The President Pro Tem-Elect for the South Dakota Senate has assigned members to the committees they will be on for the upcoming legislative session (Nov. 25, 2024). Senator Chris Karr of Sioux Falls also released the 2025-26 interim committee assignments. Along with being elected as the state republican party’s Majority Leader in the Senate, District 24 legislator Jim Mehlhaff of Pierre will be on the State Affairs, Judiciary and Legislative Procedures committees. During the interim, he will be on the Rules Review Committee. Committees are formally organized on the first day of the legislative session after members are certified by the Secretary of State. Legislative Committees (** denotes Chair, * denotes Vice Chair): Judiciary: David Wheeler**, Amber Hulse*, Greg Blanc, Helene Duhamel, Tamara Grove, Jim Mehlhaff, Tom Pischke Legislative Procedure: Chris Karr**, Jim Mehlhaff*, Randy Deibert, Liz Larson, Carl Perry, Sue Peterson, Tom Pischke State Affairs: Jim Mehlhaff**, Carl Perry*, Arch Beal, Randy Deibert, Kevin Jensen, Chris Karr, Liz Larson, Sue Peterson, Tom Pischke Agriculture and Natural Resources: Tom Pischke**, Kevin Jensen *, Sydney Davis, Helene Duhamel, Sam Marty, Mike Rohl, Curt Voight Appropriations: Ernie Otten**, Mark Lapka*, John Carley, Red Dawn Foster, Taffy Howard, Paul Miskimins, Glen Vilhauer, Mykala Voita, Larry Zikmund Commerce and Energy: Casey Crabtree**, Sue Peterson*, Arch Beal, Randy Deibert, Joy Hohn, Chris Karr, Steve Kolbeck, Liz Larson, Carl Perry Education: Kyle Schoenfish**, Curt Voight*, Sam Marty, Lauren Nelson, Sue Peterson, Stephanie Sauder, Jamie Smith Government Operations and Audit: Taffy Howard**, Ernie Otten*, Chris Karr, Mark Lapka, David Wheeler Health and Human Services: Kevin Jensen**, Sydney Davis*, Tamara Grove, Carl Perry, Tim Reed, Jamie Smith, Curt Voight Local Government: Tim Reed**, Helene Duhamel*, Lauren Nelson, Mike Rohl, Kyle Schoenfish, Jamie Smith, David Wheeler Military and Veterans Affairs: Larry Zikmund**, Sam Marty*, Greg Blanc, Joy Hohn, Taffy Howard Retirement Laws: Randy Deibert**, Glen Vilhauer*, Red Dawn Foster, Steve Kolbeck, Jamie Smith Taxation: Steve Kolbeck**, Joy Hohn*, Greg Blanc, Casey Crabtree, Sydney Davis, Tamara Grove, Amber Hulse Transportation: Randy Deibert**, Arch Beal*, Joy Hohn, Liz Larson, Stephanie Sauder, Kyle Schoenfish, David Wheeler Interim Committees (** denotes Chair or co-Chair): Rules Review: Taffy Howard, Liz Larson, Jim Mehlhaff Joint Appropriations: Ernie Otten**(co-Chair), Mark Lapka, John Carley, Red Dawn Foster, Taffy Howard, Paul Miskimins, Glen Vilhauer, Mykala Voita, Larry Zikmund State-Tribal Relations: Mike Rohl**(co-Chair), Red Dawn Foster, Tamara Grove, Sam Marty, Jamie Smith