Sen. Glen Vilhauer

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 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 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.

Maddy summarySB 238 allows hotels, campgrounds, and RV parks in South Dakota to request that guests leave if they fail to check out or pay by the scheduled time. Before removing a guest, the lodging must provide a written or electronic notice, giving them 24 hours to depart. If a guest refuses to leave after this notice, they face a Class 1 misdemeanor charge. Guests wrongly removed can sue for damages and legal fees. The law directly affects short-term lodging businesses and their guests who miss check-out deadlines.

Maddy summarySB 157 amends South Dakota's school funding formula to require using an *average fall enrollment* (instead of enrollment on a single date) when calculating a school district's "local need" for state funding. This directly affects all public school districts in South Dakota by changing how their student enrollment count is determined for funding calculations. The bill replaces the current method - using enrollment on the last Friday of September - with an average, which could stabilize funding by smoothing out seasonal enrollment fluctuations. The change applies specifically to the calculation of "local need" under § 13-13-10.1(32) in the education funding code.

Maddy summaryHB 1154 establishes a new legal structure for for-profit corporations in South Dakota called "public benefit corporations." These corporations must formally commit to pursuing either a general public benefit (affecting society/environment broadly) or a specific public benefit (targeting a particular group), and their names must include "general benefit corporation" (GBC) or "specific benefit corporation" (SBC). Existing for-profit corporations can convert to this status by amending their articles of incorporation and obtaining shareholder approval with a two-thirds vote ("minimum status vote"). The bill directly affects for-profit businesses seeking to legally prioritize social/environmental impact alongside profit, while excluding nonprofits and requiring clear public benefit commitments in corporate governance.

Maddy summaryHB 1005 exempts sales and use taxes on data center equipment and software for businesses operating qualified data centers in South Dakota. It specifically covers servers, cooling systems, power infrastructure, security systems, and related technology used in facilities meeting strict criteria (e.g., built between 2026-2036, meeting fire safety standards). Qualified businesses must verify eligibility with the Department of Revenue and maintain compliance with electric utility agreements and water usage requirements. The tax exemption lasts 50 years from the facility's construction permit date. This directly affects data center operators seeking to reduce operational costs in South Dakota.

Maddy summaryThis is a commemorative resolution (not a bill with policy changes), recognizing February as National Career and Technical Education and National Career and Technical Student Organizations Month. It formally acknowledges South Dakota's career and technical education programs serving over 30,000 students and student organizations with more than 10,000 members (including FFA, SkillsUSA, and HOSA). The resolution has no binding effect or policy impact; it serves only to honor these educational efforts through symbolic recognition. No specific groups or individuals are directly affected by this commemoration.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a ceremonial resolution honoring seven South Dakota school administrators for their service. It commends Dr. Jeff Danielsen (Watertown Superintendent), Bo Beck (Aberdeen Middle School Principal), Connie Alspach (Dupree School Business Official), Jay Swatek (Tea Elementary Principal), Kelly Messmer (Harding County Secondary Principal), Sherri Nelson (Brandon Valley Curriculum Leader), and Monica Waltman (Douglas Director of Special Education). The resolution recognizes their combined 197 years of service and dedication to education. It does not create new laws or policies - it solely provides formal recognition through a legislative commendation.

Maddy summaryHB 1026 requires individuals performing property data collection (observing real estate for financial transactions like sales or loans, excluding appraisals) to obtain a state license. To qualify, applicants must complete 30 hours of approved training, pass an exam, complete 5 supervised observations, and pass background checks. The law exempts licensed real estate appraisers, brokers, architects, engineers, and certain employees (like insurance adjusters or government workers). Violating the licensing requirement is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and the bill does not apply to banks or entities acting within their existing licensed scope.