Rep. Nick Fosness
Take Me Out to the Ballgame-South Dakota Legislature Ending 2026 Session Strong -
Folks, as we head into the final stretch of the 101st Legislative Session, I am reminded of the seventh-inning stretch at my beloved Chicago Cubs game. We’ve sung “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” stretched our legs, shaken off the dust, and now we’re ready for the last two innings. I remain full of energy, optimism, and a few big hits are still to come.
These last two weeks have been productive and collaborative, delivering real wins for South Dakotans, especially in rural communities.
Key plays include:
- House Bill 1044-signed by Governor Rhoden, unlocking up to $189 million in federal funds for the Rural Health Transformation Program in the first year. This is a home run for rural healthcare and will be impactful funding for the next five years for EMS, Nursing Homes, Homecare, Rural Hospitals and Clinics. The federal funding allocated to SD is just under $1B over five years with no cost to SD taxpayers.
- Child-safety advances with Senate Bill 107 (adding licensed child care to community safety zones) now in House Judiciary, and House Bill 1003 reinforcing school employee background checks.
- Smart, balanced data-center policy is still being debated: Senate Bill 135 passed the Senate unanimously and is in House State Affairs, protecting residents from utility cost risks while opening economic doors. With calculated balance of consumer protection in electricity prices, and recognizing the economic development potential, I am hopeful we can approve legislation that provides both.
The Joint Committee on Appropriations is shaping a responsible budget that invests in education, infrastructure, water projects, and Ellsworth Air Force Base growth. House Bill 1262 just passed the House and is heading to the Senate for approval for funding $2M for a Behavioral School in Aberdeen that can support NESD students. This important bill helps up to 19 of our school districts place students closer to home and provide specialized approaches in a new setting. House Bill 1244 expands life-skills training for at-risk youth (JAG Program), which is another solid step forward.
Sure, Crossover Day had its share of curveballs last week, but we stayed focused and kept swinging for practical solutions. As we celebrate 250 years since the Declaration of Independence-House Resolution 7001, this session has given us stronger rural health, safer communities, safer classrooms, and thoughtful economic safeguards. We still have 2 innings (weeks) left to also address funding Schools, State Employees, and Medicaid Providers, while also debating Owner-Occupied tax reductions. HB 1308 was a fantastic bill, to address all of these concerns, plus bringing the food tax to 0%, but the amendment for this failed and the bill in its current form did not pass. I stood for this amendment and also voted for the bill. We need meaningful tax savings for home owners and also mechanisms for ongoing funding of our schools, Medicaid, and State Government employees.
I’m honored to represent District 1 and proud of what we’ve accomplished together. The game’s not over yet, but the momentum is ours. South Dakota’s future looks bright. Let’s play ball!
Sen. Mike Rohl
Below is an update on the bills I’ve written so far and where they are 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. Passed both Chambers and is on Governor’s Desk.
• SB 4: Revise procedures for returning and withholding security deposits for residential premises. This extends the time for landlords to return security deposits from 14 days to 21 days. Signed into Law.
• SB 5: An act to clarify how a ballot measure was placed on the ballot. This will instruct the AG to clarify in his ballot expansion on the ballot whether an issue was vetted and placed on the ballot by the Legislature or if a measure was placed on the ballot with citizen signatures and support. Passed into Law
• SJR 501: Proposing and submitting to the voters at the next general election an amendment to the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, limiting the number of consecutive terms an individual may serve as a member of the Legislature to 16 years. The bill passed out of the Senate and was killed in the House Committee.
• SJR 502: Applying to the United States Congress under Article V of the United States Constitution to call for a convention proposing an amendment to the constitution fixing the number of justices of the United States Supreme Court at one chief justice and eight associate justices. This passed out of Senate committee on party lines and the Senate Floor 24-10 and was killed in House Committee.
• SB 110: An act to provide Privacy of Broadband Internet Customer Information. This bill would require internet service providers to provide opt ins for selling personal data on the customers they serve. This bill passed the Senate 28-6 and was killed in House Committee.
• SB 111: An act to require that social media companies provide collected personal data of a user at the user’s request and maintain transparent interoperability interfaces. This bill would require social media companies to inform customers of the data collected by the company on the user and allow the user access to the information. Passed both Chambers and was sent to Governor’s Desk.
• HB 1047: Make an appropriation for the construction costs at the Blue Dog State Hatchery. I was honored to carry HB 1047 on the Senate Floor allocating 8 million dollars to Blue Dog Hatchery. Signed into law.
• SJR 504 : Passed the Senate 23-11. This would give voters the option of approving mobile sports betting. 90% of the money generated would need to go to property tax relief. Killed in House Committee.
• SB 236: create the county and township infrastructure fund for the accounting, safekeeping, and allocation of unobligated rural access infrastructure fund moneys. Passed the legislature and is on the Governor’s Desk.
• HB 1262: make an appropriation for a non-residential, school-based, therapeutic services facility in Brown County and to declare an emergency. This would allocate 2 million to purchase a behavioral learning center for 24 students in NE SD. Passed both chambers and is on Governor’s Desk
