Sen. Taffy Howard

Maddy summarySB 56 requires South Dakota state agencies to publish proposed permanent rules and key supporting documents - such as fiscal notes, small business impact statements, and public hearing notices - on a central state website at least 20 days before a public hearing. After the hearing, agencies must also post final rule details, hearing minutes, written comments, and corrected rule texts on the same website. This applies to all agencies creating new permanent rules and aims to increase public access to the rulemaking process. The website must be designated by the Governor and maintained by the executive department, streamlining transparency without altering rule content.

Maddy summarySB 57 clarifies the financial information state agencies must submit when proposing a rule that increases a fee. It specifies that agencies must provide detailed records of their financial resources, including beginning and ending fund balances, receipts, and disbursements for the last two fiscal years, plus projected figures for the current and next fiscal year. This information must be filed with the Interim Rules Review Committee and code counsel as part of the rulemaking process before a public hearing. The requirement applies only to fee-increase proposals and does not alter other rulemaking procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 1186 requires South Dakota municipalities to obtain written approval from county commissioners before creating a tax increment financing district. This directly affects municipalities seeking to establish such districts and the counties where those districts would be located. The key provision mandates that county boards of commissioners must approve the district's creation through a formal resolution, either for the entire county or the portion within the county. The bill changes the process by adding county consent as a mandatory step, ensuring local county input before municipal tax district development begins.

Maddy summarySB 85 requires South Dakota school districts to hold a voter election before implementing or increasing an "excess tax levy" (property tax increases beyond the base amount). This applies to both general fund and capital outlay tax levies, meaning school boards can no longer unilaterally approve such increases - they must now seek voter approval through a formal election. The bill mandates specific public notice requirements (e.g., newspaper ads or mailed notices) and allows voters to petition for an election if 5% of registered voters sign a petition. The election must be held by October 1st of the year prior to tax payment, ensuring taxpayers have a direct say in local property tax changes.

Maddy summaryHB 1125 establishes a 15-member taskforce to study how artificial intelligence systems affect South Dakota, directly involving state government, industries (healthcare, banking, retail, manufacturing, tech), education (teachers/administrators), local governments (county auditors, municipalities), and the judiciary. The taskforce, appointed by legislative leaders, the governor, the Supreme Court chief justice, and the Board of Regents, must report findings and recommendations - including potential legislation - to the Legislative Research Council by December 1, 2028. The bill does not enact new laws but mandates a study of AI's impacts, dissolving the taskforce after its report. This procedural bill focuses on gathering data to inform future policy decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 1103 requires that any annual withdrawal of groundwater from a source cannot exceed the natural annual recharge rate of that source. The bill amends groundwater appropriation rules to prohibit approving new water rights if withdrawal would exceed recharge, based on available data. It directly affects applicants seeking groundwater rights, including agricultural users, municipalities, and industries. An exception allows withdrawals exceeding recharge for older groundwater formations used by public water systems.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to remove South Dakota's legal requirement to provide expanded Medicaid coverage. It specifically targets Section 10 of Article XXI, which currently mandates that the state provide Medicaid benefits to adults aged 18-65 with incomes at or below 133% of the federal poverty level. If approved by voters, the amendment would eliminate this constitutional obligation, allowing the state to potentially modify or discontinue the expanded eligibility rules. The change directly affects low-income South Dakota adults who currently qualify under the existing Medicaid expansion.

Maddy summarySB 123 prohibits the manufacture, sale, and distribution of any food product containing cell-cultured protein within South Dakota. It directly affects food service businesses, restaurants, and mobile food vendors that sell such products. The bill defines "cell-cultured protein" as human food made from animal cells grown outside a live animal, and establishes a Class 2 misdemeanor penalty for violations. Authorities may inspect establishments, issue stop-sale orders, and suspend business licenses for noncompliance. The law aims to ban these products through direct sales restrictions and enforcement mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThis House Commemoration (HC 8003) honors Joyce Waddell for her retirement from the Bison School District after 56 years of service as a teacher, counselor, and librarian. It recognizes her total 61 years of dedication to South Dakota education, including teaching multiple generations of students and maintaining deep community connections throughout her career. The resolution is a ceremonial tribute introduced by multiple legislators, with no associated policy changes or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1087 prohibits the use of paid petition circulators for initiatives seeking to amend South Dakota's constitution or propose new laws. The bill requires that all petition circulators disclose whether they are volunteers or paid, and if paid, state the exact compensation amount. This disclosure requirement effectively bans paid circulators by making it impossible to circulate petitions without revealing payment details. The bill directly affects petition sponsors and circulators working on constitutional amendment or initiated measure petitions. It amends existing petition filing rules to enforce this prohibition.