Two interim studies will be of interest to schools in the legislative “offseason.”

 

The Study Committee on Juvenile Justice will consider and develop alternatives for the placement of juvenile offenders. The interim committee is comprised of 15 legislators that include:

• Chair Rep. Caleb Finck
• Vice Chair Sen. Erin Tobin
• Fred Deutsch
• Red Dawn Foster
• Erin Healy
• Rhonda Milstead
• Ernie Otten
• Tim Reed
• Taylor Rehfeldt
• Lee Schoenbeck
• Kyle Schoenfish
• V.J. Smith
• Wayne Steinhauer
• Mike Stevens
• David Wheeler

Continued debate on juvenile justice reform stems from the 2022 legislative session where an agreement on Senate Bill 198 could not be reached between the House and the Senate. ASBSD supported both versions of SB 198.

 

The bill flip flopped between a version that called for a nearly full repeal of the current juvenile justice statute to an interim study of the statute and system, but a compromise could not be reached by the chambers after a conference committee between the two met as session came to a close.

 

The first meeting for the Study Committee on Juvenile Justice is set for Thursday, June 16.

 

Another issue that remains unsettled from this year’s session receiving an interim study is property taxes.

 

The Study Committee on Property Tax Structure and Tax Burden will study the existing property tax structure; consider means by which the total property tax burden of South Dakotans could be decreased; and to compare the property taxation methods of similar states by examining those states’ property tax assessment guidelines, their respective definitions of the tax base, and determination of tax rates.

 

Fifteen legislators will participate in the study, including:

• Chair Rep. Trish Ladner
• Vice Chair Sen. Mary Duvall
• Gary Cammack
• Jessica Castleberry
• Kirk Chaffee
• Casey Crabtree
• Mike Derby
• Tim Goodwin
• Jack Kolbeck
• Lance Koth
• Oren Lesmeister
• Reynold Nesiba
• Larry Tidemann
• Mike Weisgram
• Larry Zikmund

In 2022, reduction in taxes in one form or another were debated in multiple bills, including four specifically rated to property taxes. While few of the proposed tax reduction bills passed as the session went on the outcry of tax reduction grew thus leading to the study.

 

ASBSD will closely monitor each study and for updates and information, check the ASBSD Blog, Twitter account and Facebook page.