ensure uniformity in member identification provisions governing the South Dakota Retirement System.
SB 53 standardizes identification requirements for South Dakota Retirement System members applying for withdrawals or benefits. It requires members to submit a current driver's license or government-issued photo ID when withdrawing contributions (Section 3-12C-602) or applying for retirement benefits (Section 3-12C-1208), with spouses also needing to provide ID and sign if married. Married members may bypass spouse signatures by certifying inability to obtain them with documentation and choosing a specific benefit option. The bill directly affects retirement system members seeking to withdraw funds or receive benefits, ensuring consistent ID verification across all processes.
Bill status
signed
all 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
Signed into Law
Feb 2026
Introduced Jan 13, 2026
Signed Feb 17, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Introduced
→
Enrolled
·
2 edits
·
Feb 10, 2026
MINOR
This bill amends the South Dakota Retirement System (SDRS) rules regarding spousal consent for retirement withdrawals. It adds a specific exception allowing married members to withdraw funds without their spouse's signature if they can prove they cannot locate the spouse or if exceptional circumstances prevent obtaining that signature. To qualify for this exception, the member must elect a 60% joint and survivor benefit and provide supporting documentation.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of retirement withdrawal options for married members by creating a new pathway for those unable to obtain spousal signatures due to loss of contact or other exceptional circumstances.
ELIGIBILITY
Allows married SDRS members to withdraw accumulated contributions without a spouse's signature if they certify, under penalty of perjury, that they cannot locate the spouse or face exceptional circumstances preventing signature.
REQUIREMENT
Requires members utilizing the spousal signature exception to elect a 60% joint and survivor benefit and provide documentation supporting their claim.
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
15
Key actions
9
Committee
3
Feb 17, 2026
Signed into law
Signed by the Governor on 2026-02-17 S.J. 266
executive
Feb 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by the Speaker H.J. 300
upper
Feb 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by the President S.J. 236
upper
Feb 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
House of Representatives Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 65, NAYS 0 H.J. 262
upper
Feb 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Certified uncontested, placed on consent , Passed, H.J. 1
upper
Feb 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Retirement Laws Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 4, NAYS 0 H.J. 1
upper
Jan 26, 2026
Committee
Referred to House Retirement Laws H.J. 137
upper
Jan 22, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 34, NAYS 0 S.J. 83
upper
Jan 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
Certified uncontested, placed on consent , Passed, S.J. 1
upper
Jan 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
Retirement Laws Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 5, NAYS 0 S.J. 1
upper
Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
First read in Senate and referred to Senate Retirement Laws S.J. 14
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
No sponsor information available.
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