Transportation

This bill adopts specific federal motor carrier regulations from Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations for South Dakota operations, with key modifications. It expands the application of federal rules to most intrastate operations (excluding small vehicles under 26,000 lbs not carrying hazardous materials or over 15 passengers), sets a minimum age of 21 for drivers in interstate commerce or handling hazardous materials, and exempts intrastate drivers from federal medical certification requirements unless required by employers. These changes directly affect commercial motor vehicle operators, drivers, and safety enforcement within South Dakota. The bill updates state law to align with federal standards while clarifying exemptions for smaller, non-hazardous intrastate operations.

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.

This bill (SB 58) modifies South Dakota's property tax code to eliminate a specific county road maintenance levy. It amends Section 10-12-13 to reduce the maximum annual tax levy for county highway and bridge reserve funds from $0.90-$1.20 per $1,000 of taxable value to $0.00 per $1,000. This change directly affects counties that previously used this levy to fund road maintenance, requiring them to find alternative funding sources for highway and bridge projects. The bill does not alter general property tax rates or other levy types; it specifically targets the road maintenance tax provision.