Make an appropriation for developing the economic viability of South Dakota.
Summary
SB 138 is a very short appropriation bill that directs $100 from the state general fund to the state for the stated purpose of “developing the economic viability of South Dakota.” The bill does not define a program, agency, grant, or project to receive the money, and it does not create any new regulatory framework or substantive policy changes beyond the appropriation itself.
The measure also provides standard fiscal language: expenditures must be approved through vouchers, the state auditor must issue warrants for payment, and any unspent or unobligated funds must revert under existing law. The act is set to take effect on June 29, 2025.
Impact
SB 138 would make a nominal appropriation from the general fund and would have little practical fiscal effect because the amount is only $100. Its legal impact is limited to authorizing that expenditure and applying the state’s normal payment and reversion procedures under chapter 4-8; it does not amend existing statutes, create a new program, or alter the duties of any agency or private party in a meaningful way.
Sentiment
The voting history suggests the bill received mixed but generally favorable initial support, with two do-pass votes in committee and on the floor, but it later encountered resistance when a committee vote resulted in tabling. With no transcript available, the record indicates the bill was at least considered seriously, but not without skepticism about its purpose or utility.
Contention
The main point of contention appears to be the bill’s substance and practical value, since it appropriates only $100 for a broad goal without specifying how the money would be used. Supporters likely viewed it as a symbolic or placeholder appropriation tied to economic development, while opponents or hesitant members may have questioned whether such a minimal appropriation meaningfully advances South Dakota’s economic viability or just creates an undefined spending authorization.