Why do I need bill tracking for South Dakota?

Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites! Thousands of bills get filed in each state legislature across the US every year (about 180,000 bills per year nationwide). Legislation gets introduced by bill sponsors, heard in committees, amended, passed and becomes law. If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know what action to take and when to take it. We can help you stay up to date on bills you care about, so you can take timely action.

What are the benefits of FastDemocracy Professional?

FastDemocracy Professional is a full-suite lobbying and bill tracking software for government relations professionals. Get accurate, realtime legislative tracking alerts for state legislatures and Congress, generate professional legislative reports for clients and stakeholders, collaborate with colleagues, organize your advocacy and save hours of work every week.

Free bill tracking for South Dakota

How does a bill become law in South Dakota?

Idea: It begins as an idea, which can be proposed by anyone but is taken forward by a State Representative or Senator.
Drafting: The idea is drafted into a bill by the Legislative Research Council. A member of the House or Senate files the bill, often with multiple sponsors; the primary sponsor is noted first.
Introduction: The bill is submitted to either the Chief Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate and given a number. It undergoes a First Reading in its "House of Origin," where its title is read aloud and then assigned to a committee for review.
Committee: The committee examines the bill, hears testimonies, and decides its fate. Options include sending it to the floor with a "Do Pass" recommendation, amending it, tabling it (which kills it unless revived), or deferring it (also kills it).
Debate: If passed by the committee, the bill is debated on the floor. If it passes, it is sent to the other chamber, where it goes through similar processes.
Law: If the bill passes both chambers, it is sent to the Governor. The Governor can sign it into law or veto it. If vetoed, the Legislature may override the veto; if successful, the bill becomes law.

How can a member of the public get involved in the legislative process in South Dakota?

A member of the public can get involved in the legislative process in South Dakota by submitting their ideas for potential bills. While only a State Representative or State Senator can introduce these ideas as legislation, anyone can come up with a proposal that they would like to see become law. Here are the steps the public can take to engage in the process:
Develop an Idea: Formulate a clear and concise idea for a bill that addresses a specific issue or need.
Contact a Legislator: Reach out to your local State Representative or State Senator to discuss your idea.
Collaborate with Legislators: Work with the legislator who is interested in your idea. They can help take your concept and guide it through the legislative process by drafting it into a formal bill.
Follow the Bill's Progress: Once the bill is drafted, you can keep track of its progress through the legislative sessions, including committee hearings and debates. Testifying in favor of or against a bill during committee meetings is another way for the public to provide input.
Advocate for Your Idea: Engage with community members, attend town halls, or participate in advocacy groups to rally support for your idea and influence its chances of becoming law.

How can FastDemocracy help me with that?

Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites, which are often hard to navigate. Thousands of bills get filed in South Dakota every year (and about 180,000 bills nationwide). If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know where legislation of interest stands, and act quickly.

FastDemocracy's free version allows you to track an unlimited number of bills - no strings attached. We'll send you a daily or weekly email on your priority bills and give you tools to research bills and legislators.

FastDemocracy Professional is for anyone who tracks bills in a professional capacity. It features

real-time bill, amendment and hearing alerts
automated reporting
team collaboration
bill tagging for clients and stakeholders
bill similarity detection
...and much more

Learn more about FastDemocracy Professional

How do I track bills in South Dakota?

1. Sign up here for a free FastDemocracy account.

2. Head to Tracked Topics to select issue areas you care about.

3. Use the search bar on top if you're looking for something specific.

4. Click "Track Bill" for any legislation you'd like to monitor a bit closer. That's how you add it to your Tracked Bills. You can also click on a bill to learn more, see the bill summary, most recent actions, votes, news and tweets. You can also contact legislators or share your bills on social media.

5. You can track an unlimited number of bills for free and we'll send you a daily or weekly email if your tracked legislation moves.

6. Do you need real-time alerts, outreach tools, bill lists, and professional functions? Then FastDemocracy Professional is the right fit for you.

7. Track bills on your smartphone using our free mobile app.