Sen. Tamara Grove

Maddy summaryHB 1106 clarifies the term structure for county extension board members in South Dakota. It revises Section 13-54-11 to specify that board members serve staggered terms expiring annually on January 10th, replacing inconsistent phrasing about "one-to-three years." This change directly affects county extension boards and their appointment process, ensuring clear annual expiration dates for terms. The bill does not alter board composition requirements (such as farmer representation or county commissioner membership) or substantive responsibilities.

Maddy summaryHB 1169 classifies medetomidine - a drug used in veterinary medicine - as a state-controlled substance under Schedule III, effective January 1, 2026. This bill directly affects veterinarians, animal drug manufacturers, and pharmacists who handle medetomidine for animal use. The key provision exempts specific veterinary applications, including federally approved animal drugs (under 21 U.S.C. § 360b) and uses permitted by federal law, ensuring continued access for animal care while imposing state-level controls on other uses.

Maddy summaryHB 1176 clarifies that South Dakota courts may require defendants to participate in a 24/7 sobriety program as a condition of bond or pre-trial release. It prevents defendants from being jailed or having their release revoked solely due to inability to pay program costs, unless a court finds they could pay but willfully avoided doing so. Defendants must prove they didn’t willfully skip payments or made a genuine effort to pay. Unpaid program costs may later be added to a defendant’s sentence if the court determines they have the ability to pay. The bill directly affects individuals in criminal cases offered this program.

Maddy summarySB 81 clarifies South Dakota's law against harming service animals by specifying that it is illegal to maliciously beat, injure, harass, or interfere with a service animal that is controlled by a person with a disability and wearing a harness or control device. The bill directly affects individuals with disabilities who rely on service animals and anyone who might harass or harm such animals. It explicitly defines "service animal" as a dog trained to perform tasks directly related to a person's disability (per federal guidelines), excluding emotional support, comfort, or crime deterrent effects. The law makes it a Class 2 misdemeanor to violate these provisions.

Maddy summarySB 153 prohibits employment contracts from restricting community services providers (who work with individuals with developmental disabilities) from continuing to provide services after their employment ends. It makes contract clauses that block such continued service voidable, effective July 1, 2026. The law allows exceptions for provisions related to selling a practice or reasonable non-solicitation terms that comply with existing rules. This directly affects community services providers in South Dakota, ensuring they can maintain client relationships post-employment without undue contractual barriers.

Maddy summaryHB 1219 requires South Dakota state agencies to provide free interpreter or translator services for non-English-speaking parties during administrative hearings (like license disputes or benefit appeals). The bill mandates agencies to appoint qualified, impartial interpreters and cover their costs from agency budgets. It also allows winning parties to recover interpreter fees incurred during the hearing. This directly affects individuals or businesses needing language assistance in agency proceedings. The law updates existing rules to ensure all parties can fully participate in administrative cases.

Maddy summaryHB 1007 amends South Dakota's legal definition of "law enforcement officer" to explicitly include tribal law enforcement officers. This change directly affects tribal law enforcement personnel by ensuring they are recognized under the same legal definitions as state and local officers. The bill modifies Section 22-1-2 of state law to add tribal officers to the definition, aligning their status with other law enforcement roles. This is a technical definitional update with no new requirements or funding impacts.

Maddy summarySJR 508 proposes amending South Dakota's constitution to remove the lieutenant governor's role as presiding officer of the Senate. If approved by voters, the lieutenant governor would no longer serve as Senate president (currently outlined in Article IV, Section 5), though they would retain other duties delegated by the governor. The bill also repeals a related constitutional provision (Article XVI, Section 6) regarding the lieutenant governor's role in gubernatorial impeachment trials. This change would require voters to approve the constitutional amendment at the next general election. The amendment directly affects the lieutenant governor's official duties and Senate procedural rules.

Maddy summarySouth Dakota Senate Bill 190 establishes specific rights for parents regarding their minor children's upbringing, education, health care, and mental health decisions. The bill requires state agencies, schools, and employees to obtain parental consent before performing medical procedures, mental health evaluations, prescription medications, or biometric scans on minors - except in emergencies where immediate harm is imminent. It also grants parents access to their children's medical and school records, the right to direct religious instruction, and the ability to withdraw children from school activities or instruction on gender topics. The law explicitly states these rights do not override prohibitions against child abuse or neglect.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends existing state consumer protection laws to add requirements for age verification and parental consent for application stores, which are digital platforms where users download software applications. The legislation would require these stores to verify the age of users and obtain parental consent from minors before allowing them to access or download applications. It also establishes penalties for businesses that fail to comply with these new verification and consent requirements. The bill does not create new consumer protection categories but rather modifies existing deceptive trade practices provisions to include digital application store compliance.