Sen. Larry Zikmund

Maddy summaryHB 1240 requires businesses distributing or selling vapor products (like e-cigarettes) in South Dakota to obtain licenses from the Department of Revenue. Distributors must pay a $100 fee and keep transaction records for three years, while retailers must pay $250, verify customer ages at checkout using a third-party system, and maintain proof that products came from a licensed distributor. The bill also restricts the sale of non-tobacco, non-mint, and non-menthol flavored vapor products to stores that limit access to customers 21 and older and earn at least 25% of revenue from vapor and tobacco products. Violating these rules can result in misdemeanor charges, with penalties including fines.

Maddy summaryHB 1010 modifies South Dakota's law banning mobile device use while driving by adding specific exceptions to the existing prohibition. It allows hands-free navigation (without manual entry), limited phone call functions (like dialing or answering), emergency communications (911 calls, reporting accidents/crimes), and handheld device use while operating agricultural equipment under 25 mph (excluding trucks). The law directly affects all drivers in South Dakota, with exemptions for first responders during emergencies and specific scenarios like navigation or agricultural work. Violations remain Class 2 misdemeanors, but the bill clarifies permitted uses to reduce unintended penalties.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HC 8012) is a South Dakota legislative commoration formally recognizing Captain Royce Williams for his military service. It specifically honors his combat actions during the Korean War, including a classified 35-minute dogfight in 1952 where he reportedly shot down four enemy aircraft. The resolution acknowledges the Navy's 2025 recommendation to upgrade his decoration to the Medal of Honor, though the bill itself does not change any military awards. It serves solely as a symbolic gesture of state recognition, directly affecting Captain Williams through official commemoration.

Maddy summaryHB 1060 removes a requirement that county commissioners must add a mandatory 5% buffer to tax levy calculations when creating annual budgets. This change affects South Dakota county governments by simplifying their budget process - county boards will no longer need to calculate a 5% excess over projected revenue needs. The bill specifically repeals Section 7-21-18 and amends Sections 7-21-19 and 10-12-8 to eliminate the 5% addition step from the tax levy formula. County commissioners will now calculate tax levies based solely on the difference between budgeted expenses and expected revenue, without the fixed 5% adjustment.

Maddy summaryHB 1088 removes a requirement that South Dakota counties must remit funds to municipalities equal to the road levy amounts distributed to those municipalities for calendar years 1984, 1985, and 1986. This specifically targets a provision in existing law that mandated counties pay municipalities a share of road tax revenue from those three years. The bill repeals Section 10-12-32.1, which previously established that municipalities incorporated after January 1, 1984, were entitled to 25% of county road funds for those historical years. This change eliminates a longstanding financial obligation between counties and municipalities for a specific historical period.

Maddy summaryThis House Concurrent Resolution (HCR 6012) is a symbolic gesture honoring the YMCA's 175th anniversary of service across the United States and in South Dakota. It recognizes the YMCA's historical contributions, including founding basketball, providing childcare, and serving over 17 million people annually through programs for youth, families, and communities. The resolution specifically acknowledges South Dakota's YMCA chapters, which serve nearly the entire state with 1,274 staff and 1,000 volunteers. The bill does not create new laws or alter policies; it solely expresses legislative appreciation for the YMCA's community impact.

Maddy summarySouth 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.

Maddy summarySB 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."

Maddy summaryThis South Dakota House Concurrent Resolution (HCR 6009) urges Congress to repeal the federal estate tax. It directly affects farm and ranch families and generational family businesses, as their assets (like land and equipment) are often hard to sell quickly to pay the tax. The resolution highlights that the tax can force heirs to downsize or sell operations to cover payments, rather than allowing them to maintain family assets. The resolution is a formal request to Congress, not a law, and does not change existing tax policy.

Maddy summarySB 5 requires South Dakota to clearly disclose on ballots whether a proposed constitutional amendment or law was initiated by the Legislature or by a citizen petition. The bill amends election laws to mandate that ballot titles for both types of measures must include a specific disclosure: "proposed by the Legislature" for legislative proposals, and "proposed by a citizen-initiated petition" for initiative measures. This disclosure must appear directly after the title and before the attorney general's explanation and fiscal note on the ballot. The law applies to all ballot questions submitted for voter approval, ensuring voters can immediately see the origin of each measure.