Senator Michael Rohl (R-1/Aberdeen) has been acting strangely for a Republican, filing bills to raise taxes and not hurt the initiative process. He returns to standard South Dakota Republican form with Senate Bill 3, a proposal that sacrifices local control for the sake of almighty deregulation.
Senate Bill 3 would prohibit counties, municipalities, and townships from setting building codes or standards or requiring permits for a wide range of home renovations:
- The repair or substantially similar replacement of any of the following existing exterior parts of an owner-occupied residential structure:
- Door;
- Downspout;
- Fencing panel or post;
- Gutter;
- Roof flashing, shingles, shakes, or tiles;
- Siding; and
- Window; or
- Any interior alteration, improvement, or renovation of an owner-occupied residential structure, which does not affect the structure’s:
- Air conditioning, electric, heating, plumbing, or ventilation system in a manner requiring any load-bearing modification;
- Foundation;
- Load-bearing walls;
- Roof frame; or
- Support beams [2026 Senate Bill 3, filed 2025.12.19].
I can understand the impulse to relieve homeowners of the need to run down to the courthouse for approval to replace one window or a rotting fencepost or adding insulation to that drafty attic. But under Senate Bill 3, homeowners could do complete kitchen and bathroom remodels and finish entire basements, improvements that would have significant impact on home values. So SB 3 could deprive local governments of revenue not only from building permits themselves but from the assessments they could make on substantially increased property values that would go unpermitted, undocumented, and unnoticed by the assessor. And naturally, SB 3 offers no compensation to the counties, towns, and townships for their lost revenue or authority.
Restricting local building permit authority wasn’t among the 18 proposals for property tax reform that the Legislature’s interim property tax committee approved in October but which Governor Larry Rhoden has since poo-pooed. Perhaps SB 3 is an attempt by Senator Rohl, who had not the pleasure of serving on that interim committee, to toss his two cents into the Legislative effort to nickel-and-dime our way to respond to growing discontent with property taxes.
Why do the majority of SD new laws restrict instead of empower? Does your German-American population find joy in telling others and themselves what to do? Seems quite neurotic and self-loathing, to me.
Not so, in normal states …
📜 Colorado Laws Taking Effect in 2026
🔫 Semiautomatic Firearms Restrictions (SB25‑003 / SB‑3)
Bans the manufacture, sale, and purchase of most semiautomatic firearms that accept detachable magazines, starting August 2026.
Allows purchases only with a “firearms safety course eligibility card” requiring sheriff vetting, up to 12 hours of training, and a test.
Includes exemptions for military, law enforcement, prison guards, and armored‑vehicle businesses.
🛒 HB25‑1090 — Protections Against Deceptive Pricing Practices
Effective January 1, 2026:
Prohibits advertising prices without clearly disclosing the maximum total price (anti‑“junk fees”).
Bars landlords from requiring certain hidden fees and charges from tenants.
Violations fall under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.
🧒 Child Care Center Fees
Effective January 1, 2026:
New rules on child care center fee structures (from KOAA’s list of six laws).
🔫 Gun Show Requirements
Effective January 1, 2026:
New requirements for gun shows, per KOAA’s roundup of 2026 laws.
We are in the middle of this anti-government movement in SD and much of this country. People need to think and remember why so many of these regulations came into being. People were doing bad or dangerous things and the citizens wanted to stop this.
As far as permits, they can actually save people money. For example, the city could have building codes that do not allow use of certain roofing or siding materials. You could also be covered by covenants that set certain building standards. Getting a permit will bring these rules to light and save people from having to redo something because it does not comply with building codes or covenants.
Another thing with building permits is that they limit the amount of time that the work can be ongoing, so to avoid somebody taking years to complete a project while a neighbor has to put up with an adjacent property that destroys their property values. With a permit, the city can be the bad guy and force a project to be completed and force property cleanup.
Permits can also serve as a record to when work was done and who done the work. This can be good info for someone looking to purchase a property.
Its easy guys and gals. Pub states always take any power from cities and towns, mostly cities, because the repubs need absolute power. Most cities are liberal and they might give freedom to all or other nonsensical things.
The cities some, but mostly the counties need to be strangled down to recognize South Dakota needs only 33 of them. Cities need their borders locked down, no more annexing country folk. Even grudznick rebels against things like silly HOA rules and tells them where they can put them. Less government is good, it is very good. And Mr. H, when property values grow, the counties should cut their taxes to take only what they need. It doesn’t cost the city any more to deliver basic services to a house with a golden kitchen.
Ok Grudz pick which half of the counties die. This is what I want to see. Coordination of records would be fun. Which towns die? The unemployment of that work force would be interesting too. Further dying towns. That legislature year would be exiting! I’d bet they’d punt it off to some organization to make the hard decisions.
I have two acres with total freedom. That’s very hard in Sarasota county. No HOA.
Mostly liberals on my street, from Iowa and Nebraska. The free area around is full of magas. It’s interesting who’s attracted to this area.
Well said Scott.
What Scott said. These regulations protect the homeowner.
As long as the roof doesn’t fall in on the next occupant…