The bill amends South Dakota's current law regarding the fees charged by the clerk of courts for various court records and services. Notable changes include the introduction of a new fee of fifteen dollars for reproducing authenticated, exemplified, or double certificates of records, while the previous fee structure for such services has been deleted. Additionally, the bill specifies that all true and correct copies of original records or papers necessary for the completion of certain cases, such as guardianship, conservatorship, and divorce actions, must be certified at no extra charge.

Furthermore, the bill clarifies that no fees for filing, docketing, issuing, recording, certifying, or searching records may be imposed on the state, federal government, or their agencies in actions they commence. It also removes the previous stipulation regarding fees for record searches by federal law enforcement agencies, ensuring that no fees are required for these searches. Overall, the bill aims to streamline the fee structure and provide clearer guidelines for the costs associated with court records and services.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 12/26/2025: 16-2-29