The "Data Center Bill of Rights for Citizens" aims to protect residents of South Dakota from increased utility costs and shortages associated with data centers. The bill defines a data center as a centralized repository for managing and storing electronic data and mandates that operators of data centers are responsible for all electricity costs related to their operations. It prohibits electricity providers from increasing fees or surcharges on residential customers to cover data center infrastructure costs and ensures that no costs related to data centers are passed on to residential customers. Additionally, the bill affirms that local governing bodies retain the authority to regulate data centers and prohibits any tax exemptions for these facilities.

Furthermore, the bill requires data center operators to notify local water providers of their projected water consumption before commencing operations. Water providers must assess whether this consumption is compatible with local water supplies and communicate their findings to the operator and the Board of Water Management. The board will issue a statement confirming compliance if the projected consumption is deemed compatible, but it will also set limits to prevent excessive water use by data centers. Operators must submit semi-annual reports on their water usage to the board, which will be made public to ensure transparency and accountability.