PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden announced Tuesday that he signed 31 more bills into law, including legislation to require the acceptance of cash at school events, regulate e-bikes on the Mickelson Trail, and make an increase in the state’s 911 surcharge permanent.
The cash acceptance bill was motivated by complaints about parents not being able to attend high school activities in some parts of the state, especially in the Sioux Falls area, because some schools exclusively use smartphone app-based, cashless ticketing.
The Mickelson Trail bill allows only the slowest class of e-bikes, Class I, on the trail.
The 911 bill makes a temporary increase in the state’s 911 surcharge permanent. The monthly, per-line charge applies to landline and cellphone service, and is used to help local governments fund their 911 call centers. Legislators and Gov. Kristi Noem adopted a 75-cent increase in the surcharge last year, from $1.25 to $2. The temporary measure was set to expire on July 1, 2026.
Rhoden has now signed 97 bills into law this legislative session, which began in January and concludes Thursday, except for a day on March 31 to consider any vetoes that Rhoden issues. Legislators introduced more than 500 bills, resolutions and commemorations this session.
