Attorney General Jackley’s Genetic Data Privacy Bill Signed into Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, March 23, 2026

Contact: Tony Mangan,Communications Director, 605-773-6878

PIERRE, S.D. - South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley's bill to protect personal genetic data was signed Monday by Gov. Larry Rhoden, meaning all 10 of the Attorney General's legislative measures this session have been signed into law.

Senate Bill 49 safeguards the integrity, privacy, and security of genetic data and provides a civil penalty therefor. Attorney General Jackley said the bill was a result of him joining a coalition of 29 Attorneys General who filed a 2025 lawsuit against 23andMe to block the company's sale of personal genetic data without customer consent.

"Our genetic data, like our other personal information, should not be sold to the highest bidder," said Attorney General Jackley. "Genetic data is sensitive personal information that belongs only to each individual."

Attorney General Jackley's nine other bills to be approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor were:

Senate Bill 17: Prohibits a candidate or political committee from accepting contributions or loans made by a foreign national. It unanimously passed both the House and Senate.

Senate Bill 41: Revise a provision related to criminal invasions of privacy, prohibit the creation and distribution of digitally fabricated material of an identifiable individual, and provide penalties therefor.

Senate Bill 42: Enhance the penalties for ingestion, possession with intent to deliver, and delivery of a controlled substance in a state correctional facility.

Senate Bill 43: Address search and seizure provisions applicable to digital currency.

Senate Bill 44: Establish investigative subpoena authority to gather business records in certain investigations.

Senate Bill 45: Revise a provision regulating delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, THC-O acetate, and hexahydrocannabinol for persons under the age of under the age of twenty-one and to provide a penalty therefor.

Senate Bill 46: Modify the requirements for open meeting agendas and provide a penalty therefor.

Senate Bill 47: Revise the requirements for executive sessions and closed meetings.

Senate Bill 48: Clarify that an official open meeting agenda must be posted online at least seventy-two hours before the scheduled start of the meeting.

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