Nonpartisan · Data from OpenStates / Plural Policy · South Dakota
Republican
· Representative
Josephine Garcia
Represents District 5 in the House of Representatives.
Votes with Republicans
92%
on 83 party-line votes · House Republicans median 79%
Cast a vote
97%
Yea or Nay on 448 of 462 roll calls · House median 99%
Their bills that became law
2 of 11
as a primary sponsor, this session · Republicans median 2
Roll calls on record
462
2026 Regular Session
Votes and bills updated Oct 11, 2026 from LegiScan (CC BY 4.0), which republishes the legislature’s own records. Profile details from OpenStates / Plural Policy. Figures cover 2026 Regular Session.
How Josephine Garcia votes
A party-line vote is a roll call where most voting Democrats and most voting Republicans took opposite sides. Absences and not-voting are never counted. Same method as our Congress pages.
Where Josephine Garcia sits in the House
Each dot is one member of the House, placed by how often they voted on the Democratic side of party-line votes. Josephine Garcia is circled.
Always on the Republican sideAlways on the Democratic side
Times they broke with their party
7 of 83 party-line votes.
SB179 · Permit a court to commit a juvenile adjudicated delinquent for certain weapons offenses to the Department of Corrections.
Do Pass · 2026-03-05 · Passed 42–25 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB198 · Restrict the use of a cell phone by a student during the school day.
Do Pass Amended · 2026-03-05 · Failed 28–39 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB69 · Make an appropriation for the purchase of a new Division of Highway Patrol airplane and mission equipment and to declare an emergency.
Do Pass · 2026-03-04 · Passed 49–18 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB113 · Increase the penalty for preventing practice of religion.
Do Pass · 2026-02-26 · Passed 48–18 · most Republicans voted the other way
HB1275 · Create requirements for age verification and parental consent for application stores and to provide a penalty therefor.
Do Pass Amended · 2026-02-20 · Passed 50–17 · most Republicans voted the other way
HB1287 · Require an alternate approval process for an operation that extracts materials by the use of explosives.
Do Pass · 2026-02-17 · Failed 29–37 · most Republicans voted the other way
HB1065 · Revise the medical purpose affirmative defense in cannabis prosecution.
Motion to amend · 2026-02-17 · Passed 35–31 · most Republicans voted the other way
Closest votes they cast
Roll calls decided by the fewest votes, one per bill.
HB1077 · Consider a cultivated-protein food product to be adulterated food.
Veto override · 2026-03-30 · Failed 32–32
SB198 · Restrict the use of a cell phone by a student during the school day.
Deferred to the 41st legislative day · 2026-03-02 · Passed 8–7
SB223 · Modify the requirements for a petition to refer an excess tax levy of a school district to a vote.
Do Pass · 2026-02-25 · Passed 8–7
HB1317 · Eliminate a limit on the accumulation of the unused index factor for property taxation.
Placed on calendar pursuant to JR 6F-6 · 2026-02-20 · Passed 34–33
HB1240 · Establish requirements for the distribution and sale of vapor products, and to provide a penalty therefor.
Do Pass · 2026-02-17 · Failed 6–7
Democrats they vote with most
Share of contested roll calls (the losing side got at least 10%) where both voted and landed on the same side. Unanimous votes are left out, because on those everyone agrees.
Erik MuckeyDemocrat · District 15 · 170 shared contested votes
31%
Nicole Uhre-BalkDemocrat · District 32 · 193 shared contested votes
30%
Kadyn WittmanDemocrat · District 15 · 170 shared contested votes
29%
Their session, month by month
Dark bars are roll calls they were recorded on each month; the red part is the ones without a Yea or Nay (14 in all). Gaps are months the chamber wasn’t voting.
← South Dakota Delegation
NayYeaYeaNayNayYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaNayYeaNayYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaNayNayYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaNayYeaYeaNayNayYeaYeaNayYeaNayYeaYeaYeaYeaNayYeaYeaNayNayYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaNayYeaYeaYea
Their bills, from filing to law
Bills Josephine Garcia was a primary sponsor of this session. Most bills from either party never leave committee; in Illinois many never get past the Assignments or Rules committee.
Introduced11
Out of committee9
Passed one chamber4
Passed both chambers4
Became law2
Never left committee2
For comparison, the median Republican member of the House has 2 bills that became law this session.
What their bills are about
Public Health and Safety 8Medical Cannabis 3Health Care 2Organ Donation 2COVID-19 2Immunization 2
Expand the information required to be sent to the prescription drug monitoring program for each registry identification card holder.
Became lawSigned by the Governor on March 30, 2026 S.J. 549 · 2026-03-30
Require employment verification eligibility through the e-verify program and to provide a penalty therefor.
Passed both chambersSenate Reconsidered, Failed, YEAS 15, NAYS 19. S.J. 524 · 2026-03-11
Classify medetomidine as a Schedule III controlled substance and establish permissible uses.
Became lawSigned by the Governor on March 09, 2026 H.J. 534 · 2026-03-09
Prohibit COVID-19 vaccination requirements and to provide a penalty therefor.
Out of committeeHouse of Representatives Do Pass, Failed, YEAS 32, NAYS 35. H.J. 393 · 2026-02-20
Encouraging the Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council to form an interim Neurohealth Safety Committee to study and assess the regulatory framework under which vapor product retail establishments operate.
Passed both chambersSenate Concurred in Resolution, Failed, YEAS 5, NAYS 29. S.J. 310 · 2026-02-19
Create a digital registry identification card for medical cannabis patients.
Not out of committeeHealth and Human Services Tabled, Passed, YEAS 13, NAYS 0. · 2026-02-17
Establish provisions related to the disclosure of COVID-19 and mRNA vaccination status and blood donations.
Out of committeeHouse of Representatives Do Pass, Failed, YEAS 23, NAYS 42. H.J. 340 · 2026-02-17
Allow online access to verify registry status for organ donation.
Out of committeeHealth and Human Services Deferred to the 41st legislative day, Passed, YEAS 8, NAYS 4. · 2026-02-10
Revise licensure provisions for electricians.
Out of committeeHouse of Representatives Do Pass, Failed, YEAS 30, NAYS 34. H.J. 250 · 2026-02-06
Clarify that consent for the donation of ovum or sperm must be explicit.
Out of committeeHouse of Representatives Reconsidered, Failed, YEAS 33, NAYS 35. H.J. 206 · 2026-02-03
Require that a medical cannabis cardholder provide a card or card number upon request of a law enforcement officer.
Not out of committeeWithdrawn at the Request of the Prime Sponsor S.J. 129 · 2026-01-28
Descriptions are the legislature’s own synopsis. Bill data from LegiScan, CC BY 4.0.
Loading committees…
HB1138 · 2026-03-30
Require the licensure of non-medical home care agencies, and to provide a penalty therefor. (Veto override)
HB1077 · 2026-03-30
Consider a cultivated-protein food product to be adulterated food. (Veto override)
SB121 · 2026-03-30
Transfer moneys and make an appropriation for the replacement of the Richmond Lake dam and spillway and to declare an emergency. (Conference Committee Report adopted)
SB78 · 2026-03-12
Revise the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026. (Do Pass Amended)
HB1326 · 2026-03-12
Appropriate money for the ordinary expenses of the legislative, judicial, and executive departments of the state, the current expenses of state institutions, interest on the public debt, and common schools. (Do Pass)
HB1051 · 2026-03-12
Revise property tax levies for school districts and to revise the state aid to general and special education formulas. (Do Pass Amended)
HB1209 · 2026-03-11
Require employment verification eligibility through the e-verify program and to provide a penalty therefor. (Motion to amend)
HB1209 · 2026-03-11
Require employment verification eligibility through the e-verify program and to provide a penalty therefor. (Conference Committee Report adopted)
HB1200 · 2026-03-11
Make an appropriation for victim services provided by nonprofit organizations. (Conference Committee Report adopted)
SB74 · 2026-03-11
Transfer moneys to the general fund from the budget reserve fund and the general revenue replacement fund, and to declare an emergency. (Conference Committee Report adopted)
HB1038 · 2026-03-10
Allow the Public Utilities Commission to assess actual costs to data centers that are customers of public utilities. (Concurred in amendments)
HB1320 · 2026-03-10
Revise a provision related to service of process for boards of county commissioners. (Concurred in amendments)
HB1215 · 2026-03-10
Authorize counties and municipalities to issue a license for a cigar bar. (Concurred in amendments)
HB1274 · 2026-03-10
Prohibit the dispensing, distribution, sale, or advertisement of certain articles or things for purposes of an unlawful abortion and provide a criminal and civil penalty therefor. (Concurred in amendments)
HB1323 · 2026-03-10
Modify the requirements to refer an ordinance or resolution to the voters of a political subdivision. (Failed to concur, no committee appointed)
HB1220 · 2026-03-10
Regulate the sale of nicotine products, and to provide a penalty therefor. (Concurred in amendments)
SB74 · 2026-03-09
Transfer moneys to the general fund from the budget reserve fund and the general revenue replacement fund, and to declare an emergency. (Do Pass Amended)
SB120 · 2026-03-09
Make an appropriation for the economic development of South Dakota. (Tabled)
SB102 · 2026-03-09
Modify the distribution of gaming revenues. (Do Pass Amended)
HB1209 · 2026-03-09
Require employment verification eligibility through the e-verify program and to provide a penalty therefor. (Failed to concur, appoint Conference Committee)
SB222 · 2026-03-09
Make an appropriation for eligible water, wastewater, storm water, and riparian buffer initiative projects and to declare an emergency. (Do Pass Amended)
SB244 · 2026-03-09
Address issues facing South Dakota. (Tabled)
SB221 · 2026-03-09
Regulate the retail sale of nicotine products, and to provide a penalty therefor. (Do Pass Amended)
HB1200 · 2026-03-09
Make an appropriation for victim services provided by nonprofit organizations. (Failed to concur, appoint Conference Committee)
SB119 · 2026-03-09
Create the capitol restoration fund and to transfer moneys thereto. (Do Pass Amended)
SB121 · 2026-03-09
Transfer moneys and make an appropriation for the replacement of the Richmond Lake dam and spillway and to declare an emergency. (Do Pass Amended)
SB219 · 2026-03-09
Require that a state agency consult with the Aeronautics Commission prior to purchasing, transferring, or disposing of a state owned and operated aircraft. (Do Pass Amended)
SB106 · 2026-03-09
Modify the amount required to be set aside for extraordinary expenses incurred in providing special education programs. (Do Pass Amended)
SB245 · 2026-03-09
Create the homeowner property tax reduction fund, and to transfer moneys to the homeowner property tax reduction fund. (Do Pass Amended)
SB139 · 2026-03-05
Revise a provision related to the transportation of an inmate upon discharge from a correctional facility. (Do Pass Amended)
SB137 · 2026-03-05
Establish procedures for anti-SLAPP actions to protect the exercise of a person's constitutional rights, including freedom of speech. (Do Pass Amended)
SB76 · 2026-03-05
Authorize loans from the South Dakota housing infrastructure fund for airport infrastructure. (Do Pass Amended)
SB171 · 2026-03-05
Amend provisions pertaining to the processing of absentee ballots and to declare an emergency. (Do Pass Amended)
SB198 · 2026-03-05
Restrict the use of a cell phone by a student during the school day. (Do Pass Amended)
SB96 · 2026-03-05
Authorize the imposition of a county option gross receipts tax to reduce owner-occupied property taxes. (Do Pass Amended)
SB39 · 2026-03-05
Revise provisions relating to industrial hemp. (Do Pass Amended)
SB159 · 2026-03-05
Revise requirements pertaining to the minimum age for marriage. (Do Pass Amended)
SB135 · 2026-03-05
Protect residents from increased utility costs and utility shortages caused by data centers and clarify authority to regulate data centers. (Do Pass Amended)
SB204 · 2026-03-05
Revise certain criteria for loans from the South Dakota housing infrastructure fund. (Do Pass Amended)
SB107 · 2026-03-05
Add licensed and registered child care programs to the definition of community safety zone. (Do Pass)
SB179 · 2026-03-05
Permit a court to commit a juvenile adjudicated delinquent for certain weapons offenses to the Department of Corrections. (Do Pass)
SB124 · 2026-03-04
Temporarily prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution of any product containing cell-cultured protein, and to provide a penalty therefor. (Do Pass Amended)
SB175 · 2026-03-04
Require that an individual provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote and to declare an emergency. (Do Pass Amended)
SB136 · 2026-03-04
Make an appropriation for grants to support the purchase of personal protective equipment by volunteer fire departments and to declare an emergency. (Do Pass)
SB3 · 2026-03-04
Limit the types of residential improvements for which counties, municipalities, and townships may require a permit. (Conference Committee Report adopted)
SB69 · 2026-03-04
Make an appropriation for the purchase of a new Division of Highway Patrol airplane and mission equipment and to declare an emergency. (Do Pass)
SB198 · 2026-03-04
Restrict the use of a cell phone by a student during the school day. (Placed on calendar pursuant to JR 6F-6)
SB37 · 2026-03-04
Make appropriations for water and environmental purposes and to declare an emergency. (Do Pass)
SB44 · 2026-03-04
Establish investigative subpoena authority to gather business records in certain investigations. (Do Pass Amended)
SB79 · 2026-03-04
Make an appropriation to the South Dakota Board of Technical Education to construct an advanced manufacturing laboratory space and classrooms on the campus of Southeast Technical College and to declare an emergency. (Do Pass)
SB40 · 2026-03-04
Revise the compliance requirements for limitations on foreign ownership of agricultural land. (Do Pass)
HB1194 · 2026-03-04
Clarify authority for the Cosmetology Commission to credit work experience for educational hours for certain out-of-state licensure applicants, and to require the commission to promulgate rules therefor. (Concurred in amendments)
SB151 · 2026-03-04
Require the publication of the results of an election for precinct committeeman or committeewoman and to declare an emergency. (Do Pass)
SB228 · 2026-03-04
Modify provisions for a tax increment financing district. (Do Pass Amended)
HB1102 · 2026-03-04
Reschedule the date for filing certain annual reports. (Concurred in amendments)
SB49 · 2026-03-04
Safeguard the integrity, privacy, and security of genetic data and provide a civil penalty therefor. (Do Pass Amended)
SB220 · 2026-03-04
Authorize a comprehensive study of juvenile correctional and residential facilities, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency. (Do Pass Amended)
SB125 · 2026-03-04
Establish the homeowner tax reduction fund. (Tabled)
SJR508 · 2026-03-04
Proposing and submitting to the voters at the next general election, amendments to the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, removing the lieutenant governor as presiding officer of the Senate. (Do Pass)
SB17 · 2026-03-03
Prohibit a candidate or political committee from accepting contributions or loans made by a foreign national, to provide a penalty therefor, and to declare an emergency. (Do Pass)
Complete voting record from LegiScan (showing the 60 most recent of 462 total roll-call votes this session).
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