The Governor’s signature is all that awaits a bill seeking expansion of the private school scholarship program.
Senate Bill 175, which expands the student eligibility options for the private school scholarship program, passed the House State Affairs committee on a 10-3 vote and the full House on a 60-9 vote.
The bill would allow any students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade to receive a private school scholarship should they meet the income eligibility requirements. Currently, the private school scholarship program has a cap on the total amount of funding it can receive set at $2 million.
S.D. Board of Education member, and former state legislator and architect of the program, Phyllis Heineman told House State Affairs committee members the bill would “open up” the program “even more” and was a “significant savings to the state’s taxpayers” despite the program’s “primary purpose” being “not to save the state money.”
The private school scholarship program was implemented in 2016 and SB 175 would mark the third adjustment to program in the five years since implementation.
ASBSD opposes the bill, which awaits signature into law by Gov. Kristi Noem.
For updates from the 2021 legislative session, check the ASBSD Blog and Bill Tracker page.