Sd. Const. art. XXI, § 0 — Article XXI / Section 0
SD Const., Article XXI
Status: in_force

Miscellaneous §1. Seal and coat of arms. The design of the great seal of South Dakota shall be as follows: A circle within which shall appear in the left foreground a smelting furnace and other features of mining work. In the left background a range of hills. In the right foreground a farmer at his plow. In the right background a herd of cattle and a field of corn. Between the two parts thus described shall appear a river bearing a steamboat. Properly divided between the upper and lower edges of the circle shall appear the legend, "Under God the People Rule" which shall be the motto of the state of South Dakota. Exterior to this circle and within a circumscribed circle shall appear, in the upper part, the words, "State of South Dakota," in the lower part the words, "Great Seal," and the date in Arabic numerals of the year in which the state shall be admitted to the union. §2. Salary of constitutional officers. The Legislature by two-thirds vote of each branch thereof at any regular session may fix the salary of any or all constitutional officers including members of the Legislature. In fixing any such salary the Legislature shall determine the effective date thereof and may in its discretion decrease or increase the salary of any officer during his term. §3. Oath of office. Every person elected or appointed to any office in this state, except such inferior offices as may be by law exempted, shall, before entering upon the duties thereof, take an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of the United States and of this state, and faithfully to discharge the duties of his office. §4. Exemptions. The right of the debtor to enjoy the comforts and necessaries of life shall be recognized by wholesome laws exempting from forced sale a homestead, the value of which shall be limited and defined by law, to all heads of families, and a reasonable amount of personal property, the kind and value of which to be fixed by general laws. §5. Rights of married women. The real and personal property of any woman in this state, acquired before marriage, and all property to which she may after marriage become in any manner rightfully entitled, shall be her separate property, and shall not be liable for the debts of her husband. §6. Drainage of agricultural lands. The drainage of agricultural lands is hereby declared to be a public purpose and the Legislature may provide therefor, and may provide for the organization ​ of drainage districts for the drainage of lands for any public use, and may vest the corporate authorities thereof, and the corporate authorities of counties, townships and municipalities, with power to construct levees, drains and ditches, and to keep in repair all drains, ditches and levees heretofore constructed under the laws of this state, by special assessments upon the property benefited thereby, according to benefits received. §7. Irrigation of agricultural lands. The irrigation of agricultural lands is hereby declared to be a public purpose and the Legislature may provide for the organization of irrigation districts for the irrigation of land, and may vest the corporate authorities thereof and the corporate authorities of counties, townships and municipalities with the power to construct, operate and maintain irrigation dams, reservoirs, canals, flumes, ditches and laterals, and to keep in repair all irrigation dams, reservoirs, canals, flumes, ditches and laterals heretofore constructed, under the laws of the state, by special assessments upon the property benefited thereby, according to the benefits received. §8. Hail insurance. The providing of insurance against loss or damage to crops by hail is hereby declared to be a public purpose, and the Legislature is authorized and empowered to levy an assessment upon agricultural land for such purpose, with such exemptions as may be provided by law. The state may be divided into hail insurance districts and the assessment per acre in the different districts shall be as the Legislature may determine, but such assessment shall be uniform upon all land of the same district that is similarly situated. The assessment hereby authorized may be levied by the Legislature direct, or by the corporate authorities of the districts herein provided for, or by such other agency as may be authorized by general law. §9. Marriage. Only marriage between a man and a woman shall be valid or recognized in South Dakota. The uniting of two or more persons in a civil union, domestic partnership, or other quasi-marital relationship shall not be valid or recognized in South Dakota. ​