More than 200 South Dakota bills become law Saturday. Here are the major ones to know.

More than 200 bills are set to become law this Saturday, after the nine-week legislative session ended in Pierre this past winter.

The Argus Leader selected a handful of highly impactful laws that will change the way South Dakota operates after the weekened.

Here's a look at those laws, and how they could affect you.

Lowering of general sales tax

More than $104 million will be returned to South Dakota taxpayers this year. The general sales and use tax will drop from 4.5% to 4.2% until 2027. During session, the tax bill was highly contentious but through serious negotiation and compromise on the part of the House and Senate, lawmakers delivered some financial relief.

More: How much will the average household save with South Dakota's sales tax cut?

It’s possible the sales tax reduction may become permanent with lawmakers making moves to remove the sunset clause in 2024. Gov. Kristi Noem has also expressed her interest in a permanent tax reduction.

South Dakota's ban on gender-affirming care

One of the most hotly-debated bills in Pierre this past session was House Bill 1080. The new law prohibits several forms of gender-affirming care for minors, including several forms of bottom surgery, prohibits the potential for top surgery for those assigned female at birth and prohibits hormone therapy and puberty blockers.

However, surgeries are rarely, if ever, recommended for minors by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. The biggest effects of this law will be the loss of access to hormone therapy and puberty blockers for minors.

More: Access to gender-affirming care has now been limited under law for South Dakota youth

Any minors taking prescriptions or being administered drugs or hormones prohibited by this new law will have to stop taking them by Dec. 31.

This legislation will have severe implications for gender-diverse children, their parents, medical providers and the LGBTQ+ community across South Dakota.

Election law packages

The Legislature also 19 election-related laws in 2023. One law will ban ranked choice voting, one law establishes post-election audits, and enhancing penalties for petition circulation perjury.

Another law passed also limits access to where and when absentee ballot drop boxes can be placed.

Laws affecting the judicial system

For those found guilty of certain serious felonies after Saturday, such as murder and first-degree manslaughter, under SB 146, they will be required to serve their full sentence before becoming eligible for release. Any credits earned during the sentence will not count toward release.

Those convicted of other felonies, like aggravated assault or second-degree manslaughter, will have to serve at least 85% of their sentence.

Proponents said the law would bring the sentencing guidelines closer to what happens on the federal level. Opponents argued more people would spend more time in prison and that more resources should be put toward those inside the criminal justice system.

Two laws adding additional rape penalties and sex without consent will also go on the books. The laws provide a legal mechanism for survivors of sexual assault who freeze and are unable to fight back during their attack. Sex without consent will become a Class 3 felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $30,000.

More: 'This was sexual assault': Lack of consent law leaves survivors without justice in South Dakota

Changes to who can get a medical marijuana card

While medical marijuana has been legal in South Dakota for three years, lawmakers continue to expand and restrict who is eligible for a medical cannabis card. During session, lawmakers restricted pregnant and breastfeeding women from being eligible for a medical cannabis card.

Lawmakers also added six new qualifying conditions for a medical marijuana card such as immune deficiency syndrome, multiple sclerosis, side effects from cancer treatments, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy and seizures, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Agricultural nuisance reporting

The modification makes it more difficult to sue agricultural operations if a land owner alleges there was a nuisance violation within a mile by said operation. Individuals or groups are barred from making nuisance claims.

Also, the landowner must have clear and convincing evidence the agricultural operation did “not comply with any county, municipal, state or federal law or regulation,” according to the bill. If the court finds no reasonable grounds for the action, then the landowner may be on the hook for costs.

Reproductive rights and family-related law changes

One law relating to abortion ensures that a woman who undergoes an unlawful abortion will not be criminally prosecuted.

Another law ensures that both parents pay for pregnancy-related expenses, including costs arising from prenatal appointments, labor and delivery, and postpartum care. The law also allows for the mother to seek litigation through small claims court for cost reimbursement.

Education

Bills becoming law this weekend regarding juvenile justice and children’s mental health include:

• a clarification of the duties of truancy officers

• creation of a task force to study potential optional educational paths for students

• requirement for a new report on abuse and neglect faced by incarcerated individuals

• modifications for a court’s authority to commit a habitual juvenile offender

• extension of the Juvenile Justice Oversight Council

• formation of community response teams to recommend alternative community-based resources for children alleged to be delinquent or in need of supervision prior to adjudication, and,

• authorizing school boards to adopt policies limiting students who are sex offenders to receive instruction remotely, through distance learning, or at an alternative educational program

One key bill proposed by the Sioux Falls School District passed, allowing boards to change to two- or four-year terms instead of three-year terms, so they can combine school board elections with city elections. With this law taking effect July 1, a joint city and school election could be held by the time terms end in June 30, 2024 for school board president Kate Serenbetz and board member Marc Murren.

Noem also signed bills into law providing free tuition at technical colleges for children or spouses of members of the South Dakota National Guard who became disabled or died in the line of duty, increasing the dollar amount of South Dakota Opportunity Scholarships, and expanding eligibility for teachers to receive reduced tuition at the public colleges.

More: Here are the 2023 South Dakota Legislative session winners and losers in education policy

This year, the South Dakota Board of Regents, and some legislators, also had several of their wishes approved, including:

• $23 million for a new bioproducts facility at the Brookings research park, which was an amendment for $3 million (the $20 million was appropriated in 2022)

• $5.8 million to demolish and reconstruct agricultural-use structures at SDSU

• An additional $7.8 million toward revised construction costs of the Mineral Industries Building at South Dakota Mines

• Permission to sell a portion of property in Madison at the DSU Foundation Addition

• An additional $11.9 million towards the construction of an athletics events center at DSU

• $1.5 million for design costs related to the health services center at BHSU-Rapid City

• $1.5 million for design costs related to the new Lincoln Hall at NSU

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: How dozens of new SD laws could affect you starting Saturday