Rep. Eric Emery

Maddy summarySB 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.

Maddy summarySB 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.

Maddy summaryHB 1102 reschedules the annual report filing deadline for limited liability companies (LLCs) and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) in South Dakota. The bill changes the current requirement for reports to be filed by January 31st each year to a new date (the specific new date is not provided in the bill text). This procedural change directly affects all LLCs and LLPs operating in South Dakota that must file annual reports with the Secretary of State. The bill does not alter the content or substance of the reports, only the timing of the filing obligation.

Maddy summaryHB 1234 revises how subpoenas for document production must be served in contested legal cases. It requires that before serving a subpoena, the person issuing it must first provide notice and a copy to all parties involved in the case. The bill also gives hearing examiners or administrative law judges the authority to cancel or change unreasonable subpoenas, or to require the subpoenaing party to cover the reasonable costs of document production if they deny a motion to quash. This affects parties in contested cases and those seeking documents through subpoenas, changing the procedural steps for service and review.

Maddy summarySB 98 requires operators of virtual currency kiosks in South Dakota to obtain a license under existing financial regulations (Chapter 51A-17). It mandates detailed reporting to the state, including transaction volumes, user complaints, refund requests, and suspicious activity. The bill also requires kiosk operators to provide users with receipts containing transaction details, exchange rates, virtual currency addresses, and refund policies. These provisions directly affect kiosk operators (licensees) and users engaging in virtual currency transactions at these locations. The law aims to increase transparency and accountability in virtual currency kiosk operations.

Maddy summaryHB 1092 updates South Dakota's open records law by clarifying which government records can be kept private. It exempts specific categories, including student personal information (except directory details), medical records (excluding birth/death records), trade secrets, attorney work product, law enforcement investigation details, property appraisal records, and security plans for buildings or critical infrastructure. The bill explicitly states it does not change existing laws regarding birth/death records or certain law enforcement privileges. This affects public entities like schools, hospitals, police departments, and government agencies that handle these exempt records.

Maddy summarySB 36 requires electric utilities and wholesale electricity generators in South Dakota to develop and submit wildfire mitigation plans to either the Public Utilities Commission or their local governing body (like a city council). These plans must include specific strategies for risk assessment, infrastructure inspections, vegetation management, and community outreach to reduce wildfire risks. Utilities must also submit annual compliance reports by April 1st each year, with filing fees of $500 for initial plans and $250 for reports. The bill establishes a standardized process for these plans and reports but does not specify liability protections beyond the plan requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 1238 allows South Dakota financial institutions to delay or block specific transactions when they reasonably suspect financial exploitation of consenting adults aged 65+ (seniors) or adults aged 18+ with mental impairments or court-appointed guardians (vulnerable adults). The law permits banks to refuse transfers, withdrawals, ownership changes, beneficiary updates, or power-of-attorney instructions if exploitation is suspected. Financial institutions are protected from liability for acting under this law, though they are not required to intervene - decisions are based on available information. This directly affects banks and the vulnerable adults they serve by providing a legal framework to prevent financial abuse.

Maddy summaryHB 1286 amends South Dakota's "Employer's Investment in South Dakota's Future Fund" to clarify how funds are distributed for economic development projects. It directly affects businesses, universities, and workforce programs seeking grants by requiring applicants to submit detailed business plans - including job descriptions, education requirements, pay scales, and accounting practices - before receiving funds. The bill mandates that grants only reimburse actual project costs, require itemized invoices for grants over $1 million, and demand biannual public reporting on recipient locations, job impacts, and fund balances. All grant agreements must be posted online, increasing transparency while limiting funding to specific qualifying projects like workforce training, infrastructure, and business expansion.

Maddy summarySB 111 requires social media companies operating in South Dakota to give users access to their collected personal data upon request and maintain transparent, publicly available technical standards (open protocols) that allow different social media platforms to share user data. It directly affects social media companies by mandating data access for users and requiring interoperability interfaces that are free from licensing fees or patent restrictions. Key provisions define "personal data" as information linked to an identifiable individual (excluding de-identified or public data) and specify that interoperability must enable data exchange between platforms via open protocols. The bill focuses on concrete policy changes: user data access and standardized data-sharing mechanisms, without specifying enforcement or penalties.