The bill amends South Dakota law regarding the transfer of jurisdiction over county highways to municipalities. It establishes that a county may only transfer jurisdiction if the highway has a minimum pavement condition index rating of 85 or above, or if there is mutual agreement between the county and municipality to proceed with the transfer despite a lower rating. Additionally, the county is required to inform the Department of Transportation about any proposed transfer of jurisdiction. The bill also clarifies that the pavement condition index is a numerical scale from 0 to 100, indicating the general condition of the highway's pavement.

Furthermore, the bill modifies existing law by specifying that no changes to the county highway system can occur without a written executive order from the Department of Transportation. It removes the previous language that allowed for changes without such an order, thereby reinforcing the need for formal approval in any alterations to the highway system. This legislation aims to ensure that highways are in adequate condition before being transferred to municipalities, thereby maintaining infrastructure quality and accountability.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 02/04/2025: 31-12-2