South Dakota Bills | MyRepTracker

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 1193: modify the provisions for a refund of taxes to disabled veterans and surviving spouses under certain property tax relief programs.

HB 1193 requires South Dakota counties to refund property taxes to disabled veterans and surviving spouses who qualify for tax exemptions under §§ 10-4-40 and 10-4-41 but missed application deadlines. The bill amends § 10-18-1 to explicitly allow refunds for the difference in taxes paid over the previous four years when eligibility requirements are otherwise met. This applies to veterans rated permanently and totally disabled from service-connected disabilities and their surviving spouses (including those receiving VA dependency compensation). The refund mechanism ensures counties must recalculate taxes and return overpayments when the only barrier was a missed deadline. It does not change eligibility criteria but adds a procedural remedy for administrative errors.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 30, 2026

SB 136: make an appropriation for grants to support the purchase of personal protective equipment by volunteer fire departments and to declare an emergency.

This bill appropriates $5 million from the general fund to provide grants for volunteer fire departments in South Dakota to purchase safety gear (like helmets and suits) for their firefighters. It specifically targets departments where at least 70% of firefighters volunteer, prioritizing those with the greatest equipment needs. The Department of Public Safety will distribute funds based on application timing and need, with unspent funds reverting by June 2030. An emergency declaration allows the funding to take effect immediately upon passage.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 30, 2026

SB 151: require the publication of the results of an election for precinct committeeman or committeewoman and to declare an emergency.

SB 151 requires county auditors to send election results for precinct committeeman or committeewoman positions to the secretary of state, who must then post these results on the state website. This affects county election officials and the secretary of state’s office, ensuring public access to local party committee election outcomes. The bill does not change voting procedures or impact voters directly - it only mandates online publication of existing results. An emergency declaration allows the law to take effect immediately upon approval.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 30, 2026

SB 179: permit a court to commit a juvenile adjudicated delinquent for certain weapons offenses to the Department of Corrections.

SB 179 allows South Dakota courts to commit juveniles adjudicated delinquent for specific weapons offenses to the Department of Corrections, but only under strict conditions. It applies when no other viable alternative exists, corrections is the least restrictive option, and the juvenile was convicted of certain weapons offenses (like those under §22-14-5, 22-14-7, 22-14-20, or 23-7-44). The court must also find the juvenile poses a significant risk of physical harm, has prior adjudications for separate offenses, or meets specific high-risk re-offense criteria. This change modifies existing juvenile disposition options under §26-8C-7, adding a limited pathway to corrections for serious weapons cases. It directly affects juveniles convicted of these specific weapons offenses who meet all the enumerated conditions.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 1245: authorize municipalities to establish a local funding mechanism for capital improvement projects.

HB 1245 allows South Dakota municipalities to create a local tax (up to 1% on taxable sales) to fund capital projects like infrastructure repairs, equipment purchases, or building renovations. To implement this, a municipality must form a Capital Improvement Board (with 1 elected official and 4 residents) to review proposals, secure board approval, and then hold a voter referendum requiring 60% support. All tax revenue must be placed in a special fund dedicated exclusively to approved capital projects, with the tax expiring after 60 months or once the targeted revenue amount is met. Municipalities cannot use this tax if they’ve imposed it within the previous 24 months.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 30, 2026

SB 142: amend the requirements for filing certain campaign finance disclosure statements.

SB 142 amends South Dakota's campaign finance disclosure rules, affecting political committees (including candidates, parties, and committees) that must file financial reports. It standardizes filing deadlines: most entities must submit pre-primary, pre-general, and year-end reports in even-numbered years, with year-end reports annually in odd years. The bill adds requirements for termination reports if a party loses qualified status or a committee ceases activity, and specifies Class 2 misdemeanor penalties for violations. The changes take effect January 1, 2027.

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 30, 2026

SB 204: revise certain criteria for loans from the South Dakota housing infrastructure fund.

SB 204 revises loan criteria for the South Dakota Housing Infrastructure Fund. It changes the fund's distribution to allocate 50% of monies to housing infrastructure in municipalities with populations over 50,000 (previously 30%) and 50% to other areas (previously 70%). The bill also increases the maximum loan amount from one-third to one-half of a housing infrastructure project's total cost and allows up to 1% of the loan principal to cover administrative expenses. This directly affects municipalities, housing developers, and projects seeking infrastructure loans under the fund.

Topics ✓ Housing

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 1175: revise provisions related to Division of Criminal Investigation cooperation with Indian tribes.

HB 1175 revises South Dakota law to clarify that the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe (and other Indian tribes) can request background checks through the Division of Criminal Investigation for specific tribal positions. It directly affects tribal members seeking roles as tribal council members, judges, conservation officers, educators, child protection workers, and others listed in the bill. The key mechanism requires tribes to submit applicants' fingerprints to the state division, which then forwards them to the FBI for a national check if no state-level disqualifications exist, with tribes or applicants covering processing fees.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 1244: repeal the special donations fund and make an appropriation to the Department of Education for the provision of a grant to support the Jobs for America's Graduates-South Dakota program.

HB 1244 repeals South Dakota’s special donations fund (created under § 13-66-3) and appropriates $500,000 from the general fund to the Department of Education. This grant supports the Jobs for America's Graduates-South Dakota program by providing financial assistance to school districts and accredited nonpublic schools implementing the initiative. The funds must match private donations or federal grants for program operations and cannot be added to an endowment. It directly affects schools participating in the JAG program and transfers existing funds from the repealed special donations fund into the general fund. The bill takes effect June 30, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 1215: authorize counties and municipalities to issue a license for a cigar bar.

HB 1215 allows South Dakota counties and municipalities to issue licenses for cigar bars, directly affecting business owners seeking to operate such establishments and local governments responsible for licensing. The bill requires cigar bars to have a humidor, be fully enclosed with proper ventilation, generate at least 10% of income from cigar sales, and prohibit all tobacco products except cigars. Local governments must hold public hearings for applications and report annual cigar sales income to the Department of Revenue, while also posting clear smoking restrictions. The law explicitly excludes these venues from other liquor license limits and prohibits transferring licenses to new owners.

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 1017: permit the board of a school district to require that certain students receive instruction in alternative settings.

HB 1017 allows South Dakota school boards to require students exhibiting aggressive or violent behaviors that disrupt school safety or operations to receive instruction in alternative learning environments. This policy directly affects students whose conduct poses a threat to school safety, providing school districts with a formal mechanism to address such disruptions. The bill explicitly states it does not override existing enrollment options under state law or conflict with federal special education protections (IDEA and Section 504). It focuses solely on school safety responses, with no changes to special education eligibility or placement procedures.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 30, 2026

SB 3: limit the types of residential improvements for which counties, municipalities, and townships may require a permit.

SB 3 limits local governments in South Dakota from requiring building permits for specific minor residential repairs and renovations on owner-occupied homes. It prohibits counties, municipalities, and townships from mandating permits for exterior repairs like replacing doors, windows, siding, gutters, or roof shingles, as well as interior work that doesn’t affect structural elements like foundations, load-bearing walls, or major utility systems. The bill directly affects homeowners performing these routine maintenance tasks without needing local permit approval. This is a procedural change focused on reducing bureaucratic hurdles for small-scale home improvements.