Updated March, 2026
Prepared by our Lakota Advocacy Center Initiative, Native Notes is a monthly newsletter on new and proposed policies impacting Indian Country. Sign up for our newsletter to have these updates delivered direct to your inbox!
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South Dakota House Bill 1082 would use state funds to make up the difference between the costs of meals for students who get them for free or at reduced costs and the federal funds for those meals. This bill represents an opportunity for our state to show its commitment to students and their health.
Having passed the House, this bill is working its way through the Senate. We encourage relatives to call your Senator at (605) 773-3821 to leave a message supporting this essential measure to make sure no child goes hungry in school.
Having passed both the House and the Senate, this bill was delivered to the Governor on March 12, 2026. It is expected to be signed. We will continue to share updates as this measure advances.
what to know
South Dakota House Bill 1005 proposes to exempt new data centers from sales taxes. This measure is meant to encourage business development and innovation, but the reality is that data centers take far more from the communities that house them than they give back. Communities with data centers see rapidly rising electrical costs as increased usage drives utility rates up for everyone. Even worse, data centers require incredible amounts of fresh water to cool off the servers, squandering essential drinking water, driving costs off, and harming environmental sustainability.
Data center construction has accelerated all over the world due to the rise of AI, which demands a huge amount of infrastructure. Many communities hope that by offering subsidized energy and tax exemptions like this one, data centers will be built in their communities and provide stable, high-paying careers. As a tool of automation, however, these centers provide very few permanent jobs. Meanwhile, they accelerate automation and layoffs that put other people out of work.
House Bill 1005 was deferred to the 41st day of the legislative session, meaning that this bill is unlikely to be considered or passed this year. This is a victory for our communities and our planet!
what to know
Senate Bill 31 creates additional administrative hurdles to voting. Sending a confirmation letter to the addresses of registered voters and de-activating the registration of those who can’t receive mail, this measure will especially impact Indigenous communities and others who live in rural areas with less reliable postal service or a greater dependence on PO Boxes to receive mail.
Some states with laws like this one have simply removed anyone registered voter who lists a PO Box as their mailing address. In Reservation communities like ours, often PO Boxes are the only option for receiving regular mail. This bill and the many others like it are a targeted effort to suppress the votes of communities that are already excluded from government and decision making.
Having passed both the House and the Senate, this bill is expected to be signed by the governor and take effect at the end of this year. Going forward, we encourage all our relatives to register to vote and to double check your registration before each election. Measures like this remind us that some legislators don’t want everyone to vote, and remind us that they know our voices are powerful.
Senate Bill 31 creates additional administrative hurdles to voting. Sending a confirmation letter to the addresses of registered voters and de-activating the registration of those who can’t receive mail, this measure will especially impact Indigenous communities and others who live in rural areas with less reliable postal service or a greater dependence on PO Boxes to receive mail.
Some states with laws like this one have simply removed anyone registered voter who lists a PO Box as their mailing address. In Reservation communities like ours, often PO Boxes are the only option for receiving regular mail. This bill and the many others like it are a targeted effort to suppress the votes of communities that are already excluded from government and decision making.
Having passed both the House and the Senate, this was signed by the governor on March 5, and will take effect at the end of this year. Going forward, we encourage all our relatives to register to vote and to double check your registration before each election. Measures like this remind us that some legislators don’t want everyone to vote, and remind us that they know our voices are powerful.
get involved & stay engaged
Your voice matters. Every action - whether voting, attending a meeting, or speaking up - strengthens our community and honors the generations before us.
Stay informed, stay engaged, and make your impact today!
Native Notes
Native Notes is a new project from our Lakota Advocacy Center. We want to empower our relatives to better understand legislation impacting our communities. We believe these newsletters will help new and established community organizers identify and pursue policy change based on our shared values and our traditional teachings.
Wopila ṫaŋk̄a uŋk̄enic̄iyap̄i kṡt̄o (we thank each of you) for reading this!
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