South Dakota

South Dakota has a Constitutional Amendment from 1978 that requires a 2/3 vote of the Legislature to increase taxes, and a Constitutional Amendment from 1996 that requires a 2/3 vote of the Legislature to impose new taxes.

ARTICLE XI - Revenue and Finance

§ 13. Vote required to increase tax rates or valuations.
The rate of taxation imposed by the state of South Dakota on personal or corporate income or on sales or services, or the allowable levies or the percentage basis for determining valuation as fixed by law for purposes of taxation on real or personal property, shall not be increased unless by consent of the people by exercise of their right of initiative or by two-thirds vote of all the members elect of each branch of the Legislature.

§ 14. The rate of taxation imposed by the State of South Dakota in regard to any tax may not be increased and no new tax may be imposed by the State of South Dakota unless by consent of the people by exercise of their right of initiative or by two-thirds vote of all the members elect of each branch of the Legislature.

-- THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota’s Constitution limits the state’s Governor to two consecutive terms.  A person can run for that office again after sitting out one term.

Article IV -- EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

§   2.   Qualification, election, and term. The Governor and lieutenant governor must be citizens of the United States, have attained the age of twenty-one years, and residents of the State of South Dakota for two years preceding their election. They shall be jointly elected for a term of four years at a general election held in a nonpresidential election year. The candidates having the highest number of votes cast jointly for them shall be elected. Commencing with the 1974 general election, no person shall be elected to more than two consecutive terms as Governor or as lieutenant governor. The election procedure shall be as prescribed by law.

-- THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota’s Constitution limits the terms of members of the State Legislature to four consecutive two-year terms.

ARTICLE III -- LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT

     §   6.   Legislative terms of office -- Compensation -- Regular sessions. The terms of office of the members of the Legislature shall be two years; they shall receive for their services the salary fixed by law under the provisions of §   2 of article XXI of this Constitution, and five cents for every mile of necessary travel in going to and returning from the place of meeting of the Legislature on the most usual route.

     No person may serve more than four consecutive terms or a total of eight consecutive years in the senate and more than four consecutive terms or a total of eight consecutive years in the house of representatives. However, this restriction does not apply to partial terms to which a legislator may be appointed or to legislative service before January   1, 1993.

-- THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA

Created by: Jennifer L. Crull

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