South Dakota Bills

passed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 12, 2025

SJR 503: Proposing and submitting to the voters at the next general election an amendment to the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, clarifying that an individual must be a citizen of the United States to be eligible to vote.

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to South Dakota that would require voters to be U.S. citizens. It directly affects eligibility for voting in state elections by adding a citizenship requirement to the state constitution. The amendment would be placed on the ballot for voters to approve or reject at the next general election. If passed, it would make citizenship a formal legal requirement for voting in South Dakota.

Topics ✗ Immigration

Tesa Schwans (R) Kevin Jensen (R) Bobbi Andera (R) Travis Ismay (R) Heather Baxter (R)

passed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 12, 2025

SJR 505: Proposing and submitting to the voters at the next general election an amendment to the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, establishing the trust for unclaimed property fund.

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to create a state trust fund for unclaimed property in South Dakota. It would establish a legal framework for collecting and managing abandoned assets such as uncashed checks, forgotten bank accounts, and unclaimed securities. The amendment would require the state to maintain this fund and potentially use it for public purposes as defined by future legislation. This change directly affects the state's financial management system and property owners who may have forgotten assets in the state.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed both · South Dakota · House Mar 10, 2025

HJR 5002: Applying to the United States Congress under Article V of the United States Constitution to call for a convention for proposing an amendment to the constitution establishing congressional term limits.

This bill proposes to apply to the United States Congress under Article V of the Constitution to call for a constitutional convention aimed at establishing term limits for members of Congress. The measure would direct the state legislature to formally request this convention, which is one of the methods specified in the Constitution for proposing amendments. If enacted, the bill would initiate a process to gather signatures and submit a formal application to the federal government, setting the stage for a national debate on congressional term limits. The bill does not itself create term limits but seeks to trigger a constitutional process that could lead to such changes if approved by the required number of states.

passed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SB 95: make an appropriation to the Department of Revenue for distribution to county rural access infrastructure funds and to declare an emergency.

The bill directs the Department of Revenue to allocate funds to county rural access infrastructure funds, supporting infrastructure projects in rural areas. It includes a declaration of emergency to expedite the funding process. This measure directly impacts counties in South Dakota that receive financial support for rural infrastructure development.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

passed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SB 127: authorize the expenditure of moneys and make an appropriation for grants supporting airport terminal improvements and expansion.

This bill authorizes the use of state funds to provide grants for improving and expanding airport terminals. It directly affects airports within South Dakota that seek financial assistance for terminal upgrades. The key provision allows the state to allocate money specifically for these infrastructure projects. The legislation focuses on enabling funding for terminal enhancements without specifying particular airports or project details.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

passed · South Dakota · House Mar 10, 2025

HB 1165: provide a means by which an agricultural producer may request an automatic refund of an assessment on crops.

HB 1165 allows agricultural producers in South Dakota to request an automatic refund of assessments paid on their crops. The bill establishes a process for farmers to apply for reimbursement when they have already paid crop assessments. This provision directly affects agricultural producers who have made these payments and provides a mechanism for recovering funds under specified conditions. The legislation focuses on creating a refund system rather than changing existing assessment requirements.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed both · South Dakota · House Mar 10, 2025

HB 1242: limit the amount of money that a political action committee may accept from an authorized committee of a candidate for federal office.

HB 1242 limits the amount of money political action committees can receive from authorized committees of candidates for federal office in South Dakota. The bill directly affects political action committees and candidates running for federal positions by setting a cap on contributions from these authorized committees. This provision aims to regulate campaign finance by restricting the flow of funds from candidate committees to political action committees. The legislation establishes specific monetary limits to control how much money can be transferred between these related political entities.

passed both · South Dakota · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SJR 501: Providing legislative approval for a future use water permit application by the Western Dakota Regional Water System.

This bill grants legislative approval for a future water permit application submitted by the Western Dakota Regional Water System. It allows the water system to proceed with obtaining a permit for future water use, which is necessary for their planned infrastructure projects. The measure does not authorize the water use itself but provides the required legislative consent for the permit process to move forward.

passed · South Dakota · House Mar 10, 2025

HB 1249: protect landowners from the use of deception, fraud, harassment, intimidation, misrepresentation, or threat, in acquiring easements or easement options.

HB 1249 aims to protect landowners in South Dakota from deceptive or coercive tactics when easements or easement options are being acquired. The bill prohibits the use of fraud, harassment, intimidation, misrepresentation, or threats during the easement acquisition process. It requires that landowners receive clear, accurate information and have the opportunity to consult legal counsel before signing easement agreements. This legislation directly affects property owners and entities seeking to acquire land easements by establishing stricter standards for negotiation and disclosure.

passed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SB 169: require a public hearing prior to a vote to impose an excess tax levy.

SB 169 requires that a public hearing be held before a vote can be taken on imposing an excess tax levy. This bill directly affects local governments and taxpayers in South Dakota by adding a procedural step to the tax levy process. The key mechanism is the mandatory public hearing, which ensures community input is gathered before any excess tax increase is approved. This change aims to increase transparency and public participation in local tax decisions without altering the underlying tax rates or amounts.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · South Dakota · House Mar 10, 2025

HB 1235: reduce a limit on the annual increases of property tax revenues payable to certain taxing districts, and to subject school districts to a limit on property taxes collected in a year.

This bill modifies property tax revenue limits in South Dakota by adjusting caps on annual increases for certain taxing districts and imposing a new limit on property tax collections for school districts. It directly affects local governments, school boards, and property owners by changing how much property tax revenue they can collect each year. The key provision establishes a ceiling on property tax collections for school districts to prevent excessive tax burdens on residents. Additionally, it alters the rules governing how much property tax revenue can increase annually for specific taxing entities. These changes aim to provide more predictable tax revenue limits while maintaining fiscal constraints on local government funding.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Education

passed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SB 172: provide a rebuttable presumption in favor of joint physical custody of a minor child.

SB 172 establishes a legal presumption that joint physical custody is in the best interest of a minor child during custody disputes. This means courts will generally start with the assumption that both parents should share physical care of the child unless one parent can prove that shared custody would be harmful. The bill directly affects parents involved in custody cases by shifting the initial burden of proof to the parent opposing joint custody. This change aims to promote shared parenting arrangements while still allowing exceptions when joint custody would not serve the child's welfare.

Bill results