Because of Coronavirus caution, schools in South Dakota are closed until May 4. That’s not preventing the South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA) from making plans for state tournaments once school is back in session.

In a debate that pit personal freedom versus public health, the House Health and Human Services Committee came down on the side of public health. Defeated by that committee Tuesday, Feb. 25 was a bill that would remove the mandate that schoolchildren have immunizations.

Senators were clearly torn Wednesday morning as they dealt with a bill to ban commercial surrogacy in South Dakota. Eventually the Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted to kill the bill.

A bill seeking a presumption that parents would have equal access to their children in a divorce proceeding failed Thursday in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Sports wagering will be on the ballot in November after the SD House of Representatives gave Senate Joint Resolution 501 its endorsement. The Senate has already approved the resolution.

One of the two bills making their way through the Legislature that would prohibit collecting bargaining by employees of the institutions run by the Board of Regents was approved Tuesday afternoon, March 3, by the SD House of Representatives.

Variable speeds on Interstate highways during inclement weather could reduce accidents, according to proponents of SB21.

Driver’s licenses should be issued to young people on the basis of experience rather than age. That was the argument put forth by proponents of SB113 which was endorsed by the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday, March 3.

Gov. Kristi Noem once again personally made her case for SB157, her bill that would streamline county zoning decisions in South Dakota.

After a three-hour hearing Tuesday night, March 3, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance Gov. Kristi Noem’s riot boosting bill to the full Senate.

A ban on most uses of electronic devices while driving was approved by the SD House of Representatives on Wednesday afternoon. Already approved by the Senate, HB1169 now goes to Gov. Kristi Noem for her signature.

The Department of Education may start collecting more data about deaf students if HB1228 becomes law. Wednesday morning that bill was endorsed by the House Education Committee.

Currently in South Dakota, the state activities association requires that students who participate sign a form that allows the school access to their medical records. A bill that would squash that requirement failed Monday in the SD House of Representatives.

Efforts to put a local government decision to a vote of the people won’t get added time to collect signatures. On Tuesday, Feb. 25, the SD House of Representatives defeated HB1226.

According to the Right to Life lobbyist, in the past 49 years the South Dakota Legislature has approved 60 bills and resolutions protecting the lives of the unborn. Wednesday, Feb. 26, a pro-life bill was defeated by the House State Affairs Committee.

A bill that would put the Department of Education clearly in charge of developing services and programs for deaf students failed Wednesday, Feb. 26 in the SD Senate.

Applause broke out in the Senate on Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 26 after that chamber unanimously approved SB66, a bill to create Oceti Sakowin community-based schools.

Felons in South Dakota are allowed to vote after they have served their prison time, completed probation or parole and made restitution. A bill that would have made them eligible to vote without having completed their restitution failed in the SD House on Thursday, Feb. 27.

Thursday, Feb. 27, was crossover day at the Legislature, the day when all bills have to be out of their house of origin. As that day passes, the next priority for the Legislature will be balancing the budget.

House members voiced support for property tax relief on Thursday, Feb. 27, but not for the way it was offered in HJR5003.

School district bond elections will be held in November or June if HB1263 becomes law.

A bill that would have opened state tournaments to more broadcasters died Tuesday morning in the Senate Education Committee.

A House Concurrent Resolution calling for a study of the mental health of first responders led to a discussion about how the Legislature decides on creating a task force to study an issue.

A bill to add a habitat stamp to hunting and fishing licenses is on its way to Gov. Kristi Noem after passage through both chambers of the Legislature.

After getting off to a fast start in the Legislature, the bill legalizing industrial hemp is in the Senate, but not yet being pushed for debate. A meeting coming up on Monday, March 2, may give it a boost as legislative leaders and the governor’s office try to work out the funding for the ne…

Monday, Feb. 24, the SD House of Representatives approved a bill that would allow nonresident landowners to get deer and antelope hunting licenses if they fail to get a license in the West River prairie deer season or the firearm antelope season.

A lawmaker who tried to roll out the welcome mat for Virginia gun owners saw his legislation shot down in committee Friday morning.

A bill that would expand various types of leave for state employees was approved unanimously Friday by the Senate State Affairs Committee.

A bill to repeal and fund a replacement for video lottery failed Friday in the House State Affairs Committee

Friday the Senate approved Gov. Kristi Noem’s bill that would streamline the process for getting conditional use permits. According to Noem, SB157 is needed to ensure that people investing in large agricultural projects know they’ll face a fair and swift process.

Ingesting illegal drugs like methamphetamine will remain a felony in South Dakota after the Senate Judiciary Committee defeated a bill to move ingesting down to a misdemeanor.

The SD House has agreed to toughen and broaden the state’s ban on texting while driving.

A bill originally tailored to create a county road improvement fund by rolling back a wide variety of tax exemptions came out of the House Taxation Committee on Thursday without its funding source.

While acknowledging the good work done by the Belle Fourche Beacon to keep local citizens informed, the House Local Government Committee killed a bill Thursday that would have changed the definition of a legal newspaper. The Beacon was seeking the change so it could carry public notices that…

Public information should stay public. That was the decision of the House Local Government Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 19 as it defeated HB1269, a bill that would have removed deeds and property titles from the websites of registers of deeds.

Citizens who want to refer a local government decision to a vote of the people could get more time to gather signatures if HB1226 becomes law. The bill was approved Wednesday, Feb. 19 by the House State Affairs Committee.

After a two-hour hearing in a packed committee room, Gov. Kristi Noem’s legislation designed to streamline the zoning permitting process at the county level was approved by the Senate State Affairs Committee.

Despite some concerns about funding, a bill that would pay for the training of up to 30 teachers each summer in the school sentinel program was approved Wednesday, Feb. 19 by the House.

A bill that creates criminal and civil penalties for rioting or inciting a riot won the approval of the SD House of Representative on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

A bill that would keep municipalities from banning the use of plastic bags got new life on Wednesday, Feb. 19 as it was reconsidered by the SD House of Representatives.

The state of South Dakota is offering to partner with Indian reservations to help fight the epidemic of methamphetamine use.

After some emotional testimony, the House Transportation Committee approved a bill that makes texting while driving a primary offense.

Thursday morning the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee handled four bills, all of which in some way dealt with hunting and the outdoors.

The effort to keep municipalities from banning plastic bags died in the House Wednesday afternoon.

Each year the Legislature approves a bill like HB1024 which appropriates money to pay for the previous year’s “extraordinary litigation expenses.” The approval of this year’s bill in the Senate on Wednesday, Feb. 12 led to lawmakers being admonished for the bills they endorse that lead to lo…

A bill that would have changed the distribution of the motor fuel tax to give townships money for culvert repair failed to receive the required two-thirds majority vote on Wednesday, Feb. 12 in the Senate.

A bill that would lengthen the amount of time young drivers need to get experience behind the wheel barely squeaked through the Senate on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

A bill regarding the ability of minors to carry pistols, which would put South Dakota law in accordance with federal law, was approved Tuesday by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In the House of Representatives, it turned out that there were two ways to look at HB1099. One way was that it would allow counties to impose a half-cent sales tax for jail construction projects after a vote of the people. The other way was that it would impose a new tax that wasn’t likely t…