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Votes at a glance: South Dakota Senate advances several bills; cultured-meat ban fails
Summary
On Feb. 18 the South Dakota Senate passed a package of bills including measures on reemployment assistance, barbering licenses, voter-verification procedures and others; a proposed ban on cell-cultured meat failed after a 17–17 tie.
Pierre, S.D. — The South Dakota Senate on Feb. 18 recorded a series of final actions on bills spanning unemployment program funding, professional licensing, voting verification and forest management, while a proposal to prohibit cell-cultured meat failed to receive a majority.
Key outcomes:
- Senate Bill 26 (reemployment assistance funding): Passed. Sponsors described the bill as revenue-neutral for the Division of Unemployment Insurance, reducing employer contribution rates by $3,000,000 and increasing the administrative fee by $3,000,000. Senators were told the change is necessary because federal law restricts use of trust-fund dollars to benefit payments; without the administrative fee the department said it would need to cut staff from 76 to 51. Final tally: 34 yeas, 0 nays, 1 excused.
- Senate Bill 28 (barbering board fees and renewal dates): Passed. The bill raises certain licensing fees for the Board of Barber Examiners, which the sponsor said is independently funded by user fees and otherwise risks exhausting reserves; final tally: 32 yeas, 2 nays, 1 excused.
- Senate Bill 65 (sale of federal surplus property, Pennington County): Passed, 34 yeas, 1 excused.
- Senate Bill 123 (forensic medical examinations; technical cleanup/amendment 123B): Passed as amended; sponsor said the amendment clarified that qualified medical personnel—not a facility—make determinations about forensic examinations. Final tally: 34 yeas, 1 excused.
- Senate Bill 185 (address-verification / challenge process for registered voters): Passed as amended with changes that restrict challenges to county residents, extend response timelines from 14 to 30 days, and give rule-making authority on investigative standards; final tally: 33 yeas, 1 nay, 1 excused.
- Senate Concurrent Resolution 605 (Black Hills forest management): Passed. The resolution urges active forest management to promote forest health and maintain forest-products industry capacity. Final tally: 32 yeas, 2 nays, 1 excused.
- House Bill 1053 (age verification for online material harmful to minors): Passed. Sponsor framed the measure as aligning South Dakota with other states that require reasonable age verification on websites offering content deemed harmful to minors. Final tally: 34 yeas, 0 nays, 1 excused.
- House Bill 1109 (prohibition on manufacture/sale/distribution of cell-cultured meat): Failed. The bill would have prohibited manufacture, sale or distribution of cell-cultured protein products in South Dakota and included a 10-year sunset; supporters cited concerns about long-term effects and FDA/USDA processes, while opponents said existing federal processes and consumer choice should prevail. Final vote: 17 yeas, 17 nays, 1 excused — bill lost.
Consent calendar items (including Senate Bills 120, 166, 215) were approved en bloc earlier in the session.
Several bills that passed on the floor will proceed through the legislative process; votes shown are the recorded Senate roll-call results from Feb. 18.
