All sessions commence on the second Tuesday in January. The Governor is empowered to call special sessions of the legislature for specific purposes. There have been eighteen such sessions since statehood. A 1990 constitutional amendment allows for a special session when two-thirds of the members of each house petition for a special session for a specific purpose. Legislators must be qualified voters in their legislative districts, at least twenty-one years old, citizens, and residents of the state for two years immediately preceding election.
Terms are for two years.
A 1992 constitutional amendment limits members to four consecutive terms in each house. In 1951, the South Dakota Legislature established the Legislative Research Council to provide full-time staff support to the legislature. In 1898, South Dakota became the first state to authorize the initiative and referendum procedures for ordinary legislation. The initiative process was extended to include constitutional amendments in 1972. Prior to that time all constitutional amendments originated with the legislature and were submitted to popular vote.