South Dakota 2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted 17 R cosponsors

SB 81 — clarify the prohibition on injuring or harassing a service animal.

Last action — Signed by the Governor on 2026-03-09 S.J. 488

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 14, 2026. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Larry Rhoden (Republican) on March 09, 2026.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 82% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 17 sponsors

    17 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (17 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 4 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

41 added · 18 removed

Plain-language change summary

The bill SB 81 has been revised to strengthen the protections for service animals by removing the requirement that the animal must be wearing a harness or other control device when being harassed or injured. This change means that any service animal can be protected from harm or harassment, regardless of how they are being handled. The penalty for violating this law has also been elevated from a Class 2 misdemeanor to a Class 1 misdemeanor, which signifies a more serious consequence for offenders. These amendments provide clearer and stronger legal protections for service animals, ensuring their well-being while assisting individuals with disabilities.

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26.2.9 101st Legislative Session 81 South Dakota Legislature Senate Bill 81 Introduced by:
26.2.10 101st Legislative Session 81 South Dakota Legislature Senate Bill 81 ENROLLED AN A CT ENTITLED An Act to clarify the prohibition on injuring or harassing a service animal.
Senator Howard An Act to clarify the prohibition on injuring or harassing a service animal.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE S TATE OF SOUTH D AKOTA :
B E IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE S TATE OF SOUTH D AKOTA :
No person may maliciously beat, injure, attempt to injure, harass, intimidate, entice, distract, or otherwise interfere with any service animal accompanying a person with a disability if the service animal is being controlled by the person and the service animal is wearing a harness or other control device normally used for service animals accompanying or leading persons with disabilities.
No person may maliciously beat, injure, attempt to injure, harass, intimidate, entice, distract, or otherwise interfere with any service animal accompanying a person with a disability.
A violation of this section is a Class 2 1 misdemeanor.
A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Overstrikes indicate deleted language.
26.2.10 2 81 An Act to clarify the prohibition on injuring or harassing a service animal.
Received at this Executive Office I certify that the attached Act originated in this _____ day of _____________, the:
at ____________M.
Senate as Bill No.
81 By Secretary of the Senate for the Governor The attached Act is hereby approved this ________ day of President of the Senate ______________, A.D., 2026 Attest:
Governor Secretary of the Senate STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA, ss.
Office of the Secretary of State Speaker of the House Filed ____________, 2026 Attest:
at _________ o'clock __M.
Chief Clerk of the House Secretary of State Senate Bill No.
81 By File No.
____ Asst.
Secretary of State Chapter No.
______ SB81 ENROLLED
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Action History

  1. Signed by the Governor on 2026-03-09 S.J. 488

  2. Delivered to the Governor on 2026-03-04 S.J. 455

  3. Signed by the Speaker H.J. 493

  4. Signed by the President S.J. 434

  5. House of Representatives Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 66, NAYS 0 H.J. 457

  6. Certified uncontested, placed on consent , Passed, H.J. 29

  7. Judiciary Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 12, NAYS 0 H.J. 29

  8. Scheduled for hearing

  9. Referred to House Judiciary H.J. 194

  10. First Reading House H.J. 182

  11. Senate Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 34, NAYS 0 S.J. 131

  12. Certified uncontested, placed on consent , Passed, S.J. 7

  13. Judiciary Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 7, NAYS 0 S.J. 7

  14. Scheduled for hearing

  15. First read in Senate and referred to Senate Judiciary S.J. 34

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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17 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 88 not signed on

Sponsors (17)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (88)

88 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 88 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do Pass

Passed 66 Yea · 0 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 59004
Democratic 5000
Unaffiliated 2000
Total 66004
% of votes cast 94%0%0%6%
How each member voted (70)
Member Party Vote
Kolbeck (Jack) — Yea
Van Diepen — Yea
Eric Emery Democratic Yea
Erik Muckey Democratic Yea
Erin Healy Democratic Yea
Kadyn Wittman Democratic Yea
Nicole Uhre-Balk Democratic Yea
Aaron Aylward Republican Not Voting
Al Novstrup Republican Yea
Amber Arlint Republican Yea
Bethany Soye Republican Not Voting
Bobbi Andera Republican Yea
Brandei Schaefbauer Republican Yea
Brian Mulder Republican Yea
Chris Kassin Republican Yea
Curt Massie Republican Yea
David Kull Republican Yea
Drew Peterson Republican Not Voting
Dylan Jordan Republican Yea
Greg Jamison Republican Yea
Heather Baxter Republican Yea
Jana Hunt Republican Yea
Jeff Bathke Republican Not Voting
Jessica Bahmuller Republican Yea
Jim Halverson Republican Yea
John Hughes Republican Yea
John Shubeck Republican Yea
John Sjaarda Republican Yea
Jon Hansen Republican Yea
Josephine Garcia Republican Yea
Julie Auch Republican Yea
Kaley Nolz Republican Yea
Karla Lems Republican Yea
Kathy Rice Republican Yea
Kent Roe Republican Yea
Keri Weems Republican Yea
Lana Greenfield Republican Yea
Leslie Heinemann Republican Yea
Liz May Republican Yea
Logan Manhart Republican Yea
Marty Overweg Republican Yea
Mary Fitzgerald Republican Yea
Matt Roby Republican Yea
Mellissa Heermann Republican Yea
Mike Derby Republican Yea
Mike Stevens Republican Yea
Mike Weisgram Republican Yea
Nick Fosness Republican Yea
Peri Pourier Republican Yea
Phil Jensen Republican Yea
Rebecca Reimer Republican Yea
Roger DeGroot Republican Yea
Scott Moore Republican Yea
Scott Odenbach Republican Yea
Spencer Gosch Republican Yea
Steve Duffy Republican Yea
Taylor Rehfeldt Republican Yea
Terri Jorgenson Republican Yea
Tesa Schwans Republican Yea
Tim Czmowski Republican Yea
Tim Goodwin Republican Yea
Tim Reisch Republican Yea
Tim Walburg Republican Yea
Tina Mulally Republican Yea
Tony Kayser Republican Yea
Tony Randolph Republican Yea
Travis Ismay Republican Yea
Trish Ladner Republican Yea
Will Mortenson Republican Yea
William Shorma Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do Pass

Passed 12 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 11001
Democratic 1000
Total 12001
% of votes cast 92%0%0%8%
How each member voted (13)
Member Party Vote
Kadyn Wittman Democratic Yea
Curt Massie Republican Yea
David Kull Republican Yea
Jana Hunt Republican Yea
John Hughes Republican Yea
Mary Fitzgerald Republican Yea
Matt Roby Republican Yea
Mike Stevens Republican Yea
Peri Pourier Republican Yea
Rebecca Reimer Republican Yea
Tim Reisch Republican Yea
Tim Walburg Republican Not Voting
Will Mortenson Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do Pass

Passed 34 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 30001
Democratic 3000
Unaffiliated 1000
Total 34001
% of votes cast 97%0%0%3%
How each member voted (35)
Member Party Vote
Otten — Yea
Jamie Smith Democratic Yea
Liz Larson Democratic Yea
Red Dawn Foster Democratic Yea
Amber Hulse Republican Yea
Arch Beal Republican Not Voting
Brandon Wipf Republican Yea
Carl Perry Republican Yea
Casey Crabtree Republican Yea
Chris Karr Republican Yea
Curt Voight Republican Yea
Glen Vilhauer Republican Yea
Greg Blanc Republican Yea
Helene Duhamel Republican Yea
Jim Mehlhaff Republican Yea
John Carley Republican Yea
Joy Hohn Republican Yea
Kevin Jensen Republican Yea
Kyle Schoenfish Republican Yea
Larry Zikmund Republican Yea
Lauren Nelson Republican Yea
Mark Lapka Republican Yea
Michael Rohl Republican Yea
Mykala Voita Republican Yea
Paul Miskimins Republican Yea
Randy Deibert Republican Yea
Sam Marty Republican Yea
Stephanie Sauder Republican Yea
Steve Kolbeck Republican Yea
Sue Peterson Republican Yea
Sydney Davis Republican Yea
Taffy Howard Republican Yea
Tamara Grove Republican Yea
Tim Reed Republican Yea
Tom Pischke Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 81?
SB 81 is sponsored by Larry Zikmund (Republican), Brandon Wipf (Republican), Curt Voight (Republican), John Shubeck (Republican), Kathy Rice (Republican), Rebecca Reimer (Republican), Tom Pischke (Republican), Carl Perry (Republican), Scott Moore (Republican), Logan Manhart (Republican), Phil Jensen (Republican), Tamara Grove (Republican), John Carley (Republican), Heather Baxter (Republican), Bobbi Andera (Republican), Taffy Howard (Republican), and Tim Goodwin (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 81?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 14, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 81?
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