Legislative Session 2022

Gov. Larry Rhoden wants to give county governments the option to implement a half-penny sales tax to go toward property tax relief.

On the final day of the 100th legislative session, lawmakers upheld the veto killing a bill changing the petition gathering process for constitutional amendments. The two chambers split in the vote to overturn that veto.

Veto day on March 31 marked the formal end of the 100th South Dakota legislative session. Now, lawmakers are looking back on the year, and forward with their priorities.

There's no shortage of news during the state legislative session--especially in the waning hours as lawmakers work in conference committees and craft the state budget. Here to untangle the latest are SDPB reporters Lee Strubinger, Arielle Zionts, and Jackelyn Severin.

The Legislature voted for a third time against helping to fund a $12 million state-of-the-art shooting range near Rapid City.

House lawmakers are passing a bill to remove the tax on food. The last-minute proposal will set up a fight between chambers over a long-held Democratic policy priority.

State senators have approved legislation aiming to protect students and employees from “divisive concepts” at state universities and technical colleges. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 27 to 8. Similar legislation for K-12 public schools was killed by a Senate committee.

The U.S. government wants to seize the assets of Russian political and business leaders. The move comes in response to the military invasion of Ukraine.South Dakota’s growing trust industry has laws designed to protect the identity and wealth held by its clients. State leaders support the integrity of the industry. However, a new round of attention on Russia’s financial elite continues to raise questions.

Both chambers of the South Dakota Legislature have approved a bill creating immunity for campground owners whose guests encounter the inherent risks of camping, such as bugs and birds and tree stumps. The owners say the pandemic and the state’s open invitation to out-of-staters has resulted in an influx of novice campers who don’t understand the unpredictability of nature.

People attending a rally at Lyon Park in Sioux Falls want lawmakers to freeze any Russian assets held in the state.

The Game, Fish and Parks Department is ready to purchase land for a state-of-the-art public shooting range even though the South Dakota Legislature has yet to fund part of the $12 million project.

A routine bill that tweaks the state’s trust law did not get introduced this legislative session. That comes following a report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists detailing how the trust industry grew over the last few years and who was holding their money here.

A measure to prevent the promotion of divisive concepts in K through 12 public schools has been defeated. After, 3 hours of testimony and discussion the Senate Education committee killed House Bill 1337 by a vote of 4 to 3.