HB 1200 appropriates $8 million from South Dakota's general fund to the Department of Public Safety for grants to nonprofit organizations providing specific victim services. It directly supports nonprofits focused on helping children abused or neglected, domestic violence victims, sexual assault victims, or victims of commercial sexual exploitation/trafficking. The bill allows grant funds to cover 24/7 emergency services, counseling, crisis lines, case management, sexual assault nurse examiner training, and child advocacy center services - excluding new programs or legal aid. Nonprofits must apply annually between July 1 and August 31, report on services delivered, and prioritize organizations seeking additional funding. The appropriation becomes effective June 30, 2026.
SB 135 requires data center operators to pay all electricity costs associated with their facilities, preventing utilities from raising residential rates to cover these expenses (Section 3). It also prohibits tax exemptions for data centers (Section 5) and ensures local governments retain authority to regulate data center development (Section 4). The bill mandates data centers to report projected water usage to local providers and the Board of Water Management before operation, with annual reports on actual consumption (Sections 6-7), ensuring water allocation prioritizes residential and essential services. This directly affects data center operators, utilities, and South Dakota residents by limiting cost-shifting and protecting local resource management.
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.
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.
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.
SB 228 modifies South Dakota's rules for creating tax increment financing (TIF) districts, which are areas where property tax growth funds redevelopment projects. It updates the requirement that at least 50% of a district's area must be blighted or serve economic development goals (replacing a confusing "25 fifty percent" phrasing), and adds new consent rules: counties need municipal approval to create TIF districts within cities, and municipalities need county approval for districts within counties. These changes directly affect local governments (counties and municipalities) seeking to establish TIF districts for redevelopment. The bill focuses on clarifying eligibility criteria and intergovernmental coordination, not on funding amounts or project specifics.
SB 240 appropriates $5 million from South Dakota's general fund to create a rural access infrastructure fund, directly affecting all counties by providing funding for infrastructure improvements on township and county secondary roads. Funds are distributed to counties based on their proportion of small structures (like bridges or culverts) on these roads relative to the statewide total, calculated using data reported to the Department of Transportation. The bill requires the Department of Revenue to distribute no more than one-third of the funds annually across fiscal years 2026-2028, with unspent funds reverting by June 2031. It declares an emergency to expedite implementation, focusing solely on the concrete funding mechanism and distribution rules without advocating for outcomes.
SB 130 appropriates $8 million from South Dakota's general fund to the South Dakota Ellsworth Development Authority. The funds must cover public roadway and infrastructure improvements directly needed due to construction at Ellsworth Air Force Base, including road reconstruction, safety upgrades, and traffic studies. The authority must report annually on how funds were used and cannot spend more than 3% of the appropriation on administrative costs. This bill specifically affects infrastructure supporting Ellsworth Air Force Base operations and surrounding public roads.
HB 1139 is a budget bill appropriating funds for South Dakota's regular operations during the 2026-2027 fiscal year. It allocates money to cover everyday costs for all three branches of state government (legislative, judicial, executive), state institutions, interest on the state debt, and common schools. The bill specifies exact funding levels for each department and program but does not create new policies or alter existing programs. It serves as the primary funding mechanism for routine state functions, ensuring continued operation of government services and public education.
SB 236 creates a new "county and township infrastructure fund" in South Dakota's state treasury to manage unspent money from existing rural access infrastructure funds. It requires counties to transfer any unobligated funds (money not committed to specific projects) by June 30, 2029, to this state fund instead of letting them revert to the general budget. The fund will hold these unspent moneys for future allocation to counties, following existing rules for rural road projects, and will be administered by the Department of Revenue. This bill does not change how funds are spent but provides a formal mechanism for accounting, safekeeping, and future distribution of leftover funds.
