DISTRICT 1 REPRESENTATIVE NICK FOSNESS
We finished up the opening week formalities and jumped into committee hearings this week. Tons of bills getting introduced and heard on taxes, agriculture, natural resources, judiciary, appropriations, energy, commerce, and education.
No big floor votes yet—although there is a lot of testimony and bill intros.
Speaker Hansen made a few committee changes: Rep. Liz May moved to Agriculture & Natural Resources and Education after recovering from her accident; Rep. Julie Auch took her old spot on Appropriations; and Rep. Phil Jensen got reassigned to Local Government and Taxation.
We also had a joint memorial service in the House chamber on Thursday to honor former legislators who passed in 2025.
Property tax relief is still the hottest topic out there, along with budget reviews, prison reform, and education funding discussions. I am on Health and Human Services and Transportation committees.
Session keeps rolling and crossover day is coming up quick. As always please contact me via email or phone [email protected] or 605-228-5555.
DISTRICT 1 SENATOR MIKE ROHL
Below is an update on the bills I’ve written so far and where they are at in the legislative process:
SB 3: An act to limit the types of residential improvements for which counties, municipalities and townships may require a building permit. The bill has been widely supported by legislators but has faced significant opposition from Sioux Falls- and Rapid City-based code enforcement officers. It is currently being held in Senate committee while negotiations continue to seek a compromise acceptable to both sides.
SB 5: An act to clarify how a ballot measure was placed on the ballot. The bill would require the attorney general to specify in the ballot explanation whether an issue was vetted and placed on the ballot by the Legislature or placed on the ballot through citizen signatures and support. The bill has passed out of Senate and House committees and is awaiting final action on the House floor.
SB 6: An act to reduce the maximum duration for re-employment payments. The bill was amended in committee to reduce benefits to five months from the current six months. The bill died in Senate committee.
SB 7: An act to modify the gold severance tax rate. The bill would have increased the tax on gold severed in the Black Hills from a flat $8 per ounce to 0.5 percent of value and redirected the additional revenue to a fund for rural drinking water projects. The bill died in committee.
SJR 501: A resolution proposing and submitting to voters at the next general election a constitutional amendment limiting the number of consecutive years an individual may serve in the Legislature to 16. The measure passed out of Senate committee on a 6-3 vote and passed the Senate floor 20-14. It is now awaiting a House committee hearing.
SJR 502: A resolution applying to the United States Congress under Article V of the U.S. Constitution to call for a convention proposing an amendment fixing the number of justices on the U.S. Supreme Court at one chief justice and eight associate justices. The measure passed out of Senate committee on party lines and passed the Senate floor 24-10.
SB 110: An act to provide privacy of broadband internet customer information. The bill would require internet service providers to obtain customer opt-in consent before selling personal data. It is intended to give consumers greater control over their information and is awaiting its first committee hearing.
SB 111: An act to require social media companies to provide users with access to collected personal data upon request and to maintain transparent interoperability interfaces. The bill is awaiting its first committee hearing.
Contact Senator Rohl at [email protected].
No updates have been received from D1 Rep. Logan Manhart this session.
