# Heather Baxter

Heather Baxter is a Republican member of the South Dakota House for district 34.

- Party: Republican
- Seat: South Dakota House, district 34
- Serving since: 2025-01-14
- Current term: SD 2025–26 session
- Open States ID: ocd-person/229c5337-951c-41d2-9e76-dc74878bcf89

Source: https://americaspoliticalpulse.com/p/229c5337-951c-41d2-9e76-dc74878bcf89 (America’s Political Pulse, Polarization Research Lab), data through 2026-10-27. Data under CC BY 4.0. Cite as: Westwood, Sean J., and Yphtach Lelkes. 2024. America's Political Pulse [data set].

## Headline

Baxter sits at −0.18 on the CSIP scale, more liberal than 99% of State House Republicans.

## Ideology (CSIP)

CSIP score −0.18 (standard error 0.01), from 19 donors and 300 roll calls. Negative is left of 0, positive right of it, on one scale for every official. 1.1% of State House Republicans score lower.

## Votes (SD 2025–26 session)

638 roll calls. Attendance 100% (South Dakota House 96.6%). Party unity 94.9% (76%). 161 votes against the party majority.

Key votes:

- 2026-03-12 · voted nay · Do Pass Amended · SB 78 revise the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026. · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB78/
- 2026-03-12 · voted yea · Do Pass Amended · HB 1051 revise property tax levies for school districts and to revise the state aid to general and special education formulas. · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1051/
- 2026-03-12 · voted nay · Do Pass · HB 1326 appropriate money for the ordinary expenses of the legislative, judicial, and executive departments of the state, the current expenses of state… · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1326/
- 2026-03-09 · voted yea · Do Pass Amended · SB 219 require that a state agency consult with the Aeronautics Commission prior to purchasing, transferring, or disposing of a state owned and operated… · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB219/
- 2026-03-09 · voted yea · Do Pass Amended · SB 245 create the homeowner property tax reduction fund, and to transfer moneys to the homeowner property tax reduction fund. · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB245/
- 2026-03-09 · voted yea · Do Pass Amended · SB 221 regulate the retail sale of nicotine products, and to provide a penalty therefor. · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB221/
- 2026-03-09 · voted yea · Do Pass Amended · SB 222 make an appropriation for eligible water, wastewater, storm water, and riparian buffer initiative projects and to declare an emergency. · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB222/
- 2026-03-09 · voted nay · Do Pass Amended · SB 119 create the capitol restoration fund and to transfer moneys thereto. · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB119/
- 2026-03-09 · voted nay · Do Pass Amended · SB 106 modify the amount required to be set aside for extraordinary expenses incurred in providing special education programs. · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB106/
- 2026-03-09 · voted yea · Do Pass Amended · SB 102 modify the distribution of gaming revenues. · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB102/

## Legislation (SD 2025–26 session)

Sponsored 280 bills: 275 reached committee, 117 passed one chamber, 96 passed both, 86 became law. Cosponsored 0. 90.4% of sponsored bills got out of committee (South Dakota House 81.4%; rank 16 of 69).

Recent sponsored bills:

- HB 1323: modify the requirements to refer an ordinance or resolution to the voters of a political subdivision. (passed both chambers, 2026-03-10) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1323/
- HB 1313: require education in prenatal human growth and development. (became law, 2026-03-30) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1313/
- HB 1320: revise a provision related to service of process for boards of county commissioners. (became law, 2026-03-30) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1320/
- HC 8012: recognizing Captain Royce Williams for his exemplary military service and bravery in combat. (introduced, 2026-02-17) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HC8012/
- SB 214: amend provisions pertaining to the publication of the statewide voter registration file. (became law, 2026-03-30) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB214/
- SB 131: revise the season in which a nonprofit organization may host a special pheasant hunt for disabled veterans and Purple Heart recipients. (became law, 2026-03-30) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB131/
- HB 1321: require that county treasurers calculate excise tax using the amount shown on a bill of sale for a used vehicle sold, leased, or transferred by a person other… (in committee, 2026-02-12) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1321/
- HB 1271: prohibit weather and climate modification activities and provide a penalty therefor. (in committee, 2026-02-10) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1271/
- SB 243: impose a transaction tax and dedicate revenues collected to supplant certain property taxes, and to provide a penalty therefor. (in committee, 2026-02-20) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB243/
- HB 1314: modify provisions pertaining to the testing and use of automatic tabulating equipment. (in committee, 2026-02-11) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1314/

## Campaign money (2024 cycle)

Itemized receipts $16.9K (State House Republicans median $10.7K). 100% of itemized individual money came from in state. Aggregates only; no individual donors.

## Links

- Official site: https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4721/Detail

Full profile, with every chart and the methods: https://americaspoliticalpulse.com/p/229c5337-951c-41d2-9e76-dc74878bcf89