100th Legislative Session by the Numbers

The 100th Legislative Session came to a close after Veto Day on March 31st. A lot of hard work went into the 38-day session. Final 2025 Session Numbers: 269 House Bills Introduced, 220 Senate Bills Introduced, 13 House Concurrent Resolutions Introduced, 8 Senate Concurrent Resolutions Introduced, 7 House Joint Resolutions Introduced, 7 Senate Joint Resolutions Introduced, 1 House Resolution Introduced, 2 Senate Resolutions Introduced, 24 House Commemorations, 20 Senate Commemorations, 30 Bills and Resolutions Withdrawn, 211 Bills Signed by Governor, 2 Bills Vetoed by Governor.

Out of that list, I sponsored a gun bill SB81, a resolution to support local contractors HCR 6002 and a commemoration for the Sturgis Brown High School state champion wrestlers HC 8022 .

The only bill the legislators were required to pass was the G-Bill. As an appropriator, I want to applaud the appropriations leadership of Senator Ernie Otten, Senator Mark Lapka, Representative Mike Derby, Representative Al Novstrup, and Representative Chris Kassin for ensuring that we delivered the General Appropriations Bill a day early. Some staffers told me they couldn’t remember that ever happening.

Signing of the G-Bill by Governor Rhoden

What did I learn from my first session?

Prayers matter: I can’t begin to thank Concerned Women for America of South Dakota and my special prayer warrior for the weekly prayer postcards. They were a constant encouragement to me. I also appreciated the many people who daily prayed that I would have wisdom.

Show grace to everyone: I really believe legislators, staff and the governor are doing the best they can for South Dakotans. I think that Governor Rhoden is an honest broker. He vetoed two bills out of 211. I supported both vetoes. The last one HB1169 was the most controversial. The governor’s reasons for the veto are outlined in this letter. I voted to sustain his veto because I believe the bill was unconstitutional (and for other reasons). It attempted to override the South Dakota Constitution through statute. Some argued let it go to court. As an appropriator, I believe we should be careful about using taxpayers’ dollars to fight such battles. Instead, why not introduce that bill next year as a constitutional amendment and let the people decide.

Bills have unintended consequences: Even if you agree with the premise of a bill, there could be serious unintended consequences. One example was an education bill supported by conservative groups. I voted for it only to find out that if it had passed it would have inadvertently raised taxes in about 20 school districts.

Amended bills don’t age well: If a bill has more than two or three amendments, I think it’s not ready for prime time. It’s like having an old car and deciding whether to keep making repairs or buy a new one. One tax bill got worse as it was amended. To me a bill with lots of amendments reflects a lack of research done upfront.

Be a duck: I was attacked for not being conservative enough and for being too conservative. My nature is to fight back. My husband advised me to let criticism roll off my back while paddling furiously under water (like a duck) to get my work done.

Learn who to trust: This one is difficult. The person you might trust in one area is not the same one in another area. We all have our blind spots and agendas. Fortunately, my husband provided much needed wisdom. Early on he challenged me to outline first principles to guide my voting decisions. Principles such as respecting parental rights, local control, protection of innocent life and protection of Constitutional rights (2nd amendment, private property, etc.).

Admit when you’re wrong: Did I err on some of my votes? Absolutely. That has been a challenge for me. I always want to make the best decisions for South Dakotans.

What was a highlight?

Getting to know so many amazing people. One group in particular was the legislative interns. I was so encouraged by this exceptional group of young people who are hard workers and intelligent.

Interns honored on the House floor

What is “sine die”?

It’s a Latin word that means “without fixing a day (for future action)”. When using it for the South Dakota legislature it means adjourning without setting a future date for reconvening. The 100th legislature adjourned on March 31st “sine die”. How it worked. The Sergeants of Arms for the House and Senate opened up the chamber doors so the Speaker of the House Jon Hanson and the President of the Senate Tony Venhuizen could coordinate the gaveling out of the session at the same time.

Doors open to coordinate the gaveling out for “sine die”

Insider tip: I expect this may be my most controversial tip (people are particular about their food choices). Some of the best donuts in South Dakota are at Wall Drug. If you’re headed back and forth from/to West River you really should stop for a taste. It was definitely one of my guilty pleasures.

Wall Drug donuts. My favorite is maple.

Travel tip: Make sure you stop at the Capitol Visitor’s Center near the lake to see the new POW/MIA display.

POW/MIA Display

Looking forward: On the appropriations committee, there is a desire to start making deeper cuts and looking at ways to streamline processes. One area we’re considering is zero-based budgeting. Applying this method means that each state organization would justify all expenses each year to ensure that every dollar is spent according to need and aligned purpose. There are pros and cons with this method. There will be an appropriations meeting on May 30th to further explore this as an option.

Appropriators and Legislative Interns

Please pray that I will walk in humility and have wisdom as I serve all South Dakotans. Thank you for trusting me to serve you.

God bless,

District 29 Representative Terri Jorgenson