South Dakota Lawmakers Tackle Packed Agenda on Day 25 of Legislative Session

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South Dakota lawmakers are heading into the 25th day of the legislative session with a full agenda that includes bills restricting restroom and locker room access based on biological sex, defining 'man' and 'woman' in state law, banning delivery of abortion-inducing drugs, and a range of property tax proposals including competing constitutional amendments.

Why it matters

This legislative session in South Dakota is shaping up to be highly contentious, with lawmakers tackling a number of hot-button social and economic issues that could have significant impacts on the state's residents. The outcome of these debates will shape the political and policy landscape in South Dakota for years to come.

The details

The House State Affairs committee is considering several bills related to gender and abortion, including measures that would restrict restroom and locker room access based on biological sex, define 'man' and 'woman' in state law, and ban the delivery of abortion-inducing drugs into South Dakota with criminal and civil penalties. Meanwhile, Senate committees are taking up a proposed federal waiver to ban soft drinks from SNAP, ambulance billing reforms, vaping regulations, and a wide range of property tax proposals. On the floor, the House will vote on property tax reduction, app store age verification, and vaccination-related bills, while the Senate could reconsider a previously failed charter schools measure along with other property tax and data center regulation proposals.

• The legislative session is on Day 25 as of Friday, February 20, 2026.

What’s next

The legislative session in South Dakota will continue, with lawmakers expected to debate and vote on the various bills and proposals in the coming days and weeks.