The salary of each member of the Legislature is equal to one-fifth of the South Dakota median household income reported by the United States Census Current Population Survey, as ascertained and adjusted each year by the State Board of Finance to take effect on the first day of January of each year for every regular legislative session. In addition, each legislator shall receive:

(1) Reimbursement to be paid after the legislative session for actual mileage or its equivalent traveled to and from home not more than once each weekend or between days of recess during the regular legislative session, at state rates established by the Board of Finance;

Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 2-4-2

  • Legislative session: That part of a chamber's daily session in which it considers legislative business (bills, resolutions, and actions related thereto).
  • Recess: A temporary interruption of the legislative business.
  • uncompensated expenses: as used in this chapter , includes, but is not limited to, postage, stationery, printing, office supplies, telephone, incidental costs in the maintenance of a legislative office at home, subscriptions to publications, conference dues, and travel for attendance at meetings with constituents, and such other unreimbursed costs associated with legislative service. See South Dakota Codified Laws 2-4-2.1

(2) Expenses of one hundred twenty-three dollars per day for each day of a regular or special legislative session as prepaid reimbursement for living expenses, including meals and lodging, laundry, cleaning and pressing of clothing, and all other uncompensated expenses as defined in § 2-4-2.1 incident to the performance of legislative services, or at the amount fixed for the per diem allowance that is authorized by the United States Internal Revenue Service to be excluded from the gross income without itemization as of October first each year, whichever of the two is greater; and

(3) Five cents once each session for every mile of necessary travel in going to and returning from the place of meeting of the Legislature by the most usual route.

For each day’s attendance at special sessions, each member, in addition to mileage and expenses, shall receive a per diem calculated by the director of the Legislative Research Council equal to the normal daily compensation for the regular session immediately preceding the special session.

Source: SL 1947, ch 241, § 5; SL 1957, ch 279, § 1; SDC Supp 1960, § 55.0503-1; SL 1965, ch 230, § 1; SL 1969, ch 207, § 1; SL 1970, ch 14, § 1; SL 1974, ch 23, § 1; SL 1976, ch 23; SL 1978, ch 24, § 7; SL 1981, ch 3, § 10; SL 1983, ch 2, § 11; SL 1988, ch 8, § 5A; SL 1997, ch 18, § 1; SL 1998, ch 10, § 1; SL 2000, ch 20, § 1; SL 2013, ch 15, § 1; SL 2018, ch 25, § 1.