South Dakota State Legislature

From Ballotpedia

South Dakota State Legislature
General Information
Type:	State legislature
Term limits:	4 terms (8 years) in Senate, same for House
2011 session start:	January 11, 2011
Website:	Official Legislature Page
Leadership
Senate President:	Matthew Michels (R)
House Speaker:	Valentine Rausch (R)
Majority Leader:	Russell Olson (R) (Senate), David Lust (R) (House)
Minority leader:	Jason Frerichs (D) (Senate), Bernie Hunhoff (D) (House)
Structure
Members:	35 (Senate), 70 (House)
Length of term:	2 years (Senate), 2 years (House)
Authority:	Art III, Sec 1, South Dakota Constitution
Salary:	$12,000/2 years + per diem
Elections
Last Election:	November 2, 2010 35 seats (Senate) 70 seats (House)
Next election:	November 4, 2012 35 seats (Senate) 70 seats (House)
Redistricting:	South Dakota Legislature has control

The South Dakota State Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of South Dakota. It is a bicameral legislative body, consisting of the Senate which has 35 members, and the House of Representatives, which has 70 members. The two houses are similar in most respects; the Senate alone holds the right to confirm gubernatorial appointments to certain offices. In addition, the Senate votes by roll call vote, whereas the larger house uses an electronic voting system.

Selection of state legislators

Members of both houses of the state legislature are elected in November of every even-numbered year to serve a two-year term. Since 1992, legislators have been limited to serving four consecutive terms in a single house. Vacancies in the legislature are filled by gubernatorial appointment.

State legislators are elected from 35 legislative districts; each district elects one senator and two representatives. In 34 districts, representatives are elected at-large from the entire district. District 28, however, is divided into two house districts, each of which elects one representative. This is meant to ensure greater representation of Native Americans in the legislature.

Legislative districts are redrawn every ten years, following the United States Census.

Sessions

Article III of the South Dakota Constitution establishes when the Legislature is to be in session. Section 7 of Article III states that the Legislature is to meet in regular session each year on the second Tuesday of January.

The South Dakota Constitution also contains provisions concerning special sessions of the Legislature. Section 3 of Article IV allows the Governor of South Dakota to convene a special session of the Legislature. Additionally, Section 31 of Article III allows for a special session to be convened by the presiding officers of both legislative houses upon the written request of two-thirds of the members of each house.

2011

See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions

In 2011, the Legislature was in session from January 11 through March 28. ^[1]

2010

See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions

In 2010, the Legislature was in session from January 12 to March 29.^[2]

Senate

The South Dakota State Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota State Legislature. It is made up of 35 members, one representing each legislative district. The President of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor, currently Republican Dennis Daugaard. The president only votes in the case of a tie. Each member represents an average of 23,262 residents, as of the 2010 Census.^[3] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 21,567 residents.^[4]

The senate elects one member to serve as President pro tempore; this officer presides in the absence of the president, appoints committees, and assigns legislation to committee. The current President pro tem is Senator Bob Gray, a Republican from Pierre.

Party		As of September 2011
	Democratic Party	5
	Republican Party	30
Total		35

House of Representatives

The South Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Dakota State Legislature. It is made up of 70 members, two from each legislative district. The presiding officer of the House is the Speaker of the House, elected by the members. The current speaker is Republican Thomas Deadrick of Platte. In addition, the House also elects a speaker pro tempore, who presides in the absence of the speaker and traditionally succeeds the speaker in the next legislature. The current speaker pro tempore is Tim Rave, a Republican from Baltic. Each member represents an average of 11,631 residents, as of the 2010 Census.^[5] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 10,783.^[6]

Legislators

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2010, members of the South Dakota Legislature are paid $12,000/two-year term. Legislators receive $110/day per diem. Rates are set by the legislature.^[7]

The $12,000/two-year term that South Dakota legislators are paid as of 2010 is the same as they were paid during legislative sessions in 2007. Per diem is also the same.^[8]

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

South Dakota legislators assume office the first day of session after election (Jan. 11).

Joint legislative committees

The South Dakota State Legislature has one joint standing committee:

• Appropriations Committee, South Dakota State Legislature

External links

• Legislative Research Council - Official homepage of the South Dakota State Legislature

References

v • d • e State legislatures Legislatures Alabama (H, S) · Alaska (H, S) · Arizona (H, S) · Arkansas (H, S) · California (A, S) · Colorado (H, S) · Connecticut (H, S) · Delaware (H, S) · Florida (H, S) · Georgia (H, S) · Hawaii (H, S) · Idaho (H, S) · Illinois (H, S) · Indiana (H, S) · Iowa (H, S) · Kansas (H, S) · Kentucky (H, S) · Louisiana (H, S) · Maine (H, S) · Maryland (H, S) · Massachusetts (H, S) · Michigan (H, S) · Minnesota (H, S) · Mississippi (H, S) · Missouri (H, S) · Montana (H, S) · Nebraska · Nevada (A, S) · New Hampshire (H, S) · New Jersey (GA, S) · New Mexico (H, S) · New York (A, S) · North Carolina (H, S) · North Dakota (H, S) · Ohio (H, S) · Oklahoma (H, S) · Oregon (H, S) · Pennsylvania (H, S) · Rhode Island (H, S) · South Carolina (H, S) · South Dakota (H, S) · Tennessee (H, S) · Texas (H, S) · Utah (H, S) · Vermont (H, S) · Virginia (H, S) · Washington (H, S) · West Virginia (H, S) · Wisconsin (A, S) · Wyoming (H, S) 2012 State legislative elections (2012) • Election Results (2012) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2012 Session Dates • Impact of term limits on 2012 elections • Official Lists of Candidates • List of candidates on 2012 ballot 2011 State legislative elections (2011) • Election Results (2011) • State Senate elections (2011) • State House elections (2011) • Special elections (2011) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2011 Session Dates • List of candidates on 2011 ballot • Candidates removed from 2011 ballot • Impact of term limits on 2011 elections • Incumbents defeated in 2011's state legislative elections • Official Lists of Candidates 2010 State legislative elections (2010) • Election Results (2010) • State Senate elections (2010) • State House elections (2010) • Special elections • Primary dates • Dates of sessions • Impact of term limits on 2010 elections • Political parties with candidates in the 2010 legislative elections • Official lists of state legislative candidates, 2010 • Competitiveness Index • Election Projections • 2010 Session Dates 2009 State legislatures in 2009 • State legislative special elections in 2009 Features of state legislatures Analysis of 2011-2012 standing committees • How vacancies are filled in state legislatures • States with a full-time legislature • State legislatures with term limits • Comparison of state legislative salaries • When state legislators assume office after a general election • Population represented by state legislators • State constitutional articles governing state legislatures • State legislative sessions • State Legislative Tracker State senates Length of terms of state senators • State senators • Partisan composition of state senates • State senators sorted by year first elected to senate • State senate elections State houses Length of terms of state representatives • State representatives • Partisan composition of state houses • State representatives sorted by year first elected • State house elections Leadership positions President of the Senate • President Pro Tempore • Senate Majority Leader • Senate Minority Leader • House Majority Leader • House Minority Leader • State Speaker of the House