MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — A bill that would have paused construction or expansion of large data centers in South Dakota failed in the Senate State Affairs Committee this week, following what one report described as a confusing sequence of votes.
The measure, Senate Bill 232 sponsored by Sen. Taffy Howard of Rapid City, proposed a moratorium on “hyperscale” data centers to give counties, cities and local utilities more time to address zoning and infrastructure impacts. Supporters said the bill was aimed at facilities with power demand of 50 megawatts or more.
News Radio KOTA reported the committee first rejected a “do pass” motion, then tied 4-4 on a motion to send the bill to the 41st day. After debate over procedure, the committee ultimately voted 5-3 to table the bill, effectively ending its progress.
According to bill tracking information, SB 232 was tabled in Senate State Affairs on Feb. 18 by a 5-3 vote.
Howard told KOTA she was disappointed with the outcome, while opponents argued local governments — not the state — should decide whether to impose moratoriums on projects.