Serving District 17
Sydney Davis is a nurse anesthetist, a fourth generation cattle producer, and a mom of three. She and her husband Garrett are raising their family on their farm near Burbank, where their children Bo, Pepper, and Tulsi are growing up with the same strong values that shaped Sydney. Her work in health care, her experience in agriculture, and her deep roots in District 17 guide everything she does.
Sydney ran for the Senate because she believes practical, community driven solutions matter. She knows what it is like to care for patients in rural hospitals, to work long days on the farm, and to raise a family in a small community. She brings those real life experiences with her to Pierre and works every day to support the people she represents.
I’m driven by results, getting things done, solving problems.
I love this state, and have lived here my whole life.
I can’t imagine calling any other place home.
Since being elected in 2020, Sydney has gone to work for District 17
Bills Passed as
Prime Sponsor
Bills Passed as
Co-Sponsor
Some highlights of solutions in the legislature include -
Agriculture
As a fourth generation cattle producer, Sydney understands the daily pressures farmers and ranchers face, from rising costs to workforce shortages to unpredictable markets. Her work often comes straight from the concerns of producers across Clay and Union counties.
She has worked to modernize outdated agriculture regulations, strengthen support for rural businesses, and create new opportunities for producers. She helped update state law to protect agritourism operations, which are growing in District 17 and needed clarity to expand. She also supported the effort to fund a bioproducts facility in Brookings, a project that creates new products and new markets to help producers grow and compete.
Sydney knows agriculture is more than an industry. It is the backbone of District 17, and she works to keep it strong for the next generation.
Health Care
Sydney has spent her career caring for patients in rural South Dakota, and she brings that real world experience to her work in Pierre. She understands the challenges that clinics, hospitals, and health care teams face every day, especially in small communities where staffing is tight and every provider matters.
Sydney helped cut red tape and update outdated rules so providers can spend more time caring for patients. She supported improvements to behavioral health services, strengthened EMS support, and worked on medical licensing updates that make care easier to access and more efficient. She also supported efforts that strengthen workforce recruitment programs so rural communities can attract and keep the professionals they need.
Sydney has also focused on improving the tools that help patients get care close to home. She supported allowing rural emergency hospitals to be licensed in South Dakota, helped modernize the state’s prescription drug monitoring program, and backed updates that improve how care is delivered in small towns.
Sydney believes every South Dakotan should have access to strong, reliable health care in their own community.
Education and Childcare
Sydney believes strong schools and reliable child care are essential for families, teachers, and employers throughout District 17. She and Garrett juggle schedules, child care needs, and school events just like many parents across the district.
She has supported efforts that help teachers, students, and working families, including extending funding requirements for teacher pay, improving school safety, and helping school districts offer signing bonuses to recruit new teachers. Sydney also supported stipends for student teachers, a measure that helps grow the next generation of educators.
Sydney understands how important affordable, reliable child care is for working families, especially in rural areas. She supports practical steps that help families find care close to home and allow parents to stay in the workforce.
She has also backed protections that support the well being of children, including newborn safety devices, improved missing person procedures, and stronger protections for victims of abuse.
For Sydney, investing in children and families is investing in the future of every community in District 17.
District 17
Sydney believes the best ideas start here at home. Whether she is visiting with families in Vermillion, talking with parents in Elk Point, or meeting with farmers outside Burbank, she listens to what people are facing and brings those ideas with her to the Capitol.
Many of the solutions she has worked on began as conversations in living rooms, at school events, in farm shops, or at small businesses across the district. She listens, works with community members, and helps turn their ideas into practical steps that improve everyday life.
Sydney has also been an effective advocate for local priorities. She helped secure three million dollars for the completion of the National Music Museum in Vermillion and supported fifteen million dollars for a new biomedical facility at the USD Discovery District research park. She continues to focus on community needs, responsible budgeting, and opportunities that strengthen District 17.
Focused on Practical Solutions
Sydney’s approach is simple. Listen to people, focus on what matters, and get things done. She believes in showing up, working hard, and doing what is right for the communities she serves. Her work reflects the values and priorities of District 17, and she remains committed to helping families, farmers, and small communities thrive.
Contact Sydney
Have questions? An idea to make things better? A problem that could involve state or local agencies — contact Sydney to explore options and answers.