Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the State Legislation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board director reviews several state education bills as legislative session nears end
Summary
An ASBSD board director updated attendees on multiple South Dakota bills affecting schools, including property tax cap proposals and bills on election dates and bathroom use; director urged continued board engagement with legislators.
Mr. Ulm, speaking as a representative of the Association of School Boards (ASBSD), told the Aberdeen School District 06-1 Board on March 10 that lawmakers were finishing the 100th legislative session and that several bills of interest to schools were moving through the Legislature.
Ulm reported that Senate Bill 216, a proposed 3% cap on owner property tax increases over previous assessed valuation for a five‑year period, was defeated in a close vote (reported in the meeting as approximately 35–34). He said House Bill 1130, which sets dates for school board elections, passed the House and was on its way to the governor.
On a bill addressing bathroom use, Ulm summarized the proposed rule as assigning bathroom use according to birth certificate sex but noted a carve‑out allowing districts to continue practices such as offering unisex bathrooms. “That says that according to your birth certificate you'll have to use that particular bathroom… however, there's a clause in there that the school districts can do what they're doing and I just refer to, the unisex bathroom,” Ulm said.
Ulm also said Senate Bill 71 was at the governor's desk; he described provisions allowing a student with parental permission to be released from school at age 17 or to pursue a GED at age 16 with parental supervision. He urged continued board contact with legislators and thanked local educators who attended ASBSD advocacy events.
The remarks were delivered as board commentary and an informational update; no board votes were taken on legislation during the meeting.
