South Dakota Senate advances committee recommendations, takes first readings and approves procedural motions

The South Dakota Senate on the floor advanced multiple committee recommendations, took first readings of three measures and approved several procedural motions, including scheduling the next convening for 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.

Committee chairs reported the chamber had pending committee recommendations. "The Committee on Senate Commerce and Energy respectfully reports that it has had the following under consideration and returns the same with the following recommendations: Senate Bill 30, do pass, and having been certified as uncontested, be placed on the consent calendar," said Senator Casey Crabtree, chair of that committee. The Committee on Senate Judiciary reported that "Senate Bill 5 be amended and do pass," said Senator David Wheeler, chair of Judiciary. Those reports were entered on the floor; the transcript records the committee recommendations but does not record final floor action on those two bills in the excerpt.

In first-reading business, the clerk read three new measures: Senate Bill 74, which the clerk described as requiring publication and review of an explanation of the state's open-meeting laws; Senate Bill 75, described as requiring an indication of U.S. citizenship status on a motor vehicle operator's license or permit; and SJR 503, described as a joint resolution to propose a constitutional amendment clarifying that an individual must be a citizen of the United States to be eligible to vote. After first reading the clerk assigned bills that had a first reading to committees; the docket note recorded that Senate State Affairs received Senate Bills 4 and 48 for referral.

Floor members also approved procedural motions by voice vote. Senator Chris Carr, chair of the committee on legislative procedure, presented the committee report on the journal and moved its adoption; the motion received a second, the yeas were called by voice and the presiding officer announced the motion carries. Senator Melhoff moved that upon adjournment the Senate reconvene at 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 (the fourth legislative day); the motion received a second and was approved by voice vote. Senator Melhoff also moved that the report of the joint select committee on arrangements for a memorial service for the 100th legislative session (referenced on page 30 of the journal) be adopted; the motion carried by voice vote.

The joint committee on legislative procedure presented a report recommending that the joint rules from the 99th legislative session be adopted as the joint rules of the 100th legislative session and noted changes are available online or on request. The transcript records the committee's recommendation but does not show a recorded floor vote on adoption of those joint rules within the provided excerpt.

Several announcements and recognitions punctuated the session. The clerk and presiding officer recognized a doctor of the day, Noel Shequin, M.D., identified in the transcript as practicing family medicine and associated with Sanford Clinic (retired). The pledge was led by Senate page Haley Cunningham from Stevens High School in Rapid City. Senators acknowledged "Children's Day at the Capitol" and a list of organizations that staffed booths and provided lunch in the rotunda, including the Centers for Prevention of Child Maltreatment, Early Learners South Dakota, South Dakota After School Network, the American Cancer Society and Children's Home Society.

Upcoming committee and informational meetings were noted on the floor: Taxation will meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow for an update from Commissioner Hootieshell of the Department of Revenue; Health and Human Services is scheduled for an informational meeting tomorrow morning; Senate State Affairs will meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow; and a State of the Base briefing from Col. Derek Oakley regarding Ellsworth Air Force Base was announced for room 414 at about 3 p.m.

Votes at a glance

- Adoption of the temporary journal report (committee on legislative procedure): motion moved by Senator Chris Carr; second recorded; outcome: approved (voice vote). No roll-call tally in excerpt.

- Committee report — Senate Bill 30 (Commerce and Energy): committee recommendation reported by Senator Casey Crabtree: "do pass" and, certified as uncontested, placed on the consent calendar. (Committee report entered; no floor final disposition recorded in the excerpt.)

- Committee report — Senate Bill 5 (Judiciary): recommendation reported by Senator David Wheeler: "be amended and do pass." (Committee report entered; no floor final disposition recorded in the excerpt.)

- Adjourn/Reconvene motion: moved by Senator Melhoff to adjourn and reconvene at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, 2025; outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Adoption of the joint select committee report on arrangements for a 100th-legislative-session memorial service (journal p. 30): moved by Senator Melhoff; outcome: approved (voice vote).

What the transcript does not show

The excerpts provided include committee reports recommending action on bills (for example, SB30 and SB5) and the clerk's first reading of several measures, but the transcript does not include recorded final floor votes or roll-call tallies for those bills in this excerpt. Where the floor took voice votes on procedural motions, the record notes only voice responses and the presiding officer's announcement of the outcome.

Context and significance

SJR 503, as read on first consideration, would place before voters a proposed constitutional amendment to require U.S. citizenship for voter eligibility; that proposal, having received first reading, will follow the statutory committee/referral and consideration process before it could be placed on a ballot. The committee recommendations for SB30 (consent-calendar placement) and SB5 (amend-and-do-pass recommendation) are steps in the committee-to-floor legislative process but are not the same as final passage on the Senate floor.

The session also included standard procedural housekeeping — adopting the journal, arranging memorial-service logistics, and announcing upcoming committee work — and recognition of Children's Day at the Capitol and the day's doctor and page.