SB 153 South Dakota Senate · 2026 Regular Session

prohibit certain restrictions in employment contracts for community services providers.

SB 153 prohibits employment contracts from restricting community services providers (who work with individuals with developmental disabilities) from continuing to provide services after their employment ends. It makes contract clauses that block such continued service voidable, effective July 1, 2026. The law allows exceptions for provisions related to selling a practice or reasonable non-solicitation terms that comply with existing rules. This directly affects community services providers in South Dakota, ensuring they can maintain client relationships post-employment without undue contractual barriers.

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status signed all 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

Mar 2026

Introduced Jan 29, 2026 Signed Mar 9, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Enrolled · 3 edits · Feb 26, 2026

MINOR

This document shows the transition of Senate Bill 153 from its original introduction to its enrolled (final) version. The bill prohibits non-compete restrictions in employment contracts for community services providers working with individuals with developmental disabilities. The enrolled version includes the complete legislative text with proper formatting, signatures, and certification marks required for final passage.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on protecting community services providers from restrictive employment contracts, but the enrolled version clarifies the effective date as July 1, 2026, and includes all necessary legislative formalities for the bill to become law.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the new restrictions was changed from July 1, 2023 (for general practitioners) to July 1, 2026 (specifically for community services providers), indicating this provision is a newer addition to the existing law.

ELIGIBILITY

Added specific protection for community services providers working with individuals with developmental disabilities, extending beyond the original scope that only covered general medical practitioners.

TECHNICAL

The document includes all necessary enrolled version formalities including certification signatures, filing dates, and legislative session information that were not present in the initial draft.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 5, 2026

How they voted

32–2

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 35

Feb 5, 2026

D Democratic3

3 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican32

29 Yea 2 Nay 1

90% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 9, 2026

Signed into law

Signed by the Governor on 2026-03-09 S.J. 488

executive

Mar 2, 2026

Upper · Passed

Signed by the Speaker H.J. 478

upper

Feb 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

Signed by the President S.J. 416

upper

Feb 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

House of Representatives Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 64, NAYS 0 H.J. 446

upper

Feb 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Certified uncontested, placed on consent , Passed,

upper

Feb 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Health and Human Services Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 12, NAYS 0

upper

Feb 9, 2026

Committee

Referred to House Health and Human Services H.J. 262

upper

Feb 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 32, NAYS 2 S.J. 200

upper

Feb 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

Health and Human Services Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 7, NAYS 0 S.J. 10

upper

Jan 29, 2026

Introduced

First read in Senate and referred to Senate Health and Human Services S.J. 139

upper

4 primary · 0 co-sponsors