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Sioux Falls School District reviews key bills: funding, property valuations and opt-out vote proposal among priorities
Summary
District legislative liaison Mr. Veek briefed the board on several bills the district is tracking: an amendment request to raise the proposed school funding increase from 1.25% to 3% (Senate Bill 55), neutral stance on a bill limiting owner-occupied valuation growth (SB216), opposition to a bill requiring votes for school opt-outs (SB208), and a
The Sioux Falls School District received an update on state legislation the district is monitoring as lawmakers approach the session’s final weeks.
Mr. Veek (district legislative liaison) told the board the district is watching several bills and asked members to contact legislators. He said the district opposes five bills this session, has sought an amendment to one and is neutral on another.
Senate Bill 55: Funding amendment request. Veek said the district asked that Senate Bill 55, the governor’s proposal that would provide a 1.25% increase in school funding, be amended to a 3% increase (or 3% or inflation, whichever is less), which the district said would better align with the historical pace of state aid growth. “We would like that to be amended to 3,” Veek said.
Senate Bill 216: Owner-occupied valuation limits. Veek described SB216 — a measure intended to limit increases in owner-occupied property valuations — as a bill the district is neutral on. He said the bill would restrict total new construction growth for local entities to 2% and includes a provision that small home additions under certain thresholds would not count as new construction.
Senate Bill 208: Opt-outs require a vote. Veek said the district opposes SB208, which would require a public vote for each school opt-out. “This bill seems like it’s kind of unfairly targeting schools,” he told the board, saying the change would single out school districts compared with other taxing entities.
Other bills. Veek noted House Bill 219, which would require schools to accept cash for activities at events, and House Bill 1093, which would require schools’ bond elections to align with primary or general elections; the district said it opposes HB1093 because aligning with less-frequent election cycles could delay projects and increase costs.
Board members asked clarifying questions about whether the election-timing bills would affect school board election timing; Veek said a separate proposal would combine even-year school board elections with county or city elections and that the district was neutral on that proposal, noting a preference to combine with city elections when appropriate.
The board unanimously acknowledged the legislative update; the meeting record shows the board took no formal votes on any of the bills themselves during the session.
