PIERRE, S.D. (SDBA)—The House State Affairs Committee approved several significant bills Wednesday during its morning session today (Wednesday)(, showing bipartisan support for most measures.
Constitutional Amendments Advance
Two Senate Joint Resolutions passed with strong support. SJR 503, clarifying that only U.S. citizens can vote, passed 12-1, while SJR 505, establishing a trust fund for unclaimed property, received unanimous approval.
Sen. Taffy Howard, R-Rapid City, who sponsored both resolutions, said SJR 505 would help address an unfunded liability.
“We currently have an almost $1.2 billion unfunded liability due to the unclaimed property revenue that we receive,” Howard said. “It is time that we create this trust fund, the same as other states have done.”
State Treasurer Josh Hader supported the measure, noting: “This gives the South Dakota Investment Council additional options to invest these dollars and get a higher rate of return.”
Parental Rights Protection Debated
The most debated bill was Senate Bill 113, which protects parental rights. The measure passed 10-3 after testimony from both supporters and opponents.
Sen. Tamara Grove, R-Lower Brule, the prime sponsor, described parental rights as “fundamental liberty interest” protected by the 14th Amendment.
“This bill’s fundamental parental rights can be found within the 14th Amendment’s due process clause,” Grove said. “It protects a parent’s fundamental liberty interest to nurture, care, custody, and control of their children.”
Opponents from the Department of Social Services and State’s Attorneys Association expressed concerns about how the bill might affect child protection cases.
Election Recount Process Simplified
The committee unanimously passed Senate Bill 173, which streamlines the recount process for legislative elections involving multiple counties. Sen. David Wheeler, R-Huron, explained the change allows candidates to file just one petition with the Secretary of State instead of filing in every county.
“If you’re going to do a recount, you should just ask for it once, send it to the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State will then notify the county auditors,” Wheeler said.
International Trade Commission Changes
Senate Bill 143, which modifies the South Dakota-Ireland Trade Commission, received a 12-1 vote for passage. Sen. Chris Karr, R-Sioux Falls, the prime sponsor, explained the bill adds more private sector involvement to the commission.
“We want to bring in some private industry to be involved,” Karr said. “We’ve gotten a lot of feedback and interest across South Dakota.”
Former Senator Ryan Maher highlighted the commission’s accomplishments, including establishing contacts with Irish business leaders and beginning work on an exchange program between South Dakota State University and University College Dublin.
The committee placed SJR 505 and SB 173 on the consent calendar, while the other bills will receive regular floor consideration.
