The bill amends South Dakota law to limit the deference given to state agencies regarding their interpretations of state statutes, administrative rules, or policies. Specifically, it modifies section 1-26-37 to require that appeals to the Supreme Court must be taken as in other civil cases, and clarifies that the appeal may not be considered de novo, except as specified in the new provisions. This change emphasizes that the Supreme Court will not automatically defer to the findings of the circuit court in these cases.

Additionally, the bill introduces a new section to chapter 15-1, stating that state courts or officers hearing administrative actions may consider a state agency's interpretation but are not required to defer to it. Instead, they must interpret the statute, rule, or policy de novo. Furthermore, in cases involving state agencies, the court or hearing officer is instructed to favor reasonable interpretations that align with individuals' fundamental constitutional rights when there is any remaining doubt after applying standard interpretative tools.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/26/2026: 1-26-37