Immigration

This bill requires individuals registering to vote in South Dakota to provide proof of U.S. citizenship as part of their voter registration process. It directly affects all current and prospective voters by mandating the submission of specific documents such as a state-issued ID with citizenship verification, a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization certificate. The legislation also establishes a "federal voter" designation for people who use only P.O. box addresses without a physical residence description, limiting their ballot access to federal elections only. Additionally, the bill sets a July 1, 2026 deadline for existing voters to re-submit citizenship documentation when changing counties within the state.

HB 1049 prohibits entities from certain countries (as defined by existing law) or non-U.S. citizens from owning, operating, or controlling electric facilities in South Dakota, including power generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure. It requires prohibited persons who already own such facilities to sell their interest within one year and bans agreements that would grant them indirect control. The Public Utilities Commission can investigate violations, seek court action to enforce divestiture or forfeit facilities, and recover legal costs. The bill explicitly excludes cases where a facility's ownership issue stems solely from the former owner's nationality.