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Bill

SB 142

amend the requirements for filing certain campaign finance disclosure statements.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Scott Moore and 4 co-sponsors

South Dakota SB 142 clarifies and broadens campaign finance disclosure requirements, specifying when and what statements must be filed, and adds termination reporting and penalties

Signed by the Governor on 2026-03-30 S.J. 550
#campaignfinance #delayedeffectivedate #elections
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Bill Summary · SB 142

Summary of South Dakota SB 142 (2026)

Purpose

SB 142 amends the requirements for filing campaign finance disclosure statements. It clarifies and reorganizes the filing obligations for various political committees and entities, outlining when and what statements must be filed, and establishes termination reporting timelines and penalties for violations. The measure takes effect January 1, 2027.

Key Provisions and Changes

  • Scope of filers affected

    • Statewide candidate committees
    • Legislative or county office candidates with a recognized political party
    • Statewide political action committees (PACs)
    • Statewide political parties
    • County political parties and auxiliary organizations
    • Statewide ballot question committees

  • Reporting cadence and statements (for each category)

    • The bill specifies the required statements in both odd- and even-numbered years, and which statements are annual or as-needed amendments.
    • Examples by category:
    • Statewide candidate committees: Pre-primary, pre-general, year-end (annual), supplemental (where applicable), and amendments in even-numbered years (as applicable).
    • Legislative or county office candidates with a party: Pre-primary, pre-general, annual year-end, supplemental, and amendments in even-numbered years (as applicable). Note: The language contains formatting inconsistencies (e.g., “A An annual year-end statement” and duplicated phrases), but the intent is to require annual year-end reporting with supplemental filings and periodic amendments when applicable.
    • Statewide PACs: Pre-primary, pre-general, year-end, supplemental, and amendments in even-numbered years (and year-end amendments in odd-numbered years, where applicable).
    • Statewide political parties: Pre-primary, pre-general, annual year-end, supplemental, and amendments in even-numbered years (and year-end amendments in odd-numbered years, where applicable).
    • County political parties and auxiliary organizations: Pre-general, supplemental, annual year-end, and amendments in even-numbered years (with pre-primary and pre-general statements also listed in the sequence).
    • Statewide ballot question committees: Pre-primary, pre-general, annual year-end, supplemental, and amendments in even-numbered years (and year-end amendments in odd-numbered years, where applicable).
    • The phrase “if applicable” appears throughout, indicating amendments and supplemental reports may be required depending on activity.

  • Termination and reporting deadlines

    • A political party that loses qualified status must file a termination report by 5:00 p.m. Central Time on the last Friday in January after the year in which status was lost.
    • If a statewide ballot question committee has no activity in the next required report period, it has until the next reporting period to report activity; if there is still no activity, it must file a termination report by that deadline.
    • A termination report may be submitted at any time by the treasurer of a listed political committee.

  • Penalties

    • Violating the statute is a Class 2 misdemeanor.
    • A subsequent offense within the same calendar year is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Who/What Is Affected

  • Political committees tied to statewide offices, legislative/county offices, and recognized political parties.
  • Statewide PACs and statewide ballot question committees.
  • County-level parties and auxiliary organizations.
  • The secretary of state’s office (filing and reporting requirements are directed to it).

Effective Date and Timeline

  • Effective date: January 1, 2027.
  • Applies to filings under the amended provisions beginning in that calendar year.
  • The bill’s action history shows rapid progression through the legislature in 2026, with final gubernatorial signature and publication in March 2026.

Practical Implications

  • Clarifies and potentially broadens the cadence of required disclosures for various political entities.
  • Introduces or reinforces termination reporting obligations for groups losing qualified status or winding down activities.
  • Establishes misdemeanor-level penalties to enforce compliance.
  • Agencies and committees should review current reporting practices to align with the amended schedule and ensure timely filings, amendments, and termination reports where applicable.

If you’d like, I can break down the requirements by each specific type of committee with a clean checklist and timeline.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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