South Dakota
Referred Law 21 opponents celebrate election results, look to future
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – On Election Day, South Dakota voters made the final decision on seven ballot questions.
One of the highly-debated initiatives was Referred Law 21, which would have put Senate Bill 201 into law with a Landowner Bill of Rights.
It was voted down by 59% of voters.
The measure was widely criticized for transferring control from local authorities to the state. Proponents argued it would have benefitted South Dakota’s economy.
Landowners who opposed Referred Law 21 and pipeline projects in the state viewed its rejection by voters as a “huge blow” to Summit Carbon Solutions and the carbon pipeline industry.
They held a victory press conference on Wednesday to celebrate, but both sides on the issue are looking at what comes next.
The attorney for landowners, Brian Jorde, pointed out in the press conference that Summit Carbon Solutions’ website no longer has a map specifically showing the project footprint in South Dakota.
Opponents to Referred Law 21 took a victory lap in the aftermath of election night. The final numbers looked closer than it was.
Of South Dakota’s 66 counties, 65 voted against Referred Law 21.
They celebrated what they believed to be momentum towards property rights and local control.
“This has been a grueling fight that we’ve been going on for three and a half years and I will say last night’s results were particularly gratifying and humbling,” said Ed Fischbach, a Spink County landowner.
Landowners said that they feel like it was also a victory to see the candidates who went against pipeline projects like Hohn from across the state won yesterday, some by wide margins as Fischbach explained.
“My county that I live in is Spink County and in the original route, we were going to get the most miles of that pipeline and if you are looking for a referendum on how our county feels, that also happened last night. Our county commission chairperson was up for reelection and she was targeted by an employee of the ethanol plant here in our county. Suzanne Smith was reelected with 73% [of the vote],” Fischbach said.
“The people supporting the bill made constant reference to the idea that we were all just a loud minority, extremists, folk who don’t live here or don’t have a commitment to this place. We have truly shown in a resounding 60-40 split that we are the loud majority on this issue and the fact that only one county was won in the entire state shows the statewide nature of our unified voice,” said Dakota Rural Action senior organizer Chase Jensen.
Proponents are disappointed but said they will get back to working on new ways forward.
Summit Carbon Solutions, the company that’s been trying to build its carbon capture pipeline project in South Dakota, plans on applying for a permit in the state later this month.
In a statement, they said:
“Summit Carbon Solutions will apply for a permit in South Dakota on November 19, 2024. Our focus continues to be on working with landowners and ensuring the long-term viability of ethanol and agriculture in the state. Projects like ours have successfully navigated South Dakota’s existing regulatory landscape in the past. We will continue to operate within the current framework, knowing that the future of ethanol and agriculture is vital to our shared success.”
Opponents to Referred Law 21 said they were prepared for the next steps as well. They were glad that companies would have to work with localities and they now turn their attention to what they call “True Reform” in the legislature.
“We really have had a grassroots movement across South Dakota with a lot of new conservative legislators and I am hopeful and think that we will bring forth a lot of good legislation that will protect our private property rights and keep our freedoms intact where they should be,” District 9 Senator-elect Joy Hohn.
Hohn said that legislators she spoke to have their eyes on putting together legislation that will specifically address eminent domain using Minnesota as a model because she said no eminent domain can be used for carbon pipelines in Minnesota.
“We look forward to this next session where we will actually get to some of the root causes that this bill or that this project has raised in our state. We will not settle for false compromise bills like Referred Law 21 was,” Jensen said.
Jorde said he was not surprised to hear that Summit Carbon Solutions intends to apply for another permit.
“They have to. Their investors are demanding they try again. It’s going to be very telling if that application is simply a copy and paste from last time that will tell us that they have learned nothing, that they don’t respect the will of the people, they don’t respect the vote that just occurred. The routes better be rerouted around the counties with the ordinances in place. It better be drastically different and we trust the PUC to hold the line as they did in Navigator and upholding county ordinances,” Jorde said.
Landowners are confident that if Summit Carbon Solutions follows through with its promise to submit another permit application, it will get the same result from the Public Utilities Commission and county ordinances will be respected.
Copyright 2024 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
South Dakota
SD Lottery Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life winning numbers for March 10, 2026
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 10 drawing
16-21-30-35-65, Mega Ball: 07
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 10 drawing
03-27-43-45-49, Bonus: 04
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
- Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
- Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.
When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.
South Dakota
Trading property tax for sales tax: Legislature moves forward with parts of homeowner relief package
PIERRE — Two pieces of a property tax reduction package prepared by South Dakota’s legislative leadership and the executive branch are moving forward, but one bill failed during votes on Monday as lawmakers began the final week of the annual legislative session.
The House of Representatives voted
42-27
in support of
Senate Bill 245
, which would pull future revenue from a scheduled sales tax increase from 4.2% to 4.5% next year into a relief fund for homeowner property taxes, and use nearly $56 million in one-time money to seed the fund before the sales tax increase.
The Senate supported
House Bill 1323
, which would reduce the number of petition signatures needed to force an election on a local government’s decision to levy property taxes beyond limits set by the state. The Senate passed the bill 19-15.
Both bills have to return to the opposite chamber for consideration of amendments.
The Senate rejected
House Bill 1253
, which would cap annual assessment growth for owner-occupied homes and commercial properties at 5% annually and reset assessments back to market value every five years. The bill failed with a 9-24 vote.
The bills are part of a broader,
five-bill legislative package
targeted at property tax relief.
Another bill
in the package, which would allow counties to implement a half-percent sales tax with proceeds going to homeowner property tax credits, is awaiting the governor’s signature after he proposed it and it received both chambers’ approval.
The legislative budget committee is scheduled to consider a fifth piece of legislation in the package on Tuesday.
The bill
would reduce maximum property tax levies for school districts.
Sales tax bill overcomes concerns about future budget needs
SB 245 would capture revenue from the impending sales tax increase to deposit into a “homeowner property tax reduction fund” meant to reduce property taxes levied by school districts. The Legislature and then-Gov. Kristi Noem reduced the state sales tax rate three years ago but scheduled the reduction to sunset in 2027.
House Speaker Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, told lawmakers on Monday that the bill would be an “investment in the people,” because it’ll give South Dakota homeowners more money to spend as they choose. Hansen, the bill’s sponsor and a candidate for governor, said that would lead to more spending and, therefore, more sales tax revenue. The state relies on sales taxes, while counties and schools rely on property taxes, and cities receive revenue from property taxes and sales taxes.
Some opponents said the legislation would favor wealthier, property-owning South Dakotans rather than lower-income renters.
(Photo by Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)
Rep. Mike Weisgram, R-Fort Pierre, worried that automatically diverting future state revenue to reduce homeowner property taxes would come at the cost of other priorities, such as annual funding increases for state employees, Medicaid providers and public schools — which are known as the “big three” budget priorities. Lawmakers often
aim
to increase funding for the groups by 3% or inflation, whichever is less. An inflationary increase this legislative session would be 2.5%, according to the state Department of Education.
“We are just clawing to get 1.4% for the big three,” Weisgram said. “I don’t think any of us are proud of that.”
Hansen said the decision “is not an either-or” situation.
“We can help the property taxpayers in the state who desperately, desperately need it,” Hansen said, “and then I trust fully that this state is going to continue to grow and that we are going to be able to meet the needs of our core obligations of this state.”
The bill was introduced as an amendment to placeholder legislation last week, and it will head to the Senate for approval. The Senate narrowly rejected a
similar proposal
earlier this legislative session.
Senate approves lower signature threshold to force election on excess taxes
The version of House Bill 1323 that passed the Senate would set the number of petition signatures needed to force an election on an excess tax levy (often called an “opt-out”) for a local government at 2,500 or 5% of registered voters within its jurisdiction, whichever is less. The current threshold to refer decisions by a local government is 5% of registered voters in the district, without a 2,500 signature cap.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Taffy Howard, R-Rapid City, said it will still be difficult to refer decisions by a local government to voters.
“You’re talking dozens and dozens of volunteers, weeks of organized effort,” Howard said. “There’s not a lot of people that have been through that and can even organize that kind of effort. So it’s not a trivial bar.”
Because the bill was amended since it last appeared in the House, it’ll now go to the House for approval.
HB 1253 intended to provide South Dakota homeowners and commercial property owners predictable increases in their property assessments, which factor into property taxes they pay, over five year periods.
But opponents said the change would shift the property tax burden onto farmers and ranchers and surprise homeowners every five years when assessments would be re-based on market value, which could lead to double-digit increases in assessments.
This story was originally published on
SouthDakotaSearchlight.com.
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South Dakota
Political Pulse: South Dakota Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff on data centers, property taxes and more
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – State Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff joined Political Pulse over the weekend.
Mehlhaff weighed in on property tax proposals, data centers, and effort to repeal the death penalty and speculation that Kristi Noem could run for Senate.
The interviewed was taped on Saturday.
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Copyright 2026 KOTA. All rights reserved.
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