SD Senate kills bill to bring food tax to a statewide vote

South Dakota Senators kill a resolution Monday that would have placed the repeal of the state sales tax on food on the 2024 ballot.

The measure failed on a 27-5.

Democratic Sen. Reynold Nesiba from Sioux Falls, the resolution’s sponsor. He says the measure was based on Republican Gov. Kristi Noem’s attempt last year to repeal the sales tax on food.

Last session, the legislature rejected Noem’s removal of the sales tax on food and instead implemented the 0.3% decrease in the overall sales tax.

Republican Sen. John Wiik of Big Stone City supported Noem’s bill last session. However, he said the state had already provided the most significant tax decrease in history last year.

The Senate debated the measure for about five minutes.

There will likely be at least one citizen-led measure to remove the food tax on the November ballot.

February 6, 2024