Education

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 4, 2026

HB 1130: amend permissible uses of a school district's capital outlay fund.

HB 1130 amends South Dakota school districts' capital outlay fund rules to allow new uses. It specifically permits districts to spend these funds on textbooks (§ 13-16-6(5)(b)), instructional software purchases or renewals (§ 13-16-6(6)), and warranties for capital assets (excluding supplies, § 13-16-6(5)(a)). The bill also clarifies that districts may use up to 15% of transportation contracts or mileage reimbursement costs from this fund. Additionally, it allows transferring up to 45% of annual capital fund revenues to the general fund, while maintaining that small purchases ($1,000 or less) must come from the general fund instead. This directly affects South Dakota public school districts managing their capital budgets.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands permissible uses of capital funds for textbooks and instructional software, directly enhancing educational resource access and program support within existing funding framework.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

passed both · South Dakota · Senate Mar 2, 2026

SB 223: modify the requirements for a petition to refer an excess tax levy of a school district to a vote.

SB 223 modifies South Dakota's process for school districts to refer excess tax levies to voter approval. It changes the petition signature requirement from a flat 50 voters to "at least five percent of the registered voters" in the school district. The bill also adjusts notice rules, waiving newspaper publication requirements if the district mails the resolution to all property taxpayers within 20 days. This affects school districts seeking voter input on tax increases and directly impacts local taxpayers who may petition to refer levy decisions.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReduces petition signatures for school tax levies (5% vs 50 voters), facilitating voter approval of tax increases and aligning with fiscal management processes.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill eases petition requirements for school tax levies, facilitating voter approval of funding increases for school districts.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

Track

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 2, 2026

SB 116: make an appropriation for the design and construction of an indoor athletics facility at Dakota State University and to declare an emergency.

SB 116 appropriates $13.33 million for the design and construction of an indoor athletic facility at Dakota State University's Beacom PREMIER Complex in Madison. It directly affects Dakota State University's athletic programs and campus infrastructure. The bill authorizes the Board of Regents to use the funds for the project, including related services like utilities and landscaping, and allows adjustments for inflation (capped at 125% of the original estimate). It also permits accepting additional funds from federal sources or donations into a dedicated project fund, while declaring an emergency to expedite the funding. The facility will support athletic practice and competition, with no state liability for related expenses.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates $13.33M for university facility construction, directly allocating state budget funds under public construction and higher education subjects.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds athletic facility construction at Dakota State University (higher education), directly supporting campus infrastructure under education topic's infrastructure focus.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

in committee · South Dakota · House Mar 2, 2026

HB 1202: authorize the construction of a trades center on the campus of Lake Area Technical College, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency.

This bill appropriates $5.2 million from the state general fund to construct a trades center at Lake Area Technical College, providing new classrooms, labs, and student services for technical training programs. The college must secure matching funds from non-state sources (gifts, grants, etc.) equal to the state appropriation before the funds are released. The legislature declared an emergency to expedite the project, which will not use bonds for completion and requires approval of expenditures by the Department of Education and state auditor. The center directly affects students and staff at Lake Area Technical College by expanding hands-on training facilities.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $5.2M from state general fund for public college infrastructure, directly funding higher education through state budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates $5.2M for new technical training facilities at Lake Area Technical College, directly funding higher education infrastructure and program expansion per bill summary.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

Track

died · South Dakota · House Feb 26, 2026

HB 1073: provide for the creation of a cardiac emergency plan in every school and to make an appropriation therefor.

HB 1073 requires every public and accredited nonpublic school in South Dakota to create a cardiac emergency response plan. The bill mandates schools to develop these plans with local emergency services, including forming response teams, placing accessible automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools and athletic venues, and training staff in CPR and AED use. Schools must conduct annual drills and maintain AEDs, with specific training requirements for coaches, athletic trainers, nurses, and response team members. This law directly affects all South Dakota schools and aims to improve emergency response for heart-related incidents during school activities.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly mandates an appropriation for school cardiac emergency programs, funding essential safety infrastructure and training per legislative requirement.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates cardiac emergency plans, AEDs, and staff training in schools, enhancing student safety and school infrastructure within education context.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates cardiac emergency plans, AED access, and staff training in schools, directly improving emergency medical response access for students.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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in committee · South Dakota · House Feb 26, 2026

HB 1213: make an appropriation for a statewide educator retention initiative.

HB 1213 appropriates $2.5 million from the general fund to the South Dakota Department of Education for a statewide educator retention initiative. The bill provides grants to public school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to address retention challenges, using both quantitative and qualitative data to identify and resolve underlying issues. School districts must apply for funding, with grants covering program costs during fiscal years 2026-2029, and the Department may use up to 5% of the appropriation for administration. This initiative requires a comprehensive approach to support educators, with funds allocated based on approved applications and expiring June 30, 2029.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $2.5M from general fund for educator retention grants, advancing public education funding through budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates $2.5M for educator retention grants to address teacher shortages, directly supporting teacher retention and school stability through funding.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

Track

signed · South Dakota · House Feb 26, 2026

HB 1003: amend provisions pertaining to the required criminal background investigation of certain school employees.

This bill updates South Dakota's background check requirements for school employees. It requires criminal background investigations for technical college instructors and student teachers during initial hiring, while allowing multi-district employees to use existing checks (within 5 years) if districts share results with written consent. School districts must report terminations due to criminal convictions to the Department of Education within 10 days. The bill exempts event referees from background checks and clarifies that districts may refuse employment for certain serious offenses like sex crimes or violence.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enhances school safety by mandating background checks for staff, protecting students through stricter vetting requirements for school employees.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · South Dakota · House Feb 25, 2026

HB 1137: make an appropriation for the design and construction of an athletic facility at the University of South Dakota and to declare an emergency.

HB 1137 allocates $40 million from state funds for the design and construction of a new athletic facility at the University of South Dakota. The facility will include an indoor track, practice areas, seating for 2,000 spectators, and supporting amenities like locker rooms and training spaces. The bill allows for cost adjustments up to 125% of the original estimate to account for inflation or regulatory changes, and declares an emergency to expedite the project. Unspent funds would revert per state procedures, and the project cannot create state debt or liens. The bill directly affects the University of South Dakota's athletic programs and facilities.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $40M state funds for public university facility construction, directly advancing budget appropriation for higher education infrastructure.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $40M for university athletic facility infrastructure, directly funding higher education infrastructure per bill's appropriation for USD.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

failed · South Dakota · House Feb 24, 2026

HB 1308: reduce certain property taxes for owner-occupied property, and to increase the rates for certain gross receipts taxes and use taxes.

This bill reduces property taxes for homeowners by lowering the mill levy rate on owner-occupied single-family homes from $5.21 to $20.51 per $1,000 of taxable value (with the exact figure clarified in the bill text). It simultaneously raises the state sales tax from 4.2% to 4.7% for 2026-2027 and to 5% after 2027, and expands the gross receipts tax to cover more services like dry cleaning, beauty shops, and rentals. The revenue from these tax increases is explicitly allocated to replace lost school district property tax revenue and fund pay raises for state and school employees. The bill ensures school districts maintain their total funding levels under the new system.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReduces property taxes for homeowners while raising sales/gross receipts taxes to fund state education, aligning with budget management goals per subjects and revenue allocation.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRevenue from increased sales/gross receipts taxes explicitly allocated to replace lost education funding per subjects and summary.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

Track

failed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 24, 2026

SB 205: revise registration fees for drones and establish a fund to support drone aviation.

SB 205 revises drone registration fees in South Dakota, charging 1.5% of purchase price for agricultural drones and 2% for all other drones. The collected fees fund a new "drone aviation fund" administered by the Board of Technical Education to support drone training grants at state technical colleges. This bill directly affects drone owners (especially agricultural users) by changing their registration tax rates and creating a dedicated funding source for drone industry workforce development. The fund will receive all drone registration fees and interest, with expenditures requiring annual budget approval. The bill does not apply to small unmanned aircraft systems covered under federal regulations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRevises drone registration fees (tax) to fund drone training grants, directly allocating tax revenue to support workforce development programs.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationDirectly funds drone training grants at state technical colleges via new aviation fund, supporting higher education workforce development.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill creates a dedicated fund for drone training grants at technical colleges, directly advancing workforce development in a growing industry and supporting employment standards through skill-building.80% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyFunds drone training grants for industry workforce development, directly advancing drone technology sector through dedicated fee-based funding.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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