Sen. Tom Pischke

Maddy summarySB 146 clarifies the rules when a gubernatorial appointee resigns from a board or commission requiring Senate confirmation. It states that the resigning appointee must continue serving until one of three events occurs: the Governor appoints a replacement with Senate consent, an interim appointment is made (requiring Senate action), or the resigning person sets an earlier departure date in writing. This applies specifically to boards/commissions whose members are appointed by the Governor with Senate consent, not to those exempted by law. The bill does not change who can be appointed but ensures continuity until a new appointment is finalized.

Maddy summarySB 163 repeals South Dakota's "shared parenting child support cross credit" provision (§ 25-7-6.27), which previously allowed courts to adjust child support payments when children spent roughly equal time (180+ nights/year) with both parents. This repeal removes a specific calculation method that would reduce payments for noncustodial parents in equal-sharing custody arrangements by offsetting each parent's share based on income and parenting time. The bill directly affects parents in shared parenting custody cases who previously qualified for this adjustment. After this repeal, child support will be calculated using standard formulas without this cross-credit adjustment, meaning parents in equal-sharing arrangements will no longer have their payments reduced through this specific mechanism.

Maddy summarySB 160 requires fishing guides in South Dakota to register annually with the Department of Game, Fish and Parks. It directly affects individuals who provide paid fishing guide services, imposing a $50 fee for residents and $250 for non-residents. Guides must submit daily electronic reports detailing trip dates, participants, locations, and fish species/numbers taken. Failure to register is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and fees collected fund fish restocking efforts based on reported catches. The bill establishes registration eligibility (age 21+, truthful application) and allows the Commission to deny or suspend registration for misrepresentation or missed reports.

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 1117 modifies the reporting requirements for the Governor's Office of Economic Development regarding certain awards and grants from South Dakota's "Employer's Investment in South Dakota's Future Fund." The bill changes the frequency of the report from "biannual" to "twice each year," requiring the office to submit the same detailed report to specified legislative committees twice yearly instead of less frequently. The report must include recipient names, locations, funding purposes, economic impact measures, job creation numbers, fund balances, and status updates for awards/grants made over the past 20 years. This change affects the Governor's Office of Economic Development by altering how often it must provide these transparency reports to legislative committees. The bill does not alter the content or scope of the required information.

Maddy summarySB 92 clarifies the process for appealing or referring decisions made by county commissioners regarding land use or zoning changes. It directly affects county commissioners, residents, and petitioners who challenge or seek to refer such decisions. Key provisions require commissioners to publish adoption notices in a legal newspaper, with decisions taking effect 20 days later unless a referendum is triggered. The bill also specifies that rejection of requests follows separate procedures under existing law. This is a procedural clarification with no new policy changes.

Maddy summarySB 189 creates an automatic refund process for agricultural assessments on specific crops and livestock. It directly affects growers who pay mandatory assessments on wheat, oilseeds (like canola), corn, livestock, and pulse crops (such as peas). The key change replaces the current system - where growers must apply for individual refunds within 60 days of each assessment - with a new annual electronic process. Under this bill, growers can submit one online request by December 31 to receive refunds for all assessments paid during the upcoming year, eliminating the need for separate applications per transaction. The bill modifies existing refund procedures across multiple agricultural chapters (wheat, oilseeds, corn, livestock, pulse crops) to implement this streamlined system.

Maddy summarySB 4 revises South Dakota's rules for security deposits in rental housing, directly affecting landlords and tenants. It requires landlords to return full deposits within 21 days of lease end or provide a written explanation for withholding, limited to unpaid rent, damages beyond normal wear and tear, or costs to restore the property. Landlords must also give tenants an itemized accounting of withheld amounts within 45 days of request. Failure to comply results in forfeiting all rights to withhold the deposit and potential $200 punitive damages for bad-faith retention.

Maddy summarySB 161 repeals a tax exemption for certain nonprofit health care facilities in South Dakota, ending their current property tax exemption. This affects facilities previously qualifying under repealed sections 10-4-9.3 and 10-4-35, including licensed hospitals, clinics, mental health centers, and wellness centers meeting specific criteria (like 501(c)(3) status and non-profit operation). The bill removes the exemption, requiring these facilities to pay property taxes on their entire property - previously only the portion not used for health care services was taxable. The change directly impacts nonprofit health care organizations that relied on this exemption for tax purposes.

Maddy summarySB 166 requires county commissioners and planning commissions in South Dakota to either hold meetings after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays or provide recordings of meetings to the public. Recordings must be made freely available on a publicly accessible platform within 24 hours of the meeting. The bill applies directly to county-level government bodies responsible for local planning and zoning decisions, ensuring greater public access to their proceedings. It amends existing statutes governing meeting schedules for these commissions.