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South Dakota Senate adopts resolution urging repeal of 1863 Sioux Dakota Removal Act
Summary
The South Dakota Senate adopted Senate Resolution 702 calling on Congress to repeal the 1863 Sioux Dakota Removal Act, a federal statute that annulled treaties and ordered removal of several Dakota bands from Minnesota; the measure passed 32–3 after a floor statement by Senator Grove.
The South Dakota Senate adopted Senate Resolution 702 on a roll-call vote, urging the United States Congress to repeal the Act of March 3, 1863, commonly known as the Sioux Dakota Removal Act. The resolution passed 32 yeas to 3 nays.
Senator Grove, sponsor of the resolution, read the bill text and framed the measure as a step toward reconciliation. "I kindly urge your support for SR 702 and stand in solidarity with the Dakota people in calling for the repeal of this outdated and harmful legislation," he said on the floor.
The resolution recounts mid-19th century events in Minnesota and the surrounding area, citing actions Congress took in 1863 that "annulled all previous treaties made with the tribes" and directed monies originally due the tribes to be forwarded to settlers. The resolution asks Congress to amend the Act of March 3, 1863 (volume 12, Stat. at Large, ch. 119, pp. 819–820) to remove the banishment language without affecting property rights or land previously granted to tribes.
Supporters said repeal would be symbolic but important for reconciliation and would reaffirm the state's recognition of tribal connections to ancestral lands. Grove invoked an earlier tribal request made during a state of the tribes event, saying tribal leaders asked for a "reset" including repeal of this law. Opponents were not recorded making floor remarks opposing the resolution in the debate that preceded the roll call.
On the roll call the secretary recorded 32 yeas and 3 nays; the president declared the motion carried and SR 702 adopted.
The resolution is a formal request to Congress; it does not change state law and carries no implementation requirements for state agencies. The Senate packet included a printed copy of the 1863 citations referenced in the resolution.
A copy of the resolution will be transmitted to the state's congressional delegation and to the U.S. Congress as the Senate's formal request for repeal.
