As of July 1, 2025, South Dakota now allows interpreters to accompany non-commercial driver’s license applicants who speak a limited amount of English while they take the driving portion of their test.
Republican Representative Jana Hunt, who also is a traveling nurse, says she was motivated after working with Filipino nurses trying to integrate into local society. She says in her hometown of Dupree, transportation barriers are also an issue for Filipinos serving as teachers.
“A lot of them are walking in the middle of winter, however far they have to walk, to get to their job.”
Hunt says South Dakota is a very “driver-centric” state, and it isn’t just getting to and from jobs that New Americans have to worry about.
“In my rural area, [if] you want to go to the grocery store, [if] you want to go to any town with a Walmart, it’s an hour-and-a-half away from here. You’re not going to get an Uber for that.”
Democratic Senator Liz Larson says her Sioux Falls district has welcomed immigrants from places like Nepal, Somalia and Ethiopia. Despite efforts to improve public transportation, she says these folks need more options to get around and to establish roots.
“The more we can allow people to be able to start up their economic lives, start their families in school, and make it to health care appointments – as well as job interviews or jobs themselves – I think that we are better off economically.”
Under the new law, the Department of Public Safety has to approve the interpreter, and the applicant is responsible for recruiting them and paying their fee.
Immigrant support groups say driving to work or to job interviews makes a big difference in New Americans’ ability to achieve self-sufficiency.
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