March Madness is More Than Basketball. It's a Race to the Finish in Pierre.

The calendar has turned to March, which means basketball, the return of Daylight Savings Time (reminder: turn your clocks ahead an hour this weekend!) and the end of the 100th Legislative Session.

The clock is ticking for the legislators to finish their work, and we'll continue watching until the last gavel falls at the end of the month.

House Bill 1071 - Scope of Practice for Physician Assistants
AARP South Dakota testified in favor of House Bill (HB) 1071, which would allow Physician Assistants (PAs) to work to their full potential. PAs are proven and trusted members of the South Dakota health care system, which increases access to high-quality care for South Dakotans.

The bill passed out of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on a 7-0 vote and on the Senate floor on a 32-3 vote. Because this bill originated in the House of Representatives but was amended in the Senate, it then had to go back to the House, which concurred with the amended version on a 69-1 approval vote. HB 1071 now goes to the Governor for his signature.

AARP South Dakota supported this bill because we believe patients across South Dakota should have access to care in a variety of settings, including hospitals, medical offices, community clinics and at home. For South Dakota’s family caregivers, who help make it possible for their parents, spouses, friends and other loved ones to live independently at home where they want to be, having access to PAs is important.

If signed by the Governor, this bill outlines steps to modernize the practice of South Dakota’s Physician Assistants so that patients have direct access to PAs working to the full extent of their education and expertise. As they are often working in rural communities, PAs are a vital resource in caring for older South Dakotans, helping them to stay in their homes and communities while keeping them out of nursing homes.

Senate Bill 216 - Property Tax Plan
AARP South Dakota testified in favor of Senate Bill (SB) 216, which is Governor Rhoden's property tax plan. After previously passing on the Senate floor on a 30-5 vote, SB 216 passed in the House State Affairs Committee on a 9-4 vote. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. If approved, it will go to the Governor's desk for his signature.

AARP South Dakota supports SB 216 because it broadens participation in the state’s senior assessment freeze program by increasing the income limit to $55,000 for single taxpayers and $65,000 for multi-member households (the current limits are $40,000 single and $52,000 multi-member). It also increases the assessed value limit for program participation to $500,000 from the current $345,000.

As the property tax debate continues, AARP South Dakota hopes our legislature will keep in mind that protecting the home as an asset is essential to helping ensure that the 50-plus and all South Dakotans are financially secure and can age in their own homes.

The property tax continues to be the most burdensome tax for many of our low-income and older people to absorb. At the same time, property taxes are an important source of tax revenue for South Dakota’s local governments. Property taxes fund some of the government services most important and visible to our taxpayers such as schools, police, fire and parks.

Given that property taxes provide revenue for the public services that taxpayers value, effective property tax relief programs require policymakers to be strategic. To preserve revenue for essential services, property tax relief measures must be efficient, targeting relief to those most in need. They must also be well designed to specifically address the financial challenges faced by taxpayers who possess value in their home but may lack current cash flow to pay property taxes.

AARP South Dakota supports SB 216 because we believe it is targeted to those South Dakotans with the most need, an important principle for relief to help ensure that local governments have the revenue they need to provide essential services.

VETO Day: March 31
South Dakota’s Legislative Session always ends with a final day commonly referred to as “Veto Day.” This year, that day will be Monday, March 31.

After the main run of session, there is a two-week break for the Governor to work through all the bills that have been sent to him for consideration. As Governor, he has three options with respect to bills that have passed both the House and Senate:

1. Sign the bill for it to become law.
2. Take no action. After five days with no action, the bill becomes law.
3. Veto the bill, and it goes back to the Legislature.

The Legislature will consider any vetoes when they gather on March 31. It takes a 2/3 vote of both the Senate and House to override a veto on a bill, which then sends it on its way to become a law.

Stay Tuned for Our Legislative Summary.
Just like the Legislature, we’ll be taking a two-week break, so we won't have weekly legislative updates on March 14 or 21.

We’ll still be keeping an eye on any legislative action or action by the Governor, however, and then we will provide a full legislative wrap-up after Veto Day on March 31.

In the meantime, stay up-to-date with other news and information here on our website, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.