South Dakota State Senate

General Information
Party control: |  Republican
Session start: |  January 14, 2025
Session end: |  March 31, 2025
Term length: |  2 years
Term limits: |  4 terms (8 years)
Redistricting: | Legislature-dominant
Salary: |  $13,436/year + per diem
Members
Total: | 35
Democrats: | 3
Republicans: | 32
Other: | 0
Vacancies: | 0
Leadership
President: |  Tony Venhuizen (R)
Maj. Leader: |  Jim Mehlhaff (R)
Min. Leader: |  Liz Larson (D)
Elections
Last election: | November 5, 2024
Next election: | November 3, 2026

The South Dakota State Senate is the upper chamber of the South Dakota State Legislature. Alongside the South Dakota House of Representatives, it forms the legislative branch of the South Dakota state government and works alongside the governor of South Dakota to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the South Dakota State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.

The South Dakota State Senate meets in the state capitol building in Pierre, South Dakota.

* All 35 seats in the South Dakota State Senate were up for election in 2024. The chamber's Republican supermajority increased from 31-4 to 32-3.

* All 35 seats in the South Dakota State Senate were up for election in 2022. The chamber's Republican supermajority decreased from to 32-3 to 31-4.
* South Dakota has a Republican trifecta. The Republican Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature.

This page contains the following information on the South Dakota State Senate.

* Which party controls the chamber
* The chamber's current membership
* Partisan control of the chamber over time
* Elections in the chamber and how vacancies are filled
* A district map
* How redistricting works in the state
* Legislation currently under consideration
* Legislative session dates
* Legislative procedures, such as veto overrides and the state budget process
* A list of committees

## Party control[edit]

### Current partisan control[edit]

The table below shows the partisan breakdown of the South Dakota State Senate as of March 2025:

Party  | As of March 2025

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| Democratic Party | 3
| Republican Party | 32
| Other  | 0
| Vacancies  | 0
Total |  35

## Members[edit]

### Leadership[edit]

The lieutenant governor acts as president of the Senate. The president only votes in the case of a tie. The senate elects one member to serve as president pro tempore; this officer presides in the absence of the president, appoints committees, and assigns legislation to committee.[1]

### Leadership and members[edit]

* Senate president: Tony Venhuizen (R)
* Senate president pro tempore: Chris Karr (R)
* Majority leader: Jim Mehlhaff (R)
* Minority leader: Liz Larson (D)

Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office

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South Dakota State Senate District 1 | Michael Rohl | Republican  | January 12, 2021
South Dakota State Senate District 2 | Steve Kolbeck | Republican  | January 10, 2023
South Dakota State Senate District 3 | Carl Perry | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 4 | Stephanie Sauder | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 5 | Glen Vilhauer | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 6 | Ernie Otten Jr. | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 7 | Tim Reed | Republican  | January 10, 2023
South Dakota State Senate District 8 | Casey Crabtree | Republican  | June 19, 2020
South Dakota State Senate District 9 | Joy Hohn | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 10 | Liz Larson | Democratic  | January 10, 2023
South Dakota State Senate District 11 | Chris Karr | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 12 | Arch Beal | Republican  | January 10, 2023
South Dakota State Senate District 13 | Sue Peterson | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 14 | Larry P. Zikmund | Republican  | January 12, 2021
South Dakota State Senate District 15 | Jamie Smith | Democratic  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 16 | Kevin Jensen | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 17 | Sydney Davis | Republican  | January 10, 2023
South Dakota State Senate District 18 | Lauren Nelson | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 19 | Kyle Schoenfish | Republican  | January 6, 2020
South Dakota State Senate District 20 | Paul Miskimins | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 21 | MyKala Voita | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 22 | David Wheeler | Republican  | January 12, 2021
South Dakota State Senate District 23 | Mark Lapka | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 24 | Jim Mehlhaff | Republican  | January 10, 2023
South Dakota State Senate District 25 | Tom Pischke | Republican  | January 10, 2023
South Dakota State Senate District 26 | Tamara Grove | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 27 | Red Dawn Foster | Democratic  | January 8, 2019
South Dakota State Senate District 28 | Sam Marty | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 29 | John Carley | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 30 | Amber Hulse | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 31 | Randy Deibert | Republican  | January 10, 2023
South Dakota State Senate District 32 | Helene Duhamel | Republican  | December 3, 2019
South Dakota State Senate District 33 | Curt Voight | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 34 | Taffy Howard | Republican  | January 14, 2025
South Dakota State Senate District 35 | Greg Blanc | Republican  | January 14, 2025

### Salaries[edit]

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
State legislative salaries, 2024[2]

Salary| Per diem
$13,436/year| $166/day for legislators who reside more than 50 miles away from the capitol

### Swearing in dates[edit]

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

Legislators assume office the second Tuesday in January after the general election.[3]

### Membership qualifications[edit]

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

To be eligible to serve in the South Dakota State Legislature, a candidate must meet the following qualifications:

“  | 21 years old; 2 years residency; qualified voter; may not have been convicted of bribery, perjury or other infamous crime; may not have illegally taken 'public moneys'[4][5] | ”

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## Historical party control[edit]

Republicans won control of the South Dakota State Senate in 1994. In 2024, they won a 32-3 majority.

The table below shows the partisan history of the South Dakota Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2024. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

South Dakota State Senate election results: 1992-2024

Year  | '92  | '94  | '96  | '98  | '00  | '02  | '04  | '06  | '08  | '10  | '12  | '14  | '16  | '18  | '20  | '22  | '24

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Democrats | 20 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3
Republicans | 15 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 30 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 32

### Trifecta history[edit]

A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2023, South Dakota was under the following types of trifecta control:

* Democratic trifecta: None
* Republican trifecta: 1992, 1995-2023
* Divided government: 1993-1994

South Dakota Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas • Thirty-two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year  | 92  | 93  | 94  | 95  | 96  | 97  | 98  | 99  | 00  | 01  | 02  | 03  | 04  | 05  | 06  | 07  | 08  | 09  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | 16  | 17  | 18  | 19  | 20  | 21  | 22  | 23  | 24  | 25

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Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R
Senate | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R
House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R

## Elections[edit]

### Elections by year[edit]

South Dakota state senators serve two-year terms, with all seats up for election every two years. South Dakota holds elections for its legislature in even years.

### 2026[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2026

Elections for the South Dakota State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026.

### 2024[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2024

Elections for the South Dakota State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was June 4, 2024. The filing deadline was March 26, 2024.

South Dakota State Senate

Party  | As of November 5, 2024  | After November 6, 2024
| Democratic Party | 4  | 3
| Republican Party | 31 | 32
Total |  35 |  35

### 2022[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2022

Elections for the South Dakota State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for June 7, 2022. The filing deadline was March 29, 2022.

In the 2022 elections, the Republican majority in the South Dakota State Senate decreased from 32-3 to 31-4.

South Dakota State Senate

Party  | As of November 8, 2022  | After November 9, 2022
| Democratic Party | 3  | 4
| Republican Party | 32 | 31
Total |  35 |  35

### 2020[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2020

Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 2, 2020, and a primary runoff was scheduled for August 11, 2020. The filing deadline was March 31, 2020.

In the 2020 elections, Republicans increased their majority in the South Dakota State Senate from 30-5 to 32-3.

South Dakota State Senate

Party  | As of November 3, 2020  | After November 4, 2020
| Democratic Party | 5  | 3
| Republican Party | 30 | 32
Total |  35 |  35

### 2018[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2018

Elections for the South Dakota State Senate took place in 2018. The primary election took place on June 5, 2018. The Democratic primary was a hybrid primary and the Republican primary was a closed primary. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 27, 2018.[6]

In the 2018 elections, Republicans increased their majority in the South Dakota State Senate from 29-6 to 30-5.

South Dakota State Senate

Party  | As of November 6, 2018  | After November 7, 2018
| Democratic Party | 6  | 5
| Republican Party | 29 | 30
Total |  35 |  35

### 2016[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the South Dakota State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 29, 2016. All 35 seats in the South Dakota State Senate were up for election in 2016.

Heading into the election, Republicans held a 27-8 majority. Republicans gained two seats in the election, giving them a 29-6 majority.

South Dakota State Senate

Party  | As of November 7, 2016  | After November 8, 2016
| Democratic Party | 8  | 6
| Republican Party | 27 | 29
Total |  35 |  35
Click [show] to see election information dating back to 2000

### 2014[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2014

The general elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate took place on November 4, 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 25, 2014.

Heading into the election, Republicans held a 28-7 majority. Republicans lost one seat in the election, giving them a 27-8 majority.

| South Dakota State Senate

Party  | As of November 3, 2014  | After November 4, 2014
| Democratic Party | 7  | 8
| Republican Party | 28 | 27
Total |  35 |  35

### 2012[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2012

Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate took place in 2012. The primary election was held on June 5, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was March 27, 2012. A total of 35 seats were up for election.

Heading into the election, Republicans held a 30-5 majority. Republicans lost two seats in the election, giving them a 28-7 majority.

South Dakota State Senate

Party  | As of November 5, 2012  | After the 2012 Election
| Democratic Party | 5  | 7
| Republican Party | 30 | 28
Total |  35 |  35

The following table details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election.

2012 Margin of Victory, South Dakota State Senate

District  | Winner  | Margin of Victory  | Total Votes  | Top Opponent
District 25 |  Tim Rave | 2.5% | 10,988 | Dan Ahlers
District 2 |  Chuck Welke | 2.8% | 10,581 | Art Fryslie
District 17 |  Tom Jones | 4.9% | 9,065 | John Chicoine
District 26 |  Larry Lucas | 6% | 8,314 | Kent Juhnke
District 7 |  Larry Tidemann | 7% | 8,150 | Pamela Merchant
District 3 |  Al Novstrup | 7.1% | 10,368 | H. Paul Dennert
District 22 |  Jim White | 8.8% | 9,550 | Chris Studer
District 15 |  Angie Buhl | 9.5% | 5,428 | Kathy Miles
District 14 |  Deb Soholt | 11% | 11,259 | Brian Kaatz
District 12 |  Mark Johnston | 12.5% | 10,490 | Kent Alberty

### 2010[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2010

Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate took place in 2010. The primary election was held on June 8, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was March 30, 2010.

Heading into the election, Republicans held a 21-14 majority. Republicans gained nine seats in the election, giving them a 30-5 majority.

South Dakota State Senate

Party  | As of November 1, 2010  | After the 2010 Election
| Democratic Party | 14  | 5
| Republican Party | 21 | 30
Total |  35 |  35

In 2010, the candidates for state Senate raised a total of $1,090,800 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were:[7]

2010 Donors, South Dakota State Senate

Donor  | Amount
South Dakota Senate Republicans Campaign Cmte  | $36,500
South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association  | $19,750
Warner PAC  | $16,000
South Dakota Education Association  | $15,750
South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations  | $15,750
South Dakota Republican Party  | $15,422
South Dakota Association of Realtors  | $14,700
South Dakota Retailers Association  | $13,850
Codington County Republican Central Cmte  | $11,500
South Dakota Corn Growers Association  | $11,250

### 2008[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2008

Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 3, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008.

During the 2008 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $2,196,661. The top 10 contributors were:[8]

2008 Donors, South Dakota State Senate

Donor  | Amount
South Dakota Republican Party  | $169,874
Senate Republican Campaign Cmte Of South Dakota  | $97,500
Adelstein, Stanford M  | $60,783
South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association  | $47,000
South Dakota Education Association  | $39,800
GPS PAC  | $21,000
South Dakota Association Of Realtors  | $18,850
South Dakota Association Of Healthcare Organizations  | $18,750
Heineman, Phyllis M  | $17,500
Nemec, Nicholas  | $17,071

### 2006[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2006

Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 6, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006.

During the 2006 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $1,811,174. The top 10 contributors were:[9]

2006 Donors, South Dakota State Senate

Donor  | Amount
South Dakota Republican Party  | $165,101
Adelstein, Stanford M  | $102,813
South Dakota Democratic Party  | $67,250
South Dakota Education Association  | $50,575
South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association  | $48,850
Jerstad, Sandy  | $24,809
Oscar Anderson South Dakota Freedom Fund  | $24,740
Schmidt, Dennis  | $24,395
South Dakota Freedom Fund  | $23,522
Women Run! South Dakota  | $18,065

### 2004[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2004

Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 1, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004.

During the 2004 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $859,976. The top 10 contributors were:[10]

2004 Donors, South Dakota State Senate

Donor  | Amount
Adelstein, Stanford M  | $124,703
South Dakota Republican Party  | $54,793
21St Century South Dakota PAC  | $47,077
South Dakota State Medical Association  | $16,650
South Dakota Association Of Healthcare Organizations  | $16,050
South Dakota Association Of Realtors  | $15,600
Schwiesow, Elli  | $14,560
South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association  | $11,450
South Dakota Association Of Specialty Care Providers  | $11,350
International Brotherhood Of Teamsters  | $10,500

### 2002[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2002

Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 4, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002.

During the 2002 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $429,255. The top 10 contributors were:[11]

2002 Donors, South Dakota State Senate

Donor  | Amount
South Dakota Republican Party  | $26,860
South Dakota Democratic Party  | $14,593
South Dakota Association Of Healthcare Organizations  | $11,450
South Dakota Association Of Realtors  | $8,050
South Dakota State Medical Association  | $7,900
Qwest Communications  | $7,200
South Dakota Education Association  | $6,150
South Dakota Optometric Association  | $6,000
South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association  | $5,850
Associated General Contractors Of South Dakota  | $5,300

### 2000[edit]

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2000

Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 6, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000.

During the 2000 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $429,065. The top 10 contributors were:[12]

2000 Donors, South Dakota State Senate

Donor  | Amount
South Dakota Republican Party  | $69,405
South Dakota Democratic Party  | $63,694
Millennium Fund  | $23,750
DASH PAC  | $22,100
South Dakota Education Association  | $14,412
South Dakota Association Of Healthcare Organizations  | $13,100
De Hueck, Patricia  | $10,597
South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association  | $8,850
South Dakota Association Of Realtors  | $8,250
South Dakota State Medical Association  | $8,200

### Term limits[edit]

See also: State legislatures with term limits

The South Dakota legislature is one of 16 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the South Dakota Term Limits Act in 1992. That initiative said that South Dakota senators are subject to term limits of no more than four consecutive two-year terms, or eight consecutive years. State senators can run again after they have been out of office for a term.[13] The first year that the term limits enacted in 1992 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 2000.

The South Dakota State Legislature has tried on more than one occasion, each time unsuccessfully, to persuade the state's voters to repeal term limits. The most recent such failed attempt was when Amendment J lost in 2008 by 75-25%.

### Vacancies[edit]

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures

If there is a vacancy in the South Dakota State Legislature, the governor is responsible for appointing a replacement. Under the state constitution, there are no deadlines set in the state constitution requiring when the governor has to fill a vacancy.[14]

See sources: South Dakota Const. Art. 3, Sec. 10

## District map[edit]

See also: South Dakota state legislative districts

The state of South Dakota has 35 state Senate districts. Each district elects one senator.

Use the interactive map below to find your district.

## Redistricting[edit]

See also: Redistricting in South Dakota

South Dakota is home to a single at-large congressional district; as such, congressional redistricting is not necessary. State legislative districts are drawn by the state legislature. A simple majority vote in each chamber is required to pass a redistricting plan, which is subject to veto by the governor.[15]

The South Dakota Constitution mandates that state legislative districts be contiguous and compact. State statutes "ask that districts protect communities of interest and respect geographical and political boundaries." Because these latter requirements are statutory, they can be modified by the state legislature at its discretion.[15]

### 2020[edit]

See also: Redistricting in South Dakota after the 2020 census

South Dakota enacted new state legislative districts after the legislature approved a compromise between two competing proposals. Both chambers voted to approve the final proposal, known as the Sparrow map, on November 10, 2021. The House approved the new districts in a 37-31 vote and the Senate by a vote of 30-2. Gov. Kristi Noem (R) signed the proposal into law later that night.[16]

Both chambers approved their own versions of the final map on the first day of the special legislative session, which began on November 8, 2021. The House passed its Grouse 2.0 plan by a vote of 48-20, and the Senate approved its plan, known as the Blackbird 2.0 map, in a 20-15 vote. The two proposals mainly differed in their approach to Native American reservations and the rural areas around Rapid City, and the Sparrow addressed both preserving Native American districts and reconfiguring the districts covering Rapid City.[16] These maps took effect for South Dakota's 2022 legislative elections.

#### District map after 2020 redistricting[edit]

This map took effect for South Dakota's 2022 legislative elections.

### 2010[edit]

See also: Redistricting in South Dakota after the 2010 census

Census data were delivered to South Dakota on February 11, 2011, showing that the state's population grew 7.9 percent to 814,180. This growth rate made South Dakota the 25th fastest-growing state in the country from 2000 to 2010.

On October 24, 2011, the final redistricting map was approved by the legislature. The final vote was 31-4 in the South Dakota State Senate and 50-18 in the South Dakota House of Representatives. The plan was signed into law by Governor Dennis Daugaard (R) on October 25, and pre-cleared by the Department of Justice on January 19, 2012, as required under the Voting Rights Act.[17]

## Sessions[edit]

### Legislation[edit]

The legislation tracker below displays all legislation that the South Dakota State Senate has approved in its most recent legislative session—this includes legislation that has been sent from the Senate to the House and legislation that has already been approved by both chambers and signed by the governor. The table below includes the bill number, its name, progress, most recent action date, and sponsor. Scroll up and down and side to side to see more. Click the bill number to read the bill text and see its voting history. Click the headings to sort the content. Rearrange the order of the headings by clicking and dragging them. Click the magnifying glass in the bottom left corner to search for specific terms. The legislation tracker is maintained and updated by BillTrack50.

### Dates of legislative sessions in South Dakota by year[edit]

### 2025[edit]

See also: 2025 South Dakota legislative session and Dates of 2025 state legislative sessions

In 2025, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 14, 2025, and adjourn on March 31, 2025.

Click [show] for past years' session dates.

### 2024[edit]

See also: 2024 South Dakota legislative session and Dates of 2024 state legislative sessions

In 2024, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 9, 2024, and adjourn on March 26, 2024.

### 2023[edit]

See also: 2023 South Dakota legislative session and Dates of 2023 state legislative sessions

In 2023, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 10, 2023, and adjourn on March 27, 2023.

### 2022[edit]

See also: 2022 South Dakota legislative session and Dates of 2022 state legislative sessions

In 2022, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 11, 2022, and adjourn on March 28, 2022.

### 2021[edit]

See also: 2021 South Dakota legislative session and Dates of 2021 state legislative sessions

In 2021, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 12, 2021, and adjourn on March 29, 2021.

### 2020[edit]

See also: 2020 South Dakota legislative session and Dates of 2020 state legislative sessions

In 2020, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 14, 2020, and adjourn on March 30, 2020.

#### Effect of coronavirus pandemic[edit]

See also: Changes to state legislative session dates in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Coronavirus pandemic
Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more.

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Several state legislatures had their sessions impacted as a result of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

### 2019[edit]

See also: 2019 South Dakota legislative session and Dates of 2019 state legislative sessions

In 2019, the legislature was in session from January 8, 2019, through March 29, 2019.

### 2018[edit]

See also: 2018 South Dakota legislative session and Dates of 2018 state legislative sessions

In 2018, the legislature was in session from January 9, 2018, through March 26, 2018. To read about notable events and legislation from this session, click here.

### 2017[edit]

See also: Dates of 2017 state legislative sessions

In 2017, the legislature was in session from January 10, 2017, through March 27, 2017. The legislature held a special session on June 12, 2017.

### 2016[edit]

See also: Dates of 2016 state legislative sessions

In 2016, the legislature was in session from January 12 through March 29.

### 2015[edit]

See also: Dates of 2015 state legislative sessions

In 2015, the legislature was in session from January 13 to March 30.

#### Major issues in 2015[edit]

Republicans and Democrats both expressed differing opinions on the major issues that the legislature would be tackling in 2015. According to State Rep. Alex Jensen (R), lawmakers would focus on infrastructure and transportation issues. This included a Senate bill (S.B.1) that proposed the use of county and local taxes to fund road projects. Democrats, on the other hand, would focus on teacher pay (a recurring issue in front of the state's legislature) and the expansion of Medicaid.[18]

### 2014[edit]

See also: Dates of 2014 state legislative sessions

In 2014, the legislature was in session from January 14 through March 31.

#### Major issues in 2014[edit]

Major issues during the 2014 legislative session included the state budget, a texting ban, and domestic violence.[19]

### 2013[edit]

See also: Dates of 2013 state legislative sessions

In 2013, the legislature was in session from January 8 to March 25.

#### Major issues in 2013[edit]

Major issues in the 2013 included reforming the state's criminal justice system and approving a balanced budget.[20]

### 2012[edit]

See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions

In 2012, the legislature was in session from January 10 through March 19.

### 2011[edit]

See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions

In 2011, the legislature was in session from January 11 through March 28.[21]

### 2010[edit]

See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions

In 2010, the legislature was  in session from January 12 to March 29.[22]

### About legislative sessions in South Dakota[edit]

The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution declares that any power not already given to the federal government is reserved to the states and the people.[23] State governments across the country use this authority to hold legislative sessions where a state's elected representatives meet for a period of time to draft and vote on legislation and set state policies on issues such as taxation, education, and government spending. The different types of legislation passed by a legislature may include resolutions, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, and bills that become law.

Article III of the South Dakota Constitution establishes when the South Dakota State Legislature, of which the Senate is a part, is to be in session. Section 7 of Article III states that the Legislature is to meet in regular session each year on the second Tuesday of January.

The South Dakota Constitution also contains provisions concerning special sessions of the Legislature. Section 3 of  Article IV allows the Governor of South Dakota to convene a special session of the Legislature. Additionally, Section 31 of Article III allows for a special session to be convened by the presiding officers of both legislative houses upon the written request of two-thirds of the members of each house.

## Legislative roles and procedures[edit]

Every state legislature throughout the country features its own internal procedures that it uses to govern itself and how it interacts with other parts of state government. Ballotpedia's coverage of internal state legislative procedures includes veto overrides, the role of the legislature in the state budget, procedures for filling membership vacancies, and procedures for filling membership vacancies.

### Veto overrides[edit]

See also: Veto overrides in state legislatures

State legislatures can override governors' vetoes. Depending on the state, this can be done during the regular legislative session, in a special session following the adjournment of the regular session, or during the next legislative session. The rules for legislative overrides of gubernatorial vetoes in South Dakota are listed below.

How many legislators are required to vote for an override? Two-thirds of members in both chambers.

Two-thirds of members in both chambers must vote to override a veto, which is 47 of the 70 members in the South Dakota House of Representatives and 24 of the 35 members in the South Dakota State Senate. South Dakota is one of 36 states that requires a two-thirds vote from both of its legislative chambers to override a veto.

Authority: Article IV, Section 4 of the South Dakota Constitution.

"Whenever the Legislature is in session, any bill presented to the Governor for signature shall become law when the Governor signs the bill or fails to veto the bill within five days, not including Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays, of presentation. A vetoed bill shall be returned by the Governor to the Legislature together with the Governor's objections within five days, not including Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays, of presentation if the Legislature is in session or upon the reconvening of the Legislature from a recess. Any vetoed bill shall be reconsidered by the Legislature and, if two-thirds of all members of each house shall pass the bill, it shall become law."

### Role in state budget[edit]

See also: South Dakota state budget and finances
South Dakota on

Check out Ballotpedia articles about policy in your state on:
Budgets • Civil liberties • Education • Elections • Energy • Environment • Healthcare • Pensions

* * *

The state operates on an annual budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[24]

1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies between June and July of the year preceding the start of the new fiscal year.
2. State agencies submit their budget requests to the governor by August 31.
3. Agency hearings are held in September.
4. The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the state legislature in December.
5. The legislature typically adopts a budget in March or April. A simple majority is required to pass a budget. The fiscal year begins July 1.

South Dakota is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.[24][25]

The governor is constitutionally required to submit a balanced budget proposal. Likewise, the legislature is required to pass a balanced budget.[24]

## Committees[edit]

See also: List of committees in South Dakota state government

Every state legislature and state legislative chamber in the country contains several legislative committees. These committees are responsible for studying, amending, and voting on legislation before it reaches the floor of a chamber for a full vote. The different types of committees include standing committees, select or special, and joint.

* Standing committees are generally permanent committees, the names of which sometimes change from session to session.
* Select or special committees are temporary committees formed to deal with specific issues such as recent legislation, major public policy or proposals, or investigations.
* Joint committees are committees that feature members of both chambers of a legislature.

Ballotpedia covers standing and joint committees. The South Dakota State Senate has 14 standing committees:

* Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
* Senate Appropriations Committee
* Senate Commerce and Energy Committee
* Senate Education Committee
* Senate Government Operations and Audit Committee
* Senate Health and Human Services Committee
* Senate Judiciary Committee
* Senate Legislative Procedure Committee
* Senate Local Government Committee
* Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee
* Senate Retirement Laws Committee
* Senate State Affairs Committee
* Senate Taxation Committee
* Senate Transportation Committee

## Constitutional amendments[edit]

In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.

The methods in which the South Dakota Constitution can be amended:

See also: Article XXIII of the South Dakota Constitution and Laws governing ballot measures in South Dakota

Amendments to the South Dakota Constitution may be proposed in three different ways—through a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, or a state constitutional convention.

#### Initiative[edit]

See also: Initiated constitutional amendment

An initiated constitutional amendment is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends a state's constitution. Eighteen (18) states allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments.

In South Dakota, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 10% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.

#### Legislature[edit]

See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the South Dakota State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 36 votes in the South Dakota House of Representatives and 18 votes in the South Dakota State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

#### Convention[edit]

See also: Convention-referred constitutional amendment

According to Section 2 of Article 23 of the South Dakota Constitution, the South Dakota State Legislature can call a state constitutional convention through a 75% vote in each legislative chamber. Citizens can initiate a constitutional convention question using the same procedures as an initiated constitutional amendment.

2026 measures:

See also: South Dakota 2026 ballot measures

Certified:

The following measures have been certified for the ballot.

No measures to list

Potential:

The following measures have made it through one chamber—or one session for two session states—and may appear on the ballot in 2026.
South Dakota Medicaid Expansion Conditions Amendment| Democrats| Republicans

|
|

Senate:| Required: | Yes votes: (%)| No votes: (%)| Yes: ; No: | Yes: ; No:
House:| Required: 36| Yes votes: 59 (85.5%)| No votes: 7 (10.1%)| Yes: 0; No: 6| Yes: 59; No: 1
South Dakota 60% Vote Requirement for Constitutional Amendments Measure| Democrats| Republicans
Senate:| Required: | Yes votes: (%)| No votes: (%)| Yes: ; No: | Yes: ; No:
House:| Required: 36| Yes votes: 61 (88.4%)| No votes: 5 (7.2%)| Yes: 1; No: 5| Yes: 60; No: 0
South Dakota Citizenship Voting Requirement Amendment| Democrats| Republicans
Senate:| Required: 18| Yes votes: 33 (94.2%)| No votes: 2 (5.7%)| Yes: 1; No: 2| Yes: 32; No: 0
House:| Required: | Yes votes: (%)| No votes: (%)| Yes: ; No: | Yes: ; No:
South Dakota Require General Election Between Elections of Initiatives of the Same Subject Amendment| Democrats| Republicans
Senate:| Required: | Yes votes: (%)| No votes: (%)| Yes: ; No: | Yes: ; No:
House:| Required: 36| Yes votes: 62 (88.5%)| No votes: 8 (11.4%)| Yes: 0; No: 6| Yes: 62; No: 2
South Dakota Trust Fund for Unclaimed Property Amendment| Democrats| Republicans
Senate:| Required: 18| Yes votes: 35 (100%)| No votes: 0 (0%)| Yes: 3; No: 0| Yes: 32; No: 0
House:| Required: | Yes votes: (%)| No votes: (%)| Yes: ; No: | Yes: ; No:

2025 measures:

Below is a list of measures that were referred to the 2025 ballot by the legislature or that have made it approximately halfway through the process in the legislature for referral to the ballot in 2025.

See also: 2025 ballot measures

Certified:

The following measures have been certified for the ballot.

No measures to list

Potential:

The following measures have made it through one chamber—or one session for two session states—and may appear on the ballot in 2025.

No measures to list

## See also[edit]

Elections |  South Dakota State Government | State Legislatures | State Politics

|
|
|

* South Dakota State Senate elections, 2024
* South Dakota State Senate elections, 2022
* South Dakota State Senate elections, 2020
* South Dakota State Senate elections, 2018

* South Dakota State Legislature
* South Dakota House of Representatives
* Governor of South Dakota
* South Dakota Supreme Court

* State legislative elections, 2025
* State legislative elections, 2024
* State legislative elections, 2023
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## External links[edit]

* South Dakota State Legislature

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ South Dakota State Legislature, "Legislator Reference Book," accessed February 16, 2021
2. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
3. ↑ South Dakota Constitution, "Article 3, Section 7," accessed February 16, 2021
4. ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Qualification to Hold Office & Term Limitations," accessed February 10, 2023
5. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
6. ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "South Dakota Primary and General Election Calendar 2018," accessed September 5, 2017
7. ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed August 2, 2014
8. ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2008 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
9. ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2006 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
10. ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2004 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
11. ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2002 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
12. ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2000 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
13. ↑ South Dakota State Legislature, "Legislative Terms of Office," accessed February 16, 2021
14. ↑ South Dakota Legislature, "South Dakota Constitution Article III, Section 10," accessed February 3, 2023
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 All About Redistricting, "South Dakota," accessed April 23, 2015
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Black Hills Fox, "South Dakota lawmakers compromise on redistricting map in special session," November 10, 2021
17. ↑ Loyola University School of Law, "All About Redistricting," accessed July 5, 2012
18. ↑ Caiti Blase, KDLT News, "South Dakota Legislature To Tackle Big Issues For 2015," January 12, 2015
19. ↑ kotatv.com, "Sneak Peek into 2014 South Dakota Legislative Session," December 24, 2013
20. ↑ KTIV, "UPDATE: SD Governor asks lawmakers to revamp criminal justice system," January 8, 2013
21. ↑ 2011 South Dakota Legislative Research Council, "86th LEGISLATIVE SESSION CALENDAR," March 12, 2010
22. ↑ South Dakota Legislative Research Council, "85th LEGISLATIVE SESSION CALENDAR," January 21, 2010
23. ↑ Find Law, "Tenth Amendment - U.S. Constitution," accessed May 20, 2017
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2021," accessed January 24, 2023
25. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Separation of Powers: Executive Veto Powers," accessed January 26, 2024

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