South Dakota’s lawmakers have been evaluated by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) based on their voting records concerning small-business-related legislation during the 2021-2022 session. NFIB tracks how elected officials vote on bills that impact Main Street businesses, aiming to identify true allies of small enterprises.
In the South Dakota Senate, 23 out of 35 senators achieved a perfect score of 100% for supporting pro-small-business legislation. Six senators scored 80%, one had a 60% record, and data on five were inconclusive. In the State House, ten legislators received a 100% score, while 39 earned an 80% rating. Eleven legislators had a score of 60%, five scored at 40%, and information was incomplete for another five.
A detailed account of the five bills in question and each lawmaker’s vote is available for review.
Lindsey Riter-Rapp, South Dakota state director for NFIB, commented on these findings: “When 86% of a state legislature has a 60% or better voting record on small-business issues, I believe South Dakota can make a claim to be the most small-business-friendly state in the nation.” She emphasized the importance of this support amid challenges such as inflation, potential recession, labor shortages, supply-chain disruptions, and legislative threats like proposed surtaxes on small businesses. Riter-Rapp expressed pride in the Legislature’s actions to protect small businesses from frivolous lawsuits during difficult times.
