This bill amends South Dakota law to increase the property tax exemption for disabled veterans and their surviving spouses. Specifically, it raises the exempt value of a dwelling classified as owner-occupied from the previous amount to two hundred twenty-five thousand dollars. The exemption applies to veterans rated as permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability, as well as to the surviving spouses of such veterans or those who receive dependency and indemnity compensation due to the veteran's service-connected death. The bill also stipulates that the application for this exemption must be submitted on a form prescribed by the Department of Revenue, and emphasizes that all application materials are confidential. Additionally, the bill outlines the conditions under which the exemption remains valid. For both veterans and surviving spouses, the exemption is retained until the property ownership is transferred, the individual no longer occupies the dwelling, or there is a change in use of the property. It also allows for the possibility of petitioning the board of county commissioners for tax recalculation and potential abatement or refund if the individual fails to meet application deadlines. The amendments aim to provide greater financial relief to disabled veterans and their families by ensuring they can retain their property tax exemptions under specified circumstances.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/29/2026: 10-4-40, 10-4-41