HB 1319 updates tax rules for new or renovated properties in designated areas. It allows county commissioners to use a special formula for up to five years after construction to partially or fully exclude new property value from taxes, but this applies only to specific qualifying properties like new industrial buildings ($30k+ value), affordable housing (meeting income rent limits), or commercial renovations ($30k+ value). The law explicitly excludes properties within tax increment financing districts from this tax relief. After five years, these properties must be taxed at standard rates like other properties. This directly affects developers and property owners building qualifying structures in eligible zones.
SB 18 repeals a requirement that banks add back to their South Dakota franchise tax base any bad debt deductions they claimed on federal tax returns but later determined were not actually worthless. This change eliminates the need for banks to adjust their state taxable income for "recovered" bad debts, potentially lowering their tax burden. The bill directly affects banks operating in South Dakota subject to the state's franchise tax on banking activities. It removes specific provisions in the tax code that previously mandated this adjustment for bad debt accounting.
HB 1058 requires online betting platforms offering pari-mutuel wagering on horse or dog races to obtain a specific license from South Dakota. It clarifies that both in-state operators (with a physical presence) and out-of-state operators must pay a tax of 1.5% on South Dakota contributions, while multi-jurisdictional hubs pay 0.25% (with portions going to racing and breeding funds). The bill specifies that tax revenue will fund the state, a special racing revolving fund, and a South Dakota-bred racing fund. This applies only to online wagering for authorized horse and dog races, updating existing tax and licensing rules.
HB 1047 appropriates $8 million total ($3.5 million in federal funds and $4.5 million in other funds) to construct, renovate, and modernize infrastructure at the Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery. The funds cover facilities like heating, plumbing, laboratories, and equipment to support the hatchery’s operations. The bill declares an emergency to expedite the project, allowing immediate use of funds without standard delay procedures. It directs the Department of Game, Fish and Parks to manage the work and outlines payment processes for the project.
HB 1021 authorizes South Dakota's Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources to dismantle and demolish specific structures at the South Dakota State Fairgrounds in Huron, including barns at Livestock Avenue and Market Street and Quonset huts on Lincoln Avenue South. The bill appropriates $337,000 for this work and allows the department to accept additional funding from federal sources or donations. It declares an emergency to expedite the demolition, repair infrastructure, and clear the land, with all funds restricted to these specific projects. The measure directly affects the physical property of the fairgrounds, not broader public policy.
South Dakota's SB 12 allows qualifying veterans with certain disabilities (like loss of use of both lower extremities) or their unremarried surviving spouses to request refunds for property taxes paid in the previous four years if they missed the application deadline for an existing property tax exemption. The bill amends tax exemption rules to permit petitions to county commissioners for these refunds, which the commissioners may approve or deny at their discretion. It directly affects veterans and surviving spouses who previously paid taxes they might have qualified to avoid. The refund mechanism applies only to taxes paid in the four years prior to the petition, not future exemptions.
This South Dakota House Concurrent Resolution (HCR 6009) urges Congress to repeal the federal estate tax. It directly affects farm and ranch families and generational family businesses, as their assets (like land and equipment) are often hard to sell quickly to pay the tax. The resolution highlights that the tax can force heirs to downsize or sell operations to cover payments, rather than allowing them to maintain family assets. The resolution is a formal request to Congress, not a law, and does not change existing tax policy.
HB 1186 requires South Dakota municipalities to obtain written approval from county commissioners before creating a tax increment financing district. This directly affects municipalities seeking to establish such districts and the counties where those districts would be located. The key provision mandates that county boards of commissioners must approve the district's creation through a formal resolution, either for the entire county or the portion within the county. The bill changes the process by adding county consent as a mandatory step, ensuring local county input before municipal tax district development begins.
HB 1172 terminates school district excess tax levies approved before July 1, 2002, under South Dakota law. It prohibits these levies from being imposed in 2026 or any subsequent year. The bill directly affects school districts that previously secured voter-approved excess tax levies prior to 2002, ending their ability to collect these specific taxes moving forward. This is a procedural change that modifies existing tax authority without creating new programs or funding.
SB 24 creates a new solid black or solid white license plate option for South Dakota residents. It allows owners of eligible vehicles (cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles) with valid licenses to purchase these plates for a $100 annual fee. Of this fee, $25 funds a special revenue account and $75 supports the state highway fund. Personalization is available for an extra $25, and plates can be transferred like existing specialty plates.
