Government Outreach Update February 25, 2026
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You’re invited to the next Capital Area Networking meeting for an important Legislative Session Wrap-Up, offering timely insights while the session is still active. Get a clear update on where key issues stand, what has passed, and what may still change before adjournment. Join us Wednesday, March 11, from 8 AM - 9 AM, at the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce, 800 W. Dakota Avenue, Pierre. Click here to learn more.
Topic Presentation:
A 45-minute Legislative Session Wrap-Up featuring Nathan Sanderson of the SD Retailers Association and Mary Duvall, covering current developments, pending legislation, and what to watch as the session continues.
We strongly encourage business professionals and the public to attend.
Government Outreach Update:
Yesterday was Crossover Day, meaning that the legislature is now dealing with bills which have survived the first two votes. For a bill to pass, it needs to pass five different steps – a committee hearing and floor vote in each chamber, plus approval from the governor – whereas it only takes one vote to kill a bill.
The Joint Committee on Appropriations has until tomorrow to sort through all special appropriation requests and either send them to the floor or kill them. Among the special appropriations requests this year was HB 1072, to give state employees a 1.5% pay raise. It was tabled in committee. Another is SB 119, to create the capitol restoration fund. It requested $25 million, but was amended by the Senate to $101 and passed on a 21-12 vote. This is a procedural amendment, as a way to keep the bill alive until legislators do some math and figure out how much money to allocate to the fund.
Legislators will have a three-day weekend this week. When they come back next Monday, they will have two weeks left in the Main Run before they take a two-week break, returning on March 30 for Veto Day.
A few bill updates:
- HB 1209, requiring employers to verify employee eligibility through the E-verify program, has been assigned to the Senate State Affairs committee. This would be in addition to using the I-9 form.
- HB 1245, which would allow municipalities to impose a one-cent gross receipts tax to pay for capital improvement projects, is pending in the Senate Local Government committee.
- SB 115, to allow road hunting for mourning doves, will be heard in House Ag Committee tomorrow morning.
An on-air legislative forum will be hosted by KCCR Radio this Saturday, February 28, starting at 9:30 a.m.
For comprehensive legislative information please visit the Legislative Research Council Website at https://sdlegislature.gov
If you would like to contact our area legislators:
Senator Jim Mehlhaff - Jim.Mehlhaff@sdlegislature.gov
Representative Will Mortenson - Will.Mortenson@sdlegislature.gov
Representative Mike Weisgram - Mike.Weisgram@sdlegislature.gov
