Latest news with #DakotaSenate
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cash rehash: Legislators again consider payment acceptance requirement for schools
Sen. Greg Blanc, R-Rapid City, speaks on the floor of the South Dakota Senate on Feb. 10, 2025, in Pierre. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) It was deja vu in the South Dakota House Education Committee on Wednesday at the Capitol in Pierre. Earlier in the legislative session, the committee passed a bill that would require public and accredited private schools to accept cash at events. But the House of Representatives later rejected it. Sen. Greg Blanc, R-Rapid City, then filed his own, similar bill in the Senate, where it was approved last week. Lawmakers advance bill to mandate cash acceptance at school events Blanc's legislation was assigned to the House Education Committee, which rehashed its discussion of the idea Wednesday. Supporters of the bill shared similar stories to those told earlier this session about parents not being able to attend high school activities in some parts of the state, especially in the Sioux Falls area, because some schools exclusively use smartphone app-based, cashless ticketing. Opponents of the bill included the South Dakota High School Activities Association, organizations representing private businesses, and some activities directors at Sioux Falls high schools. They worried that Senate Bill 219 would force separate entities to accept cash if they host school-affiliated games. The South Dakota state basketball tournaments, for example, are hosted at city- and state-owned facilities. If the venue decides not to comply, then schools or state tournaments would lose a venue, said Dan Swartos, executive director of the activities association. Rep. Amber Arlint, R-Sioux Falls, told lawmakers the legislation isn't needed because it already spotlighted a problem and has encouraged school districts and organizations to reevaluate their cashless policies and make cash accommodations on their own. But a majority of lawmakers on the committee decided a state statute is needed. The bill heads to the House next. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate backs growth caps on property assessments
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota Senate is taking action to slow rising assessments on owner-occupied single-family properties. Senators on Tuesday approved rolling owner-occupied assessments back to 2020 levels and capping their annual growth at 3%. The 35-0 vote brought tears to the eyes of Republican Sen. Amber Hulse, prime sponsor of Senate Bill 191. A bit later, the vote was 30-5 for an amended Senate Bill 216, a product from Gov. Larry Rhoden and a task force of 10 legislators. It calls for capping growth of a county's total owner-occupied assessments at 3% annually for taxes payable in 2027 through 2031. SB 216 also sets a 2% annual growth cap on tax revenue payable, and increases eligibility for property assessment freezes to $55,000 for single-member households and $65,000 for multi-member households. The two bills now move to the House of Representatives for further action. 'We need short-term relief and long-term reform,' said Republican Sen. Sue Peterson, who was on the task force. So was Republican Sen. Taffy Howard, who said South Dakota's average property-tax rate was 1.28% while nationally it was 0.91%. 'So we're well above the national average,' she said. Howard said the two bills 'complement each other very nicely.' 'I think we have some very good ideas here,' she said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
