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HB 1192SOUTH DAKOTASession 2026State Billdead
Did Not Advance

South Dakota House Bill 1192 allows parole consideration for certain inmates serving life sentences

Original title: allow the parole of certain inmates sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

Last action · February 11, 2026: TabledSponsors: Heather Baxter and 6 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Proposed

South Dakota House Bill 1192 permits consideration for inmates serving life sentences for offenses other than first-degree rape, provided they were between 18 and 26 years old at the time of the crime and have served at least 25 years. The measure requires the Board of Pardons and Paroles to conduct an initial hearing within six months of eligibility and applies retroactively to inmates sentenced before July 1, 2026.

Why it matters

Changes parole eligibility timelines for specific adult inmates sentenced to life imprisonment, establishing a statutory review process managed by the Board of Pardons and Paroles after 25 years of incarceration.

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.

Directly affected

inmates sentenced to life imprisonment

Certain inmates serving life sentences who meet age and time-served criteria become eligible for discretionary parole consideration.

Directly affected

Board of Pardons and Paroles

The board is required to conduct initial and subsequent discretionary parole hearings and evaluate specified statutory factors for eligible inmates.

Directly affected

victims of the offense

Victims are permitted to provide statements for the board to consider during the discretionary parole determination process.

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

Who is eligible for parole under House Bill 1192?
Inmates serving life imprisonment for an offense other than first-degree rape, who committed the offense when they were at least 18 but under 27 years old, and who have served 25 years.
What factors does the Board of Pardons and Paroles consider during a hearing?
The board must consider factors such as the inmate's age and culpability at the time of the offense, institutional conduct, completion of educational or vocational programs, behavioral or mental health treatment, state's attorney reports, victim statements, and physical or mental examinations.
What happens if an inmate's request for parole is denied?
The board must establish a date of not less than five years from the denial date, and subsequent hearings must occur at intervals of no more than two years.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Tabled in the House.

Procedural history

3 actions
  1. Feb 11, 2026House
    Tabled
  2. Feb 11, 2026House
    Scheduled for hearing
  3. Jan 29, 2026HouseIntroduced
    First 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 →

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

Heather BaxterHouseRepublicanPrimary sponsor
Tamara GroveSenate · District 26RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Eric EmeryHouseDemocraticCosponsor
Josephine GarciaHouseRepublicanCosponsor
Tim GoodwinHouseRepublicanCosponsor
Show 2 more sponsors
Nicole Uhre-BalkHouseDemocraticCosponsor
Kadyn WittmanHouseDemocraticCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Introduction of Youth-Based Parole Review for Life Sentences

The bill establishes a retroactive framework allowing inmates who were under 27 years old at the time of certain life-sentence offenses to petition for discretionary parole after 25 years.

Board of Pardons and ParolesSouth Dakota Legislature

Connected Entities

South Dakota Legislature, Tamara Grove, Heather Baxter and 1 more
OrganizationSouth Dakota Legislature“Body enacting the legislation”Map →
PersonTamara Grove“Co-sponsor of House Bill 1192”Map →
PersonHeather Baxter“Representative who introduced House Bill 1192”Map →
OrganizationBoard of Pardons and Paroles“Conducts parole hearings and makes determinations under the bill”Map →

Sources

Open source document

sdlegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
  • Controversy75
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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