Revise and repeal provisions related to the 911 emergency surcharge and the 911 Coordination Board.
Summary
SB 37 revises South Dakota law governing 911 emergency surcharge reporting and repeals a prior 2024 session-law provision related to the 911 Coordination Board. The bill amends § 34-45-4.4 to require each public safety answering point to file an annual report with the board by March 31 covering the prior calendar year, and it specifies the information that report must contain: call volumes for ambulance, fire, and law enforcement, staffing levels, operating budget, surcharge revenue received from each jurisdiction, service territory, and hours of operation. It also authorizes the Department of Public Safety to adopt additional reporting rules by regulation.
In practical terms, the bill affects public safety answering points, the 911 Coordination Board, and the Department of Public Safety by clarifying and standardizing annual reporting requirements tied to the 911 emergency surcharge. It does not appear to change the surcharge rate itself, but it reinforces oversight and transparency around how 911 system funds and operations are documented and reviewed. The repeal of the 2024 session-law provision suggests a cleanup or restructuring of earlier statutory changes related to the board.
The overall sentiment around SB 37 appears strongly favorable. The bill advanced with broad support at each recorded stage, including unanimous or near-unanimous votes in committee and on the floor, indicating little public or legislative resistance. The lack of committee transcript material also suggests there was no notable public debate captured in the available record.
There is little visible contention in the available materials. Any potential concern would likely center on the administrative burden of expanded reporting for local answering points or on the scope of the Department of Public Safety’s rulemaking authority, but no recorded opposition or substantive dispute is shown in the vote history. The bill’s unanimous or near-unanimous passage indicates that lawmakers generally viewed it as a technical, oversight-oriented measure rather than a controversial policy change.
Impact
SB 37 amends South Dakota Codified Law § 34-45-4.4 to expand and clarify annual reporting requirements for public safety answering points and repeals a 2024 session-law provision related to the 911 Coordination Board. The bill affects the Department of Public Safety, the 911 Coordination Board, and local 911 answering points by requiring more detailed public reporting on operations, staffing, budgets, call volume, and surcharge revenues, while also preserving agency authority to require additional information by rule.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been received positively and passed with broad bipartisan support. Recorded votes were overwhelmingly in favor at each stage, including unanimous or near-unanimous do-pass recommendations and floor votes, suggesting lawmakers viewed the measure as a routine administrative or technical update to 911 oversight rather than a contentious policy change.
Contention
No significant contention is evident in the available record. The only plausible areas of concern are the added reporting obligations for public safety answering points and the Department of Public Safety’s authority to require additional information by rule, but there is no documented opposition or debate in the provided transcripts or vote history. The strong vote margins indicate that any such concerns were not politically significant.