A look at my bills that passed and failed

Greetings! As of this writing, I’m packed and ready to go back to Pierre for our final day of legislative session. We call it Veto Day because the break gives the governor a couple of weeks to sort through all the bills that passed and decide if he’s going to sign the bills, in effect making them law, or to veto the bills. If vetoed, we need to get  two-thirds (47 in House, 24 in Senate) of the legislators to vote to override his veto.
Gov. Rhoden did veto one bill while we were still in session and has since vetoed another bill. I’ll write more on both of those after we return from Veto Day.
A funny statistic, it’s in our constitution that we get 5¢ a mile reimbursement on the first trip to Pierre and 5¢ a mile on our last trip home. I live approximately 200 miles from the capitol so on my way back Tuesday afternoon I’ll get $10 for gas to make it home! Back in the day $10 worth of gas was like 20¢ per gallon so 50 gallons worth of fuel. Now, at $3.50 per gallon, its not even three gallons worth. Speaking of gas prices, it’s $2.87 in Sioux Falls and $3.50 here. But I digress.
So, back to the 2025 legislative session. It was our 100th session. That number makes no sense as we became a state Nov. 2, 1889. If the legislature met every year, that would be our 135th session. We must have met every other year like North Dakota still does for a number of years. That’s my second question. My first question is why does North Dakota have half as many folks incarcerated as South Dakota has?
Please email to me your answers to both questions at Tim.goodwin@sdlegisla
ture.gov. My rapid recap of the 100th session is: I served in the House of Representatives, chaired the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, served on Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Transportation Committees. I prime-sponsored nine bills. Bills that passed:
• HB1160-Waive the driver’s license renewal period for members of the military and their families and employees of the state department.
• HB1161-Allow additional forms to verify military service for a veteran designation on a commercial driver’s license or commercial learners permit.
• HB1164-Revise the process for nominating candidates for lieutenant governor.
• HB1238-Establish protections for a veteran seeking assistance in a veterans benefit matter.
Bills I prime-sponsored that failed:
• HB1162-Require the reporting of the number of veterans who die by suicide in the state.
• HB1019-Eliminate certain property taxes levied on owner-occupied single family dwellings, and to increase certain gross receipts tax notes and use tax rates.
• HB1237-Make an appropriation for the reconstruction of West Dam.
• HB1163-Make an appropriation for a grant to assist in the construction and equipping of veterans skilled trade center.
• HCR6008-Supporting the effort to bring Amtrak passenger rail service to the state.
I co-sponsored 24 bills: HB1053, HB1071, HB1081, HB1083, HB1095, HB1096, HB1119, HB1141, HCR5001, HCR8002, SB6, SB10, SB13, SB16, SB17, SB68, SB74, SB75, SB79, SB121, SB134, SB191, SJR501, SCR603.
You can look up all the bills at sdlegislature.gov. Remember all House bills are HB for House bill and four numerals. Senate bills are SB and are one, two or three numerals.
In coming weeks we’ll talk about the more controversial bills and I’ll ask for your assistance and recommendations for the 2026 legislative session. Until next week.