South Dakota Bills

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.

signed · South Dakota · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 1060: remove the five percent calculation requirement from the county budgetary process.

HB 1060 removes a requirement that county commissioners must add a mandatory 5% buffer to tax levy calculations when creating annual budgets. This change affects South Dakota county governments by simplifying their budget process - county boards will no longer need to calculate a 5% excess over projected revenue needs. The bill specifically repeals Section 7-21-18 and amends Sections 7-21-19 and 10-12-8 to eliminate the 5% addition step from the tax levy formula. County commissioners will now calculate tax levies based solely on the difference between budgeted expenses and expected revenue, without the fixed 5% adjustment.

signed · South Dakota · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 1088: remove the requirement that counties remit to municipalities an amount equal to the road levy for calendar years 1984, 1985, and 1986.

HB 1088 removes a requirement that South Dakota counties must remit funds to municipalities equal to the road levy amounts distributed to those municipalities for calendar years 1984, 1985, and 1986. This specifically targets a provision in existing law that mandated counties pay municipalities a share of road tax revenue from those three years. The bill repeals Section 10-12-32.1, which previously established that municipalities incorporated after January 1, 1984, were entitled to 25% of county road funds for those historical years. This change eliminates a longstanding financial obligation between counties and municipalities for a specific historical period.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

failed · South Dakota · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 1171: establish provisions related to the disclosure of COVID-19 and mRNA vaccination status and blood donations.

HB 1171 requires blood donation centers in South Dakota to ask donors if they've received a COVID-19 or mRNA vaccination and to label blood bags if they have. It prohibits disclosing the donor's personal information on the label. Patients needing non-emergency blood transfusions can request blood from donors with or without these vaccinations, and healthcare providers must provide that blood if available. The law directly affects blood donors, donation centers, and patients receiving transfusions, creating new disclosure and request mechanisms while banning discrimination based on vaccination status.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 47: revise the requirements for executive sessions and closed meetings.

SB 47 revises South Dakota's rules for closed meetings held by public bodies like city councils, school boards, and state commissions. It clarifies the specific situations where closed meetings are allowed - such as discussing personnel qualifications, student discipline, legal advice, or security vulnerabilities - and requires a majority vote (with roll call if not unanimous) to hold such meetings. The bill mandates that all decisions about these closed-meeting topics must be made in an open public session, and minutes must detail the closure reason. Violating these requirements is punishable as a Class 2 misdemeanor.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 48: clarify that an official open meeting agenda must be posted online at least seventy-two hours before the scheduled start of the meeting.

SB 48 clarifies that local government bodies (like boards and commissions) must post meeting agendas online at least 72 hours before a meeting starts, excluding weekends and holidays. The bill requires agendas to be posted on a designated state website, including meeting details like date, time, and location, and ensures they are visible and accessible. Violating this rule is classified as a Class 2 misdemeanor. This applies directly to local government entities holding public meetings and aims to standardize public notice requirements.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 46: modify the requirements for open meeting agendas and provide a penalty therefor.

SB 46 requires public bodies in South Dakota to include detailed descriptions of all agenda items in advance of meetings, ensuring the public understands the specific business or policy being discussed. It mandates that agenda items be described "in sufficient detail to reasonably inform the public," directly affecting city councils, school boards, and other local government bodies that hold public meetings. Violating this requirement would be classified as a Class 2 misdemeanor, adding a legal penalty for noncompliance. The bill focuses on improving transparency in local government meetings without changing the substance of deliberations.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 23: include certain types of vehicles in the unpaid repair bill titling process.

SB 23 expands South Dakota's existing "unpaid repair bill titling process" to explicitly include all previously listed vehicle types (motor vehicles, boats, mopeds, motorcycles, off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, and trailers) under state law. It requires repair shops to provide the owner's contact information and lienholder details to the Department of Revenue when a vehicle is left unpaid, and allows shops to apply for title after 30 days if the owner doesn't reclaim the vehicle by paying repair costs. This process ensures clarity for repair shops seeking title when owners fail to pay, while giving owners, insurers, and lienholders 30 days to reclaim vehicles by covering repair expenses. The bill modifies existing statutes (§§ 32-3-67 to 32-3-69) without adding new vehicle categories.

signed · South Dakota · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 1058: require licensure for online pari-mutuel wagering pools for horse and dog races, and clarify the application of tax therefor.

HB 1058 requires online betting platforms offering pari-mutuel wagering on horse or dog races to obtain a specific license from South Dakota. It clarifies that both in-state operators (with a physical presence) and out-of-state operators must pay a tax of 1.5% on South Dakota contributions, while multi-jurisdictional hubs pay 0.25% (with portions going to racing and breeding funds). The bill specifies that tax revenue will fund the state, a special racing revolving fund, and a South Dakota-bred racing fund. This applies only to online wagering for authorized horse and dog races, updating existing tax and licensing rules.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · South Dakota · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 1076: revise restrictions on residence within a community safety zone and to declare an emergency.

HB 1076 revises restrictions on where sex offenders can live near community safety zones (areas near schools, parks, or shelters). It adds two new exceptions allowing offenders to reside there: if they established their home before July 1, 2024, or if the school/park was built after they moved in. The bill expands existing exceptions for offenders in prison, halfway houses, homeless shelters, or healthcare facilities. Violations remain felonies, with repeat offenses carrying harsher penalties. The bill also declares an emergency to take immediate effect.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

passed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 97: adjust a limit on the percentage increase in revenue payable from property taxes.

Senate Bill 97 adjusts property tax revenue limits for South Dakota taxing districts and school districts. For school districts, it changes the annual revenue increase cap from "lesser of 3% or index factor" to a flat 3% over the prior year's revenue, effective 2021. For general taxing districts, it adds a specific 3.5% cap on revenue increases above normal limits for taxes payable in 2027-2031. The bill also clarifies that property improvements to owner-occupied homes increasing value by 40% or less do not count toward the revenue limit. These changes directly affect local governments and school districts managing property tax revenue.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Education

died · South Dakota · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 1223: revise the scope of practice for occupational therapy.

HB 1223 revises South Dakota's occupational therapy regulations by clarifying the scope of practice for therapists. The bill specifically limits the use of physical agent modalities (like heat, cold, or electrical treatments) to the upper extremities and requires therapists to be certified for these techniques. It updates definitions in the law to ensure occupational therapists, assistants, and aides operate within clearly defined boundaries, directly affecting licensed occupational therapy professionals in the state. This is a technical clarification, not a policy expansion.

Bill results