South Dakota lawmakers are taking up dozens of bills affecting property taxes, school funding, elections, and the state budget.
Tuesday (Feb. 24, 2026) is “crossover day,” where bills from the house of origin have to have a disposition, or they die.
The Senate Appropriations Committee opens the day at 7:30 a.m., taking up bills that would keep a portion of wind farm revenues with local school districts and direct interest earnings from the state’s unclaimed property trust fund to schools. The panel also considers budget transfer measures and bills tied to special education funding and gaming revenue distribution.
House Appropriations meets at 9 a.m., considering bills on school meal reimbursement, special education funding, a manufactured housing down payment assistance program, and a property tax credit for nonpublic school tuition.
Senate Taxation meets at 10 a.m. to hear two property tax measures. One bill would raise income limits for a property tax assessment freeze. A second would cap annual valuation increases on owner-occupied single-family homes. The committee also considers a bill allowing cities to establish local property tax rebate programs.
Senate State Affairs convenes at 10 a.m. with a packed agenda. Senators consider a proposed constitutional amendment that would limit assessed property values and cap property taxes statewide — a measure that would go before voters if approved. The committee also hears proposals to remove the lieutenant governor as presiding officer of the Senate and a separate constitutional amendment that would cut property taxes for homeowners while raising gross receipts and use taxes.
The full Senate and House both convene at 2 p.m. The Senate takes up second readings on more than a dozen bills. These include measures on the minimum age for marriage, a ban on lab-grown meat, and a new property tax relief fund. The House considers bills, including one that would reduce property taxes for homeowners offset by higher gross receipts and use taxes, and another barring certain political committees from accepting contributions from state employees.
House State Affairs meets again at 3 p.m. — or 15 minutes after the House adjourns — to hear a social media data transparency bill and a measure requiring publication of ballot images and cast vote records from tabulating equipment. A bill targeting foreign campaign contributions has been deferred to March 2.
By Todd Epp | South Dakota Broadcasters Association.
Comments