South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden delivered the State of the State address Tuesday, marking the beginning of the 2026 legislative session in Pierre.
Rhoden discussed the state’s successes and challenges in a joint session of the two state chambers, where he cited one of the big expected topics of the year, in possibly changing the functioning of property taxes.
On the heels of a summer 2025 property tax task force, Rhoden proposed giving people in each county the option of replacing the county’s share of property taxes with a half-cent sales tax.
Republican state representative Scott Odenbach discussed that proposal: “It is a start, it is an idea worth looking at. You can’t really get at long-term property tax reform until you look at our school funding formula.” 18SECS
Rhoden said work needs to be done to address teacher shortages in South Dakota.
Some lawmakers and lobbyists have balked at Rhoden's previously aired proposal to give zero percent raises to the so-called ‘Big 3,” of teachers, healthcare workers and state employees.
Rhoden proposed a crackdown on mail-order abortion medicines.
Erin Healy, a Democratic lawmaker from Sioux Falls, said she has concerns over the possibility of the state ramping up oversight of abortion medications. Healy said it is unfortunate that Rhoden used “blatant misinformation.”
“We saw just a few weeks ago that there were some issues around the (Attorney General’s’) office and the governor’s office taking exception with abortion pills being advertised at gas stations. But we know that is a First Amendment right, that is protected speech,” Healy said.
Healy and Odenbach spoke after Rhoden’s address, via a livestream by South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
Some observers believe politics could seep into the session, since all South Dakota Legislature seats are going before voters in the November election.
