The revamped school start day referral bill was signed by Gov. Dennis Daugaard this week.

 

House Bill 1164 lowers the number of signatures needed to refer a school board’s start day decision to five percent of the total number of registered voters voting in the previous general election ONLY in school districts with 5,000 or more registered voters. School districts with fewer than 5,000 registered voters would not be affected by the change in start day petition provisions.

 

ASBSD took a monitor position on the bill.

 

Previously, House Bill 1093, which prohibited public schools from starting a school term before the last Monday in August, was defeated by the House of Representatives. ASBSD opposed the bill.

 

For more analysis of the 2014 legislative session, download ASBSD’s legislative summary – scheduled for publication next week – from the Publications and Forms page.