Rep. Travis Ismay

Maddy summaryHB 1295 revises how South Dakota's Department of Transportation acquires highway easements and rights of way, including for borrow pits (used for construction materials). It requires the Department to provide landowners with a detailed notice explaining the purpose, property description, and promise of "just compensation" before acquisition. The notice must be filed with the county register of deeds and shared with all known property interest holders. If negotiations fail, the bill directs the Department to follow standard condemnation procedures under existing law. This bill directly affects landowners near highway projects and clarifies the Department's acquisition process.

Maddy summarySB 127 limits data center operations to reduce disruptions for nearby residents. It prohibits new data centers within one mile of residential areas (though local governments can set stricter rules) and caps continuous noise at 45 decibels near residential property lines. The bill defines data centers broadly to include cloud services, cryptocurrency mining, and streaming platforms. Violations would be deemed legal nuisances, allowing state attorneys or affected residents to seek court orders to stop the disruptions.

Maddy summaryHB 1182 requires South Dakota's Department of Health to create a public data collection system tracking assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures. It mandates fertility clinics and ART providers to report annual data on embryo creation, implantation, disposition methods (like freezing, donation, or disposal), embryo transfers out of state, and pregnancy/live birth outcomes. The collected data must be compiled and published online by July 1 each year. This bill directly affects ART providers in South Dakota and aims to provide transparency on ART practices without changing existing medical procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 1269 requires manufacturers of agricultural equipment (like tractors, combines, and irrigation systems) to provide independent repair shops or equipment owners with necessary repair information and tools. It mandates that manufacturers share diagnostic codes, manuals, and specialty tools under "fair and reasonable terms," while protecting trade secrets and confidential information. The law specifically covers equipment used in farming, excluding motor vehicles and industrial machinery, and applies to both current and newer equipment. This policy change directly affects farmers and independent repair businesses by expanding their ability to repair equipment without relying solely on manufacturer-approved services.

Maddy summaryHB 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.

Maddy summaryHB 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.

Maddy summaryHB 1064 allows South Dakota livestock producers to sell meat they raised and processed directly to end consumers in the state, pending federal legalization of such sales. The bill requires meat to be raised, slaughtered, and processed entirely within South Dakota, sold only to final consumers (not resold), and labeled with a warning that it’s uninspected and cannot be redistributed. It becomes effective only after the attorney general certifies that federal law permits such sales, either through new federal legislation or a court ruling declaring the current federal prohibition unconstitutional. This bill does not change current federal restrictions but prepares South Dakota for future direct-to-consumer sales once federal barriers are lifted.

Maddy summaryHB 1211 creates a digital registry identification card for medical cannabis patients in South Dakota, replacing the current physical card. This digital card will be issued to qualifying patients and their designated caregivers who have received certification from a healthcare provider for a qualifying medical condition. The bill amends existing law to define "Cardholder" as someone possessing a valid digital registry card, which will be used to verify eligibility for medical cannabis use under state law. The change modernizes the verification process but does not alter the qualifying medical conditions or possession limits for patients.

Maddy summaryHB 1121 expands where South Dakota consumers can legally purchase raw milk for personal use. It adds a new allowed location: retail stores owned by the milk producer, provided these stores are not located at the farm where the milk is produced. Currently, raw milk could only be bought directly at the farm, at farmers markets, or at a producer-owned store located on the farm. The bill specifically allows producer-owned retail stores (not at the farm) to sell raw milk directly to consumers.

Maddy summaryHB 1151 bans kratom and kratom products in South Dakota, making it a Class 2 misdemeanor to sell, distribute, purchase, consume, or possess them. It specifically prohibits sales or use by anyone under 21 (except by parents/guardians), and requires strict labeling for products that remain legal, including serving sizes, alkaloid content, and health warnings. The bill also prohibits products containing over 2% 7-hydroxymitragynine, synthetic compounds, or harmful additives. This directly affects consumers, businesses selling kratom, and retailers who must comply with new labeling rules.