exempt certain individuals from, and require specific notice for, jury duty.

26.689.12 101st Legislative Session 1081

2026 South Dakota Legislature
House Bill 1081

Introduced by: Representative Sjaarda

Underscores indicate new language.
Overstrikes indicate deleted language.
An Act to exempt certain individuals from, and require specific notice for, jury duty. 1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA: 2
Section 1. That a NEW SECTION be added to chapter 16-13: 3
A licensed health care provider who is providing medical care to a pregnant woman 4
or an individual with a serious medical condition is exempt from jury duty if, within ten 5
days of receiving a summons for jury duty, the provider submits to the clerk of court a 6
written request for exemption and written documentation stating: 7
(1) No equally qualified individual is available to fulfill the provider's job duties; and 8
(2) The provider's absence from medical practice may, with regard to the provider's 9
patient: 10
(a) Result in hardship to the patient; 11
(b) Complicate or inhibit the patient's access to required medical care; 12
(c) Result in the patient experiencing uncontrolled pain; 13
(d) Result in the worsening of the patient's disease processes; or 14
(e) Potentially result in the death of the patient. 15
For the purposes of this section, "licensed health care provider" means a licensed 16
physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, or nurse midwife. 17
Section 2. That a NEW SECTION be added to chapter 16-13: 18
A public safety worker is exempt from jury duty if, within ten days of receiving a 19
summons for jury duty, the worker submits to the clerk of court a written request for 20
exemption and written documentation stating: 21
(1) No equally qualified individual is available to fulfill the worker's job duties; and 22
(2) The worker's absence from regular job duties may pose a risk to the health and 23
safety of the public. 24
26.689.12 2 1081
Underscores indicate new language.
Overstrikes indicate deleted language.
For the purposes of this section, "public safety worker" means a law enforcement 1
officer as defined by § 23-3-27, firefighter, hazardous and disaster response team 2
member, or emergency medical service personnel. 3
Section 3. That a NEW SECTION be added to chapter 16-13: 4
An individual is exempt from jury duty if, within ten days of receiving a summons 5
for jury duty, the individual submits to the clerk of court a written request for exemption 6
and written documentation stating: 7
(1) The requesting individual is solely responsible for the daily care of another 8
individual with a permanent disability; 9
(2) The individual with a permanent disability lives in the requesting individual's 10
household; and 11
(3) The performance of jury service by the requesting individual would result in 12
substantial risk of injury to the health of the individual with a permanent disability. 13
This section does not apply to an individual who is regularly employed at a location 14
other than the person's household. 15
Section 4. That a NEW SECTION be added to chapter 16-13: 16
In addition to the notice required by § 16-13-34, the clerk of courts shall notify a 17
juror of the specific date on which the juror is required to physically appear before the 18
court for jury service on a grand or petit jury, at least fourteen days prior to that date. 19