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HB1278 • 2026

prohibit certain political committees from accepting contributions by certain officers or employees of this state.

prohibit certain political committees from accepting contributions by certain officers or employees of this state.

Elections Labor
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Mortenson
Last action
2026-02-23
Official status
Do Pass Amended
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

prohibit certain political committees from accepting contributions by certain officers or employees of this state.

prohibit certain political committees from accepting contributions by certain officers or employees of this state.

What This Bill Does

  • prohibit certain political committees from accepting contributions by certain officers or employees of this state.
  • Official keyword topics: Campaign Finance Delayed Effective Date Elections Political Committees Public Officers and Employees Official sponsor note: Representatives <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4790/Detail">Mortenson</a> (prime), <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4753/Detail">Goodwin</a>, <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4760/Detail">Heermann</a>, <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4791/Detail">Muckey</a>, and <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4824/Detail">Uhre-Balk</a> and Senator <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4807/Detail">Reed</a> (prime)

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

1278C

None

Filed

Plain English: 1278C 101st Legislative Session 1278 2026 South Dakota Legislature House Bill 1278 Introduced by: Representative Mortenson Underscores indicate new language.

  • 1278C 101st Legislative Session 1278 2026 South Dakota Legislature House Bill 1278 Introduced by: Representative Mortenson Underscores indicate new language.
  • Overstrikes indicate deleted language.
  • AMENDMENT 1278C FOR THE INTRODUCED BILL An Act to prohibit certain political committees from accepting contributions by 1 certain officers or employees of this state.
  • 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA: 3 Section 1.
1278D

None

Filed

Plain English: 1278D 101st Legislative Session 1278 2026 South Dakota Legislature House Bill 1278 Introduced by: Representative Mortenson Underscores indicate new language.

  • 1278D 101st Legislative Session 1278 2026 South Dakota Legislature House Bill 1278 Introduced by: Representative Mortenson Underscores indicate new language.
  • Overstrikes indicate deleted language.
  • AMENDMENT 1278D FOR THE INTRODUCED BILL An Act to prohibit certain political committees from accepting contributions by 1 certain officers or employees of this state.
  • 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA: 3 Section 1.
1278E

None

Filed

Plain English: 1278E 101st Legislative Session 1278 2026 South Dakota Legislature House Bill 1278 Introduced by: Representative Mortenson Underscores indicate new language.

  • 1278E 101st Legislative Session 1278 2026 South Dakota Legislature House Bill 1278 Introduced by: Representative Mortenson Underscores indicate new language.
  • Overstrikes indicate deleted language.
  • AMENDMENT 1278E FOR THE HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS ENGROSSED BILL An Act to prohibit certain political committees from accepting contributions by 1 certain officers or employees of this state regulate the persons or entities 2 from which certain political committees may accept a campaign contribution.
  • 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA: 4 Section 1.
1278F

None

Filed

Plain English: 1278F 101st Legislative Session 1278 2026 South Dakota Legislature House Bill 1278 Introduced by: Representative Mortenson Underscores indicate new language.

  • 1278F 101st Legislative Session 1278 2026 South Dakota Legislature House Bill 1278 Introduced by: Representative Mortenson Underscores indicate new language.
  • Overstrikes indicate deleted language.
  • AMENDMENT 1278F FOR THE HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS ENGROSSED BILL An Act to prohibit certain political committees from accepting contributions by 1 certain officers or employees of this state regulate the persons or entities 2 from which certain political committees may accept a campaign contribution.
  • 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA: 4 Section 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-23 House of Representatives

    Do Pass Amended

  2. 2026-02-18 House State Affairs

    Do Pass Amended

  3. 2026-02-18 House State Affairs

    Motion to amend

  4. 2026-02-18 House State Affairs

    Motion to amend

  5. 2026-02-18 House State Affairs

    Scheduled for hearing

  6. 2026-02-04 House of Representatives

    First read in House and referred to House State Affairs

Official Summary Text

prohibit certain political committees from accepting contributions by certain officers or employees of this state.
Official keyword topics:
Campaign Finance
Delayed Effective Date
Elections
Political Committees
Public Officers and Employees
Official sponsor note: Representatives <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4790/Detail">Mortenson</a> (prime), <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4753/Detail">Goodwin</a>, <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4760/Detail">Heermann</a>, <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4791/Detail">Muckey</a>, and <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4824/Detail">Uhre-Balk</a> and Senator <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4807/Detail">Reed</a> (prime)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
26.351.29 101st Legislative Session 1278

2026 South Dakota Legislature
House Bill 1278
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS ENGROSSED

Introduced by: Representative Mortenson

Underscores indicate new language.
Overstrikes indicate deleted language.
An Act to prohibit certain political committees from accepting contributions by 1
certain officers or employees of this state. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA: 3
Section 1. That a NEW SECTION be added to chapter 12-27: 4
Neither the candidate campaign committee of a state official nor a political action 5
committee affiliated with a state official may accept a contribution from a state employee 6
who is employed or appointed by the official and: 7
(1) Is the head of a department or agency of state government; 8
(2) Is the highest paid employee, not including the head, in the department or agency; 9
or 10
(3) Reports directly to the official. 11
For purposes of this section, "state official" means the Governor, lieutenant 12
governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, attorney general, commissioner of school 13
and public lands, a commissioner with the Public Utilities Commission of the State of South 14
Dakota, or a member of the Legislature. 15
Section 2. This Act is effective beginning January 1, 2027. 16