2026 SD Legislative Cracker Barrels
- Western SD - there was a pre-session
Legislative Cracker Barrel in Piedmont on Saturday 1/10/26 at 1:30-4 pm at the American Legion Post 311. Prairie Hills Audubon is one of the sponsors of this event.
Rapid City, Belle Fourche and Sturgis will have their first Cracker Barrels on the morning of Saturday, January 31st, 2026
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2026 STATEWIDE LIST (work in progress)
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- Western SD - there was a pre-session
Legislative Cracker Barrel in Piedmont on Saturday 1/10/26 at 1:30-4 pm at the American Legion Post 311. Prairie Hills Audubon is one of the sponsors of this event.
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At the bottom of our list we provide links to other organizations that maintain annual legislative cracker barrel and coffee lists.
Just below is a list of cities that have had cracker barrels in recent years, with the sponsor, when we knew of it. If you live in one of these cities, there may be a Cracker Barrel or Coffee planned that we have not yet found. xxx
WEST RIVER – Legislative Cracker Barrels / Coffees (2026)
BELLE FOURCHE – Legislative Cracker Barrel
519 5th Ave., 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Host: Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce
DEADWOOD – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Deadwood Gulch Convention Center, 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Host: Deadwood Area Chamber of Commerce
HILL CITY – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Hill City Super 8, 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Host: Custer County Chronicle and Hill City Prevailer News
HOT SPRINGS – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Hot Springs American Legion Post 71,1045 Jennings Ave – at 2 pm
Saturday, February 7th, 2026
PIEDMONT – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Piedmont Valley American Legion Post 311, 1:30–4:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Saturday, February 14, 2026
Host: American Legion Post 311; Prairie Hills Audubon Society
RAPID CITY – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Western Dakota Tech Event Center, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Host: Elevate Rapid City
SPEARFISH – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Joy Center, 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Host: Spearfish Area Chamber of Commerce
STURGIS – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Erskine Building, Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Saturday, March 7, 2026
Host: Sturgis Chamber of Commerce
EAST RIVER – Legislative Cracker Barrels / Coffees (2026)
Kessler’s Champions Club, Barnett Center, Northern State University, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Saturday, March 7, 2026
Host: Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce
BRANDON – Legislative Coffee
Bethany Meadows Brandon Community Room, 9:30–11:00 a.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Host: Brandon Valley Area Chamber of Commerce
BROOKINGS – Legislative Coffee
City-County Government Center, 3rd Floor Chambers, 520 3rd Street. 9 am
Saturday February 7th, 2026
IIf you have questions for legislators, email them to info@brookingschamber.org ahead of time.
CLEAR LAKE – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Clear Lake Community Center, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
CORSICA – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Corsica Community Center, 1 pm
Saturday February 14th, 2026
Sponsored by Douglas County Farm Bureau.
ELK POINT – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Nifty Nine at The Pointe, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Host: Elk Point Area Chamber
FLANDREAU – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Flandreau City Office, 9:00–10:00 a.m.
Saturday, February 14, 2026
GETTYSBURG – Legislative Cracker Barrel
212 Mini Mall, 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 21, 2026
GREGORY – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Gregory Memorial Auditorium at 1:15 pm
Saturday February 7th, 2026
Legislators announce
HIGHMORE – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Hyde County Auditorium, 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, January 24, 2026
LENNOX – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Security Bank / American Legion Hall, 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
MILBANK – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Visitor Center (Community Room), 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 14, 2026
Milbank Area Chamber of Commerce
MITCHELL – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Chamber of Commerce Building, 8:00–9:00 a.m.
Friday, January 30, 2026
Host: Mitchell Area Chamber of Commerce
OACOMA – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Oacoma Community Center, 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Host: Chamberlain–Oacoma Area Chamber of Commerce
ONIDA – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Sully Buttes High School, 1:00 p.m.
Friday, February 27, 2026
Host: Onida Chamber of Commerce
PLATTE Legislative Cracker Barrel
Saturday February 14th, 2026
44 Pizza Plus, 4 pm in meeting room
East side of Platte
Sponsored by Charls Mix County Farm Bureau
REDFIELD – Legislative Cracker Barrel
C&NW Historic RR Museum, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Monday, February 16, 2026
Host: Redfield Area Chamber of Commerce
SIOUX FALLS – Legislative Coffee
HUB Auditorium, Southeast Technical College, 10:00–11:30 a.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Host: Sioux Falls League of Women Voters
TEA – Legislative Coffee
Tea City Hall, 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 7, 2026
VERMILLION – Legislative Cracker Barrel
City Hall, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Host: Vermillion Area Chamber and Development Company
WATERTOWN – Legislative Cracker Barrel
Codington County Extension Complex, 8:00 a.m.
Saturday, February 14, 2026
WINNER- Legislative Cracker Barrel
Community Connections at 10 am
Saturday February 7th, 2026
Directions – If coming from east go 1 block west of
stop light on Main, go half a block, look to north side of road
Sponsored by Tripp County Republicans and Lorrin Naasz
WHITE LAKE – Legislative Cracker Barrel
White Lake High School, 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, February 14, 2026
YANKTON – Legislative Cracker Barrel
City Commission Room, CMTEA Building, 10:00–11:00 a.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Saturday, March 7, 2026
Host: Yankton Thrive
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OLD INFORMATION BELOW – LEARN ABOUT TOWNS WHO NORMALLY HAVE CRACKER BARRELS/COFFEES
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LAST YEARS:
2025 SD Legislative Cracker Barrels
Western South Dakota Legislative Cracker Barrel or Coffees 2025:
Belle Fourche Legislative Cracker Barrel , 2025
Hosted by Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce
Deadwood Legislative Cracker Barrel, 2025
Host: Deadwood Chamber of Commerce
Hill City Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
Ask the Newspaper
Hot Springs Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
Ask the Mueller Center
Piedmont (Foothills Area) Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
Hosted by Prairie Hills Audubon Society, the American Legion Post 311, & Dakota Rural Action (Black Hills Chapter)
Newell City Hall, Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
Sabrina Harmon organizes this event
Rapid City Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
Elevate Rapid City organizes this event,
Spearfish Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
Hosted by: Spearfish Chamber of Commerce
Sturgis Legislative Cracker Barrels 2025
Sturgis Chamber of Commerce organizes this event
Cracker Barrel or Wojapi Bowl in previous year(s)before 2025
Oglala Sioux Legislation Meeting – Wojapi Bowl
For info. contact Tonia: preservehumanity@gmail.com
Wall Legislative Cracker Barrel
Normally hosted by Wall Chamber of Commerce and Wall Drug
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Eastern South Dakota Legislative Cracker Barrel or Coffees 2025:
Hosted by Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce
Host: Brandon Valley Area Chamber of Commerce
Host: Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce Public Affairs Committee
Canton Legislative Cracker Barrel
Chamberlain Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025,
Hosted by Chamberlain Chamber of Commerce
Clear Lake Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
Gregory Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
Hosts – District 21 cracker barrels may be set up by legislators, ask newspapers
Highmore Legislative Cracker Barrel
Huron Legislative Cracker Barrels 2025
Maybe sponsored by AARP, SD Farmers Union and Huron Chamber and Visitors Bureau
Mitchell Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
Hosted by the Mitchell Area Chamber of Commerce,
Onida Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
Organized by the Onida Chamber of Commerce
Pierre Legislative Cracker Barrel/Coffee 2025
Chamber of Commerce sponsors
Platte Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
District 21 cracker barrels may be set up by legislators, ask newspapers
Redfield Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
Maybe organized by the Depot
Selby Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
Lyle Perman organizes
Sioux Falls Area Legislative Coffees 2025
Organized by Sioux Falls League of Women Voters
Vermillion Legislative Cracker Barrels/Coffees 2025
Maybe Sponsored by Vermillion Area Chamber and Development Company
Watertown Legislative Cracker Barrel2025
Winner Legislative Cracker Barrel 2025
District 21 cracker barrels may be set up by legislators, ask newspapers
Yankton Legislative Cracker Barrels 2025
Host: Yankton Thrive
Eastern SD Cracker Barrel or Coffees in previous year(s)-before 2025, but we could not find again in 2025
Alexandria Legislative Cracker Barrel
Britton Legislative Cracker Barrel Ask Marshall County Journal
Burke Legislative Cracker Barrel may be set up by legislators ask newspapers
Chamberlain/Oacoma Legislative Cracker Barrel
Corsica – (Platte) Legislative Cracker Barrel may be set up by legislators, ask newspapers
Dell Rapids Legislative Cracker Barrel/Coffee ask Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce
Eureka Legislative Cracker Barrel Ask Dakota Radio Group
Flandreau Legislative Cracker Barrel Ask Flandreau Development Corporation or Elementary School
Gettysburg Legislative Cracker Barrel Organized by Gettysburg’s High School Principle
Hartford Legislative Cracker Barrel ask the Hartford Chamber of Commerce
Howard Legislative Cracker Barrel see Flandreau & Madison CB
Kimball Legislative Cracker Barrel , see also Chamberlain or Onida CBs
Madison Legislative Cracker Barrel host: Greater Madison Area Chamber of Commerce (GMACC)
(605) 256-2454
Miller Legislative Cracker Barrel
Mobridge Legislative Cracker Barrel
Ask the Mobridge Tribune or Dakota Radio Group (KOLY)
Salem Legislative Cracker Barrel or Coffee
Stickney Legislative Coffee/Cracker Barrel District 21 cracker barrels may be set up by legislators, ask newspapers
Timber Lake Legislative Cracker Barrel Ask Dakota Radio Group
Wagner Legislative Cracker Barrel District 21 cracker barrels may be set up by legislators,ask newspapers
Wessington Springs Legislative Cracker Barrel/Coffee Ask True Dakotan Newspaper
White Lake Legislative Cracker Barrel District 21 cracker barrels may be set up by legislators, ask newspapers
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We removed our 2025 list. Nancy can e-mail old lists to anyone who wants, phas.wsd@rapidnet.com, 605-787-6466
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2026 NGO group’s cracker barrel/coffee lists-
Associated School Boards of SD https://asbsd.org/advocacy/legis-cracker-barrels/
ACLU has a list https://www.aclusd.org/2026-legislative-coffees-and-cracker-barrels/
as does Dakota Rural Action https://www.dakotarural.org/our-work/legislature/
PHAS’s List https://phas-wsd.org/sd-legislative-cracker-barrels-2026/
2025 NGO group’s cracker barrel/coffee lists-
PHAS – https://phas-wsd.org/sd-legislative-cracker-barrels-2022/
ACLU – https://www.aclusd.org/en/legislative-coffees-and-cracker-barrels
Associated School Boards of SD https://asbsd.org/advocacy/legis-cracker-barrels/
SD Realtors Association – https://www.sdra.org/legislativetracker.html#crackerbarrel
2026 Tracking of environmental
& some “good government” bills – .
2026 Legislative Calendar Link:
https://mylrc.sdlegislature.gov/api/documents/284593.pdf
2026 LEGISLATIVE SCHEDULE
The legislature starts on Tuesday the 13th of January, 2026 and ends March 12th, 2026 except for Veto Day on March 30th, 2026
All draft bills are due at the LRC on February 3rd. February 4th is the last day for individuals to introduce bills. On Monday February 23rd bills must be reported out of committees. On February 24th, all not-appropriations bills must pass the house of origin. Monday March 9th is last day to pass out of second house
SD LRC’s 2026 Bills List: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bills/71
Scroll down for our bill tracking list.
Our bill tracking list normally divides bills into environmental and “good government” bills. It further divides those into active bills and finalized bills (dead or sent to Governor)
PHAS 2026 BILL TRACKING
Prairie Hills Audubon Society has not yet started bill tracking for 2026.
Some environmental bills we will be supporting or watching
1) We will be supporting a bill to stop the Nest Predator Bounty Program, Sen Tim Reed will be prime sponsor. We don’t think it is filed yet.
2) We anticipate supporting several bills to reform SD Sand, Gravel and Construction Aggregate Mining Chapter (Chapter 45-6), but we haven’t seen the bills yet.
3) We will be studying bills on pesticides, controlled burns (HB 1001) and requiring hunting guides to have licenses (SB 16.) These have been filed, but we have not had enough time to read them fully and study them enough.
ENVIRONMENTAL BILLS – HOUSE
HB 1001 – An Act to provide for prescribed burning of state-owned land by a person owning adjoining land and to declare an emergency. — PHAS studies bill,
Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=HB1001
Committee action: pending
HB 1002 – An Act to revise the daily meal allowance for wildland fire employees and fire suppression forces in certain circumstances. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=HB1002
Committee action: pending
HB 1005 – An Act to provide a sales and use tax exemption for goods and services related to data center operations. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: House Commerce & Energy
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=HB1005
Committee action: pending
HB 1019 – An Act to remove knowledge and intent from certain actions involving pesticide laws. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=HB1019
Committee action: Scheduled for hearing – 1/20/2026
HB 1021 – An Act to authorize the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources to dismantle and demolish buildings on the South Dakota State Fairgrounds, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=HB1021
Committee action: Scheduled for hearing – 1/20/2026
HB 1038 – allow the Public Utilities Commission to assess actual costs to large new customers. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: House Commerce and Energy
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=HB1038
Committee action: pending
HB 1047 – An Act to make an appropriation for the construction costs at the Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery, and to declare an emergency. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: Joint Committee on Appropriations
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=HB1047
Committee action: pending
*HB 1052 – An Act to authorize the transfer of certain surplus real property by the Department of Game, Fish and Parks to the Spearfish Canyon Foundation for a public purpose. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=HB1052
Committee action: Passed committee 1/15/2026 (vote details to be added), Do Pass Amended, Passed, YEAS 12, NAYS 0.
HB 1087 – prohibit the use of paid petition circulators — PHAS studies bill
Committee: not yet verified
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=HB1087
Committee action: unknown
ENVIRONMENTAL BILLS – SENATE
SB 5 – require the disclosure of whether a ballot question was proposed by initiative or by the Legislature. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: Senate State Affairs
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=SB5
Committee action: Scheduled for Hearing 1/16/26, do pass YEAS 8, NAYS 0.
SB 7 – An Act to modify the tax rate on gold severed in this state. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: Senate Taxation
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=SB7
Committee action: Hearing scheduled,Senate Taxation Motion to amend, Passed Amendment 7A
Senate Taxation Motion to amend, Passed Amendment 7B
Scheduled for hearing
SB 16 – An Act to provide for the licensure of fishing guides, hunting guides, and outfitters, and to provide a penalty therefor. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=SB16
Committee action: pending
SB 37 – An Act to make appropriations for water and environmental purposes and to declare an emergency. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: Senate Appropriations
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=SB37
Committee action: pending
SB 38 – An Act to modify the annual fee imposed on certain concentrated animal feeding operations. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources (verify)
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/26683
Committee action: pending
GOOD GOVERNMENT BILLS
Senate Bill 5 – require the disclosure of whether a ballot question was proposed by initiative or by the Legislature.
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/26325
Committee:Senate State Affairs S.J. 15
Committee action: hearing 1/16/2026 Do Pass, Passed, YEAS 8, NAYS 0. Certified uncontested, placed on consent
SB 33 – An Act to modify the number of signatures required on certain election-related petitions. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: Senate State Affairs
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/26617
Committee action: pending
Senate Bill 36 — authorize utilities to establish wildfire mitigation plans and associated liability limitations for wildfire damages
Committee: Senate Commerce and Energy
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/26857
Committee action: pending
SB 46 – An Act to modify the requirements for open meeting agendas and to provide a penalty therefor. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: Senate State Affairs
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=SB46
Committee action: Scheduled for hearing 1/21/2026
SB 91 – clarify the procedure for petitioning a board of county commissioners for a change to the comprehensive plan or zoning ordinances.. — PHAS studies bill
Committee: Senate Local Government
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=SB91
Committee action: pending
RESOLUTIONS
HCR 6003 – Title not yet verified. — PHAS studies resolution
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/71?Bill=HCR6003
Committee: not yet assigned 1/17/26
Status: pending
HJR 5001 – Proposing and submitting to the voters at the next general election an amendment to the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, prohibiting the transfer of private property to a non-governmental entity for the sole purpose of economic development or increased tax revenue. — PHAS studies resolution
URL: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/26741
Committee: House State Affairs
Status: pending
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We welcome hearing from members and friends about which bills you all care about – either support or oppose and welcome all the help volunteers can provide to review the many bills.
Links to other bill tracking services
Dakota Rural Actions’s https://www.dakotarural.org/our-work/legislature/ ,
SD Wildlife Federation 1/16/26 report: https://sdwfcamo.net/2026-legislative-update-jan-16-2026/?_sc=MjYyOTU0NiMxMTEy
We refer you to LRC web page “Bill Status Report”- All bills are listed and what has happened to them thus far: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/BillStatus/71
We will indicate when we last updated this web page with respect to the bill’s status.
Bill tracking by PHAS was done Friday, 1/16/2026
If you want copies of past year’s bill tracking efforts, ask Nancy Hilding at 605-787-6466 or phas.wsd@rapidnet.com. I removed last years bill tracking at the start of the new session
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GO TO OUR LEGISLATURE PAGE — Go to the bottom of our legislative page: https://phas-wsd.org/sd-legislature/ for e-mail addresses of all legislators – all the senate and house members & also those in some key Committees. This is to make it easy to e-mail them all. Short messages are great as they may be too busy to read long messages.
You can also find information about committees & legislators on the LRC web pages
– Legislators: https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Listing/71, Committees: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Committees/71
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