SDCA Week 9 Legislative Monitor Report

Week 9 is complete and we are done with the regular legislative session. Veto Day is March 31, if needed. It was a tough session.

The big issue settled was the property tax reduction – SB 216 – it freezes the county assessments on owner occupied category at 3% increase. Schools will be allowed to go to 3 mills in their capital outlay category and get the growth and new construction up to 3 %. The bill passed the Senate 29-6 and passed the House 53-16. There will also be a summer study committee on property tax to see if they can make further improvements. It is a freeze for 5 years. All the rest of the property tax bills were killed.

The budget for 2026 – SB 220 – passed both the House and Senate and is a $7.3 billion to fund state govt and state agencies. The big 3 of education, state employees, and providers with get 1.25 increase. This is going to be very difficult for schools to cover everything.

The other bill was HB 1239 – bill to lock up librarians if they unknowingly give any type of obscene material to kids – it passed the House 38-32 and passed Senate Judiciary 5-2 and was amended on the Senate floor to not criminalize librarians, follow the library policy on obscene material, if one objects, go to the school board, and then they also have the right to go to court. Bill then passed Senate 27-6 and House concurred with the amendment 36-34. Bill is now on the Gov’s desk.

HB 1259 – Deals with unauthorized access to multi occupancy rooms – this is a transgender issue – passed House 49-21 and passed Senate committee 7-2 and passed the Senate 27-6. The House made a couple of amendments dealing with liability and AG defending the bill and then it passed House 58-9.

The other bill that was killed last week in a conference committee was SB 113 – parental rights bill. The Senate passed the bill 30-4 and the House added an amendment to not allow this bill to be used in cases of child abuse and neglect. Bill then passed House 64-5. Bill then went to a conference committee and they removed the amendment – Senate approved the report and House did not concur and killed the bill by not concurring and do not appoint. This bill also would have affected IWCA.

I have removed some of the dead/41st day bills and signed bills so report doesn’t get too long.

SENATE BILLS

SB 71 –   – Revise provisions pertaining to the compulsory age of school attendance – bill was amended with 3 minor amendments and then passed the Senate 34-1. Passed House Educ Committee 13-2 and passed House 61-9. On Gov Signed

SB 99 – Makes an appropriation for purchasing, storing, and distributing sexual assault kits – passed Sen Judiciary Committee 7-0 and is in Sen Appropriations Committee – had a positive hearing there and was deferred until budget setting – good comments through from many of the members – passed Joint Approp committee 13-3, passed, passed Senate 30-5 and passed House 69-1. Gov signed

SB 109 –  Permit a school district to implement a revised 504 plan for military kids – passed committee and passed Senate 34-1. Now in House Military Committee – passed 10-2, passed House 62-8. On Gov Signed 

SB 123 –  Revise provisions related to forensic medical exams – passed Sen Jud 7-0 and passed Senate 34-0. House Judiciary passed 13-0 and passed House 70-0. Gov signed

 HOUSE BILLS

HB 1005 –  – Removes the requirement for payment of a private home study by DSS for private adoptions. – Bill was referred to Appropriations Committee with recommendation of do NOT pass – 11-1. Bill had another hearing in House Appropriations and had a number of proponents – bill was amended in Joint Approp to be $1000 for a private adoption and then amended again on the floor of the House to pay $1500 per private adoption from DSS. Bill passed House 70-0. Senate passed bill 33-0 – on Gov’s desk

HB 1039 –Repeals the programs reimbursing a teacher or school counselor for earning National Board Certification – bill was referred to House Appropriations Committee with no recommendation – this is one of the cuts – amended to be $1000 from DOE and $1000 from school/individual and no new candidates for this program – then passed House 66-4. Bill passed Joint Approp 9-0 and is on the consent calendar in the Senate. On Gov’s desk

HB 1040 –  Reduces the state’s contribution to a subsidized high school dual credit program – should oppose – bill was referred to Appropriations Committee with a do not pass recommendations – we are trying to save this from the cuts. It increases the fee students pay to 50% of the cost. Bill was referred to House Appropriations with recommendation of do not pass 14-0 and was amended back to the original 50/50 and passed the House 56-14. Bill has hearing in Senate Educ Committee and killed 4-3 but Senate smoked bill to floor, reconsidered and returned bill to 50/50 cost. Bill then passed 23-11. On Gov’s desk

HB 1239 –Revises certain defenses to dissemination of material harmful to minors and obscenity offenses – passed House 38-32 – this is the bill to lock up librarians and fine them if they distribute porn to kids – passed Senate Judiciary Committee 5-2 and was amended on Senate floor 18-17. Then passed Senate 32-2 and House concurred with the amendment 36-34 –on Gov’s desk

HB 1259 – Transgender issue on unauthorized access to multi occupancy rooms – passed House 49-21 and passed Senate Committee 7-2 and passed Senate 27-6 with a couple amendments and House concurred with the amendments 58-9.On Gov’s desk.