South Dakota lawmakers returned to the Capitol on Monday, January 26, 2026, with a full slate of committee hearings and a significant floor vote that moved a proposed expansion of legislative term limits one step closer to the November ballot.
The most high‑profile action of the day came in the Senate, where lawmakers voted 20–14 to advance Senate Joint Resolution 501, a proposal that would cap legislative service at 16 consecutive years across both chambers. Current state law limits lawmakers to four consecutive terms—eight years—in one chamber, but legislators can move between the House and Senate to extend their tenure. Sen. Michael Rohl of Aberdeen, the measure’s sponsor, argued that the change would “close the loophole” and strengthen citizen control of government. The House will take up the resolution next.
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