09-03-2025
A look ahead at Day 34 of the 2025 legislative session
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — Here's a look at some of the events scheduled at the state Capitol for Monday, March 10, the 34th working day of the 38-day 2025 session of the South Dakota Legislature.
Most legislative committees no longer are meeting in this final week of the session's main run, because they finished hearings on bills and resolutions last week. The one exception on Monday is the Joint Committee on Appropriations.
The 18 JCA members meet at 10 a.m. CT in room 362 to continue setting state government's budget for the coming fiscal year that starts on July 1 and adjusting the state budget for the current year. They're also scheduled to meet at 8 a.m. CT on Tuesday.
Under the Legislature's standard rules, Monday marks the last day for a bill or joint resolution to pass both chambers. It's also the last day for lawmakers to invoke JR 7-7, more commonly known as the smoke-out rule, where a lawmaker with sufficient support can force a committee to release a bill that previously was set aside.
Because it's the final week, the two chambers will convene their general floor sessions at various times. On Monday, the Senate is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. CT, while the House of Representatives will gather at 1 p.m. CT.
The Senate debate calendar shows one resolution and 15 House bills, including a proposal from Republican Rep. Greg Jamison that would reduce a limit on the annual increases of property tax revenues payable to certain taxing districts, and to subject school districts to a limit on property taxes collected in a year.
The House debate calendar shows eight Senate bills. Among them are a proposal from Republican Sen. Amber Hulse and Republican Rep. Jack Kolbeck that would limit annual valuation increases on owner-occupied single-family dwellings and provide an exception for mill rate limitations on taxing districts.
Another proposal the House will consider is from Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden and a task force of 10 legislators that would reduce the growth in the assessed value of owner-occupied property, limit increases in certain property tax revenues, revise provisions regarding school district excess tax levies, and revise eligibility requirements for a property tax assessment freeze.
The Legislature is scheduled to meet through Thursday, the final day of the main run. Tuesday through Thursday are reserved for conference committees that negotiate differences between the two chambers' versions of the same bill they've both passed, and for consideration of the annual state-budget bills and school-tax levies bill.
Lawmakers will then take a two-week break and return on Monday, March 31, to consider any vetoes and deal with any remaining unfinished business. So far, Gov. Rhoden hasn't vetoed any bill that the Legislature sent to his desk to become law. As of Sunday morning, the official bill-status report log showed 22 House bills and 27 Senate bills had received final legislative approval and were on the governor's desk awaiting decisions.
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