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Read. Follow. Verify.South Dakota Prohibits Kratom Sales and Possession as a Class 2 Misdemeanor
Last action · February 17, 2026: Do PassSponsors: Les Heinemann and 8 others
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What This Bill Proposed
South Dakota House Bill 1151 makes the sale, distribution, purchase, consumption, or possession of kratom, kratom products, or synthetic compounds a . The measure repeals existing regulations that previously permitted sales to adults and instead enacts a total ban.
Residents, retailers, and consumers face criminal penalties for handling or possessing kratom substances that were previously regulated under an age-restriction framework.
- Kratom is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia whose leaves contain compounds with opioid-like and stimulant effects. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Kratom consumers
Individuals who consume or possess kratom face criminal charges for possessing or purchasing kratom products.
Kratom retailers and distributors
Businesses that sell or distribute kratom products are prohibited from offering them and face misdemeanor penalties for violating the ban.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to possess kratom in South Dakota under the new bill?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · passed the House.
Procedural history
4 actions- Feb 17, 2026HouseFloorDo Pass
- Feb 12, 2026HouseCommitteeDo Pass
- Feb 12, 2026HouseScheduled for hearing
- Jan 27, 2026HouseIntroducedFirst read in House and referred to
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Voting Record
Do Pass
Total
70
- Yes
- 27
- No
- 39
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
- Other positions
- 4
How they voted (1)
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Shift from Regulatory Control to Total Prohibition
The state is moving from an age-restricted regulatory framework to a complete criminal ban on all kratom products and synthetic derivatives.
Sources
sdlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz50Current news / social attention level
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