South Dakota lawmakers are heading into the final week of the legislative session, and several major issues are still in play.
At the top of the list: property taxes. Governor Larry Rhoden is watching two key bills—Senate Bill 96, which gives counties the option to adopt an additional sales tax to help lower property taxes, and Senate Bill 245, which would create a homeowner property tax relief fund using revenue from next year’s planned sales tax increase. Lawmakers will also take up House Bill 1253, a proposal to cap annual property assessment growth at five percent over five years.
Another bill drawing attention is House Bill 1323, which would extend the time residents have to gather signatures for a referendum from 20 days to 30. Supporters say it would give counties more flexibility to petition for Rhoden’s tax plan.
The biggest task of the week, though, is the state budget. The Joint Appropriations Committee will finalize spending for the fiscal year beginning July 1. With roughly 30 million dollars in additional projected revenue, the governor is calling for a one‑percent increase in teacher salaries.
Lawmakers will also begin discussing potential summer study topics, including tax policy. Senator Sue Patterson has called for a meeting Monday to revisit tax incentives after several proposals for data centers failed earlier in the session.
And outside the Capitol, the week’s biggest political headline came from Washington. Former Governor Kristi Noem was dismissed as Secretary of Homeland Security and reassigned as Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas. Her departure takes effect March 31.
