Governor Larry Rhoden signed 12 justice-related bills on Monday, including SB 137, the state’s new anti‑SLAPP law aimed at protecting South Dakotans from frivolous lawsuits meant to silence free speech. Rhoden signed the bill at Custer High School.
The governor said the package strengthens constitutional protections and reinforces South Dakota’s commitment to free expression.
The other bills signed include:
- SB 41 – Expands criminal privacy laws and bans the creation or distribution of digitally fabricated images of identifiable individuals.
• SB 42 – Increases penalties for drug ingestion, intent to deliver, and delivery inside state correctional facilities.
• SB 44 – Grants investigators subpoena authority for business records in certain cases.
• SB 45 – Updates regulations and penalties for delta‑8 THC, THC‑O acetate, and HHC for people under 21.
• SB 139 – Changes rules for transporting inmates upon discharge.
• SB 179 – Allows courts to commit juveniles to the DOC for certain weapons offenses.
• HB 1066 – Updates provisions on theft by contractors, subcontractors, or suppliers.
• HB 1108 – Requires court files to be sealed when protection order petitions are dismissed or denied.
• HB 1140 – Lets courts require probationers or certain parolees to undergo treatment through nonprofit alternative‑care grant programs.
• HB 1183 – Updates immunity standards following drug‑related overdoses.
• HB 1187 – Adds coaches to the list of mandatory reporters of child abuse or neglect.
So far this session, Governor Rhoden has signed 173 bills and issued one veto.
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