DELL RAPIDS, S.D. – Speaker of the House and Republican candidate for governor Jon Hansen is calling for a special session of the South Dakota Legislature to pass a Summer Gas Tax Holiday, saying rising fuel prices and persistent inflation are continuing to hammer families, businesses, farmers, and truckers across the state, including those in Rapid City.

South Dakota’s state gas tax currently adds 28 cents per gallon to both gasoline and diesel fuel. Combined with potential federal relief – President Donald Trump has also called for a suspension of the federal gas tax – a summer gas tax holiday could save drivers nearly 50 cents per gallon on gasoline and more than 50 cents per gallon on diesel.

“President Donald Trump is calling for the suspension of the federal gas tax, and South Dakota should do the same thing. Other states are already implementing or considering gas tax holidays. South Dakota should lead, not lag behind or fail to act,” said Hansen.

Estimates show the holiday would cost the state approximately $50 million. Hansen argues South Dakota’s “Future Fund,” originally created to support economic development, currently holds more than $60 million in reserve and could be used to cover any highway funding gap.

“There is no better use for those reserve dollars than a gas tax holiday that helps South Dakota taxpayers and keeps our economy moving,” Hansen said.

Under South Dakota law, a special session can be convened in one of two ways – the governor can call one directly, or two-thirds of both the House and Senate can petition to convene one.

“I hope the Governor will join me in putting South Dakota taxpayers first by calling a special session to pass a South Dakota Summer Gas Tax Holiday. If not, I will begin the process of petitioning legislators to call one ourselves,” said Hansen.