February 2019

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February 2019

Committee resets civics test bill

Committee members returned the civics test bill back to its original form recently.   Senate Education committee members amended House Bill 1066, requires students to take a civics test before graduating from high school, back to the bill’s original form and passed it on a 5-2 vote.   When it initially reached the committee, HB 1066 …

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2019 Legislative Cracker Barrels

Legislative Cracker Barrels in your area offer access to your local legislators, as well as the chance to hear their answers on a variety of legislative topics.   Below you will find a list of dates and locations of legislative cracker barrels being held throughout South Dakota that have been posted thus far.   Please …

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Local control aspect removed in motto posting bill

Local control lost out in a legislative committee.   On a 10-2 vote, House State Affairs committee members approved an amended version of Senate Bill 55, which requires public schools to display the national motto of the United States – “In God We Trust” – in a prominent location in their buildings with, at minimum, …

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Senate sends K-12 levy bills to House

The K-12 education levy bills advanced in the legislature.   Senators passed Senate Bill 179, which revises the property tax levies for the general fund of school districts and for state aid, on a 33-1 vote, and Senate Bill 182, which revises the special education property tax levy for school districts and the special education …

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House’s version of Partridge Amendment adjustment passed

It took two votes, but a second bill aiming to lower the state’s sales tax rate, albeit in a different manner, made its way across the Capitol hall.   Representatives passed House Bill 1265, which provides a mechanism to lower the sales tax rate if revenue collection provisions are reached, on a 38-30 vote, not …

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Senate supports hoghoused civics survey bill

A hoghoused bill is set to survey schools for civics information.   Senate Bill 52, which requires schools to provide information for a survey of the adequacy of S.D. civics education, was hoghoused on the Senate floor and passed 30-0.   Sen. Jim Bolin, the bill’s prime sponsor, moved the hoghouse amendment on Senate Bill …

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Latest assessment bill passes first legislative test

The latest assessment bill passed its first legislative test.   Senate Bill 188, which revises certain provisions regarding state tests, passed the Senate on a 33-1 vote after being amended and passed by Senate Education committee members 4-0.   Sen. Jim Bolin called the bill a “redo” of Senate Bill 24, which did essentially the …

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Approps oust other rev. equalization repeal bill

Other revenue will remain on the equalization track.   House Appropriators voted 8-1 to defeat House Bill 1109, which repeals other revenue equalization.   Equalization of other revenue dollars collected by school districts from six different tax areas came in 2016 as part of the Blue Ribbon Task Force package that increased in teacher pay. A five-year step down period began this …

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Two-year averaging turned away by Approps

Two-year averaging was turned away by a legislative committee.   On an 8-1 vote, House Appropriations committee members defeated House Bill 1127, which includes two-year averaging in the fall enrollment calculation for state aid. The bill had been previously passed by the House Education committee, but was referred to Appropriations on the House floor.   …

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Scientific info instruction bill sent away in House

A bill permitting untethered instruction was reined in by the legislature.   House members defeated House Bill 1270, which protects teaching of certain scientific information, on a 21-46 vote. The bill had previously been passed by the House Education committee on an 8-6 vote.   ASBSD opposed the bill.   ASBSD Director of Policy and …

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