South Dakota Legislature ends session but draws division over upcoming abortion rights initiative

South Dakota’s Republican-led Legislature wrapped up on Thursday after about two months of work in a session that largely aligned with Gov. Kristi Noem’s vision and drew division over an abortion rights ballot initiative voters could decide in November.

Lawmakers sent a $7.3 billion budget for fiscal 2025 to Noem, including 4% increases for the state’s “big three” funding priorities of K-12 education, health care providers and state employees. The second-term Republican governor, citing, inflation, had pitched a budget tighter than in recent years that saw federal pandemic aid flow in.

The Legislature also passed bills funding prison construction, defining antisemitism, outlawing xylazine showing up with fentanyl, creating a state office of indigent legal services, ensuring teacher pay raises, and banning foreign entities such as China from owning farmland — all items on Noem’s wish list.

“I think she had a good year,” Republican House Majority Leader Will Mortenson said.

Lawmakers will be back in Pierre later this month to consider overriding any vetoes and to officially adjourn.

Abortion

Republican lawmakers cemented official opposition to the abortion rights initiative with a resolution against it.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«READ MORE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> READ MORE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> South Dakota Sen. John Thune jumps into race to succeed McConnell as Senate leader </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> What to know about the latest court rulings, data and legislation on abortion in the US