact.