Military and Veterans Affairs

SB 132 amends South Dakota law (§ 1-46A-5) to clarify the composition and consultation process of the South Dakota Veterans Council. The bill specifies that the Council must include one representative each from eight designated veterans organizations, such as the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars, plus a representative from Vietnam Veterans of America chapters 1054 and 959. It requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to consult with the Council quarterly on veteran-related matters and mandates the Council provide recommendations on budgets, legislation, policies, and programs affecting veterans and their dependents. This bill directly affects the Council's membership structure and its formal role in advising state veterans' affairs.

SB 131 clarifies the timing for nonprofit-hosted pheasant hunts benefiting disabled veterans and Purple Heart recipients. It revises the law to specify these hunts may occur "before or during the regular pheasant season" (removing confusing prior language about the "private shooting preserve season"). The bill directly affects nonprofit organizations hosting these events and the disabled veterans/Purple Heart recipients participating. Key provisions maintain that no fees may be charged to participants and require the Game, Fish and Parks Commission to create rules for administering these hunts. The bill does not change eligibility criteria for participants or alter the no-fee requirement.

South Dakota's SB 60 restricts ownership of land within 10 miles of military bases by entities designated as "prohibited" under state law. It requires these entities to sell any existing property in the "restricted zone" within two years (or three years if inherited) and bans new ownership or control of such property. The law mandates that property buyers sign an affidavit confirming compliance, and the Attorney General can enforce violations through court actions to forfeit non-compliant property. This bill directly affects property owners and investors near military installations, with enforcement focused on compliance rather than new regulations.

This bill revises how veterans and authorized individuals request certified copies of military discharge documents from South Dakota county registers of deeds. It allows veterans, veterans' service officers (including county and tribal representatives), Department of Veterans Affairs staff, legal representatives, accredited veterans' organizations, and next of kin (if the veteran has died) to obtain these copies without charge. Requesters must submit a form verifying their eligibility, provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill specifically excludes copies showing a veteran's discharge type (e.g., honorable or dishonorable) from free distribution.

HB 1255 requires South Dakota's Department of Health to accept medical records from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) when veterans apply for a medical cannabis registry ID card. Veterans must submit VA records (within three years) showing a debilitating condition, along with proof of an honorable military discharge, to qualify under this provision. This eliminates the need for veterans to obtain a new certification from a South Dakota healthcare provider for the card application. The bill applies specifically to veterans meeting these documentation requirements, streamlining access to medical cannabis registry cards.