Members of the House of Representatives voted 48-20 to support a bill that would change the suspension provisions for students participating in extracurricular activities who have been convicted of a drug related offense.   “We should be encouraging kids to participate (in extracurricular activities) rather than prohibiting them to do so,” Rep. Kris Langer said […]

Members of the House Judiciary committee unanimously passed a bill that revises the suspension requirements for students participating in extracurricular activities that are convicted of a drug related offense.   “We should be in the business of helping students make good choices…rather than focusing on punishment,” Rep. Kris Langer, a co-sponsor of the bill, testified

Senators made it a perfect stretch for the Pledge of Allegiance bill.   On a 35-0 vote, Senators passed House Bill 1150, which requires the reciting of the pledge of allegiance at the start of each school day in every public school classroom, on Monday. HB 1150 had zero dissenting votes in its run through

A bill that would essentially lower the number of signatures needed to refer a school board’s start day decision moved another step closer to law on Monday.   House Bill 1164, which would require a start date referral petition to have five percent of the total number of registered voters voting in the previous general

Just like its experience across the hall in the House, a bill requiring the reciting of the pledge of allegiance at the start of each school day in every public school classroom had no opposition during its committee hearing.   Members of the Senate Education committee unanimously passed House Bill 1150 following a wave of

Senators unanimously passed a bill supporting the teaching of CPR in schools.   Senate Bill 145 identifies CPR as a recommended skill that all schools should include within school health curriculum, recommends use of nationally recognized program for instruction and survey’s school districts about CPR instruction.   The bill originally sought to have CPR counted

Senate Education sent four K-12 education bills to the floor on Tuesday morning.   Committee members passed House Bill 1181, which allows for the requirement of a certification of health from an employee of a school at the request of the district’s Superintendent, on a unanimous vote.   ASBSD supports the bill.   Rep. Peggy Gibson,

The debate on a school district’s school start date is headed for the Senate.   The start date argument that began earlier in session was in reincarnated, albeit with different details, in House Bill 1164 and passed through the House on a 57-12 vote on Monday.   The bill would require a referral petition to

A week after debating the details of a bill that would have required CPR to be taught in high schools and be counted as a graduation requirement, opposing sides came to a compromise.   Representatives from the American Heart Association and South Dakota Department of Education collaborated to complete Senate Bill 145, which was passed