State House panel endorses bill to bar jail time for inability to pay sobriety program fees

By: John Hult

Outlets: South Dakota Searchlight

Published: February 10, 2026

Words: 779

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 6 days ago

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A bill that would bar the practice of jailing people who can’t afford to pay sobriety program fees sailed through a South Dakota House of Representatives panel Monday morning at the Capitol in Pierre.

All 12 members of the House Judiciary Committee present for the meeting — including some lawmakers who’d opposed an earlier effort to ban the practice — endorsed House Bill 1176.

The 24-7 sobriety program lets people charged for alcohol- …

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