South Dakota Bills

passed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 161: repeal an exemption for certain health care facilities.

SB 161 repeals a tax exemption for certain nonprofit health care facilities in South Dakota, ending their current property tax exemption. This affects facilities previously qualifying under repealed sections 10-4-9.3 and 10-4-35, including licensed hospitals, clinics, mental health centers, and wellness centers meeting specific criteria (like 501(c)(3) status and non-profit operation). The bill removes the exemption, requiring these facilities to pay property taxes on their entire property - previously only the portion not used for health care services was taxable. The change directly impacts nonprofit health care organizations that relied on this exemption for tax purposes.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · South Dakota · House Feb 11, 2026

HB 1192: allow the parole of certain inmates sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

HB 1192 allows parole consideration for inmates sentenced to life imprisonment without parole who were aged 18-26 at the time of their offense (excluding first-degree rape). It requires the parole board to review cases after 25 years of incarceration, with mandatory initial hearings within six months of eligibility. The board must consider factors like the inmate's youth at the time of crime, rehabilitation efforts, completion of educational programs, victim input, and evidence of maturity. The law applies retroactively to all qualifying inmates sentenced before July 1, 2026. It modifies existing parole eligibility rules by creating a specific pathway for this age group.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · South Dakota · House Feb 11, 2026

HB 1052: authorize the transfer of certain surplus real property by the Department of Game, Fish and Parks to the Spearfish Canyon Foundation for a public purpose.

HB 1052 authorizes South Dakota's Department of Game, Fish and Parks to transfer a disused hydroelectric plant (3.75 acres in Lawrence County) to the Spearfish Canyon Foundation for public use, such as a historic museum. The transfer requires the foundation to maintain the property for a public purpose, with the state automatically regaining title if the site is not used publicly for two consecutive years. The bill covers both the land and related improvements, conveyed via a special warranty deed under state property laws. This directly affects the Spearfish Canyon Foundation, which gains the property for public preservation, while the public benefits from a maintained historic site.

passed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 155: increase legislative oversight procedures and protections against conflicts of interest, and to provide a penalty therefor.

SB 155 strengthens legislative oversight by expanding subpoena and document-request powers to both the Government Operations and Audit Committee and the Judiciary Committees in the House and Senate. It prohibits retaliation against state employees, consultants, or contractors who cooperate with investigations, allowing civil lawsuits for damages, back pay, or whistleblower rewards up to $50,000. The bill also extends a two-year ban on former state officials (including department heads) working as lobbyists or accepting contracts they previously approved, with violations now classified as felonies. These changes aim to improve transparency and accountability in state government operations.

passed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 181: cause the repeal of the medical cannabis chapter upon the federal re-scheduling of cannabis.

SB 181 would end South Dakota's medical cannabis program if the federal government reclassifies cannabis as a Schedule III drug under federal law. It specifically repeals the state's medical cannabis chapter (Chapter 34-20G) upon confirmation by the attorney general that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has made this federal change. The law requires the Department of Health to notify all current medical cannabis cardholders and licensed businesses about the repeal and its effective date. This change only affects South Dakota's medical cannabis program and would not impact recreational cannabis laws or other state regulations.

Topics ✗ Healthcare

passed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 194: limit the potency of cannabis products sold at medical cannabis dispensaries.

SB 194 limits THC potency in medical cannabis products sold at South Dakota dispensaries. It prohibits dispensaries from selling cannabis flower with over 30% THC, liquid concentrates over 60% THC, edibles exceeding 5mg THC per serving or 100mg per container, and cannabis oil over 5% THC. These specific THC thresholds apply directly to products sold at licensed medical dispensaries. The bill aims to restrict the strength of cannabis products available through the state's medical program.

Topics ✗ Healthcare

passed · South Dakota · House Feb 11, 2026

HCR 6010: urging the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn the decision in Obergefell v. Hodges.

HCR 6010 is a non-binding resolution passed by the South Dakota legislature urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its 2015 *Obergefell v. Hodges* decision, which established same-sex marriage as a constitutional right. The resolution expresses the legislature's view that *Obergefell* conflicted with constitutional principles and state authority over marriage, citing arguments about judicial overreach and the state's 2006 voter-approved definition of marriage. This resolution has no legal effect and does not change marriage laws in South Dakota or elsewhere. It serves solely as a symbolic statement of legislative opinion.

passed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 166: require boards of county commissioners and county planning and zoning commissions to hold meetings after certain times or provide recordings of meetings to the public for later viewing.

SB 166 requires county commissioners and planning commissions in South Dakota to either hold meetings after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays or provide recordings of meetings to the public. Recordings must be made freely available on a publicly accessible platform within 24 hours of the meeting. The bill applies directly to county-level government bodies responsible for local planning and zoning decisions, ensuring greater public access to their proceedings. It amends existing statutes governing meeting schedules for these commissions.

passed · South Dakota · House Feb 11, 2026

HB 1221: establish a post-employment restriction for employees of the Governor's Office of Economic Development and create a penalty therefor.

HB 1221 prohibits employees of South Dakota's Governor's Office of Economic Development from working for, or accepting compensation from, any entity that received financial assistance from the office during their employment. Specifically, former employees cannot work for 5 years with any recipient of grants, loans, or funds administered by the office, or with entities that received money from the "Investment in South Dakota's Future Fund." Violating this restriction is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill directly affects current and former employees of the Governor's Office of Economic Development and the organizations that received state financial support through that office.

signed · South Dakota · House Feb 11, 2026

HB 1021: authorize the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources to dismantle and demolish buildings on the South Dakota State Fairgrounds, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency.

HB 1021 authorizes South Dakota's Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources to dismantle and demolish specific structures at the South Dakota State Fairgrounds in Huron, including barns at Livestock Avenue and Market Street and Quonset huts on Lincoln Avenue South. The bill appropriates $337,000 for this work and allows the department to accept additional funding from federal sources or donations. It declares an emergency to expedite the demolition, repair infrastructure, and clear the land, with all funds restricted to these specific projects. The measure directly affects the physical property of the fairgrounds, not broader public policy.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 12: provide for a refund of property taxes in previous years for qualifying veterans and surviving spouses.

South Dakota's SB 12 allows qualifying veterans with certain disabilities (like loss of use of both lower extremities) or their unremarried surviving spouses to request refunds for property taxes paid in the previous four years if they missed the application deadline for an existing property tax exemption. The bill amends tax exemption rules to permit petitions to county commissioners for these refunds, which the commissioners may approve or deny at their discretion. It directly affects veterans and surviving spouses who previously paid taxes they might have qualified to avoid. The refund mechanism applies only to taxes paid in the four years prior to the petition, not future exemptions.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 2: provide that a firearm silencer is not a controlled weapon.

SB 2 amends South Dakota law to clarify that firearm silencers (devices reducing gunshot noise) are not classified as "controlled weapons." This change removes silencers from the category of weapons subject to strict state regulations, such as special permits or licensing requirements. The bill directly affects gun owners, manufacturers, and sellers of silencers in South Dakota by eliminating these regulatory barriers. The key mechanism is an amendment to the definitions section of the state's criminal code (§ 22-1-2), specifically excluding silencers from the definition of "controlled weapon."

Bill results