Jason Mann

The South Dakota legislature has finished sorting through bills for 2008. All that is left is to see what Gov. Mike Rounds vetoes and whether or not the legislature overrides any of those vetoes. Here is what happened with some of the major bills that might affect SDSU and Brookings:

Senate Bill 59 and Senate Bill 201

The South Dakota Opportunities Scholarship bills

The Board of Regents requested that the S.D. Legislature make several changes to the Opportunities Scholarship that would affect current recipients as well as future students. The most immediate change would have altered the per semester credit requirements. Currently, Opportunities Scholarship recipients have to take 15 credit hours each semester. SB 59 would have lowered the requirement to 12 credit hours each semester.

Gov. Rounds introduced legislation similar to SB 59, but there were a few key differences in SB 201. His bill would have changed the minimum ACT score from 24 to 23. Students would have been granted two semesters exception from having to take 15 credit hours each semester rather than having 12 as the minimum, as SB 59 called for.

Where they are at: On Feb. 7, the Senate Appropriations committee deferred SB 59 to the 36th day, effectively killing the bill. The Senate passed an amended version of SB 201 on Feb. 12 and the House passed SB 201 with different amendments on Feb. 26. On Feb. 29, SB 201 was delivered to the governor’s desk.

House Bill 1085

$75 million bond for research labs

The Board of Regents requested that the state of South Dakota issue a $74.5 million bond to be paid off over the course of 25 years in order to pay for major upgrades of science labs at all six public universities. SDSU has two projects included under this bond request. The BOR allotted over $8 million to upgrade the basement and third floor of Agricultural Hall and approximately $8.26 million to renovate Dairy Microbiology.

Where it’s at: HB 1085 was passed in the House on Feb. 13 and in the Senate on Feb. 27. It was delivered to the governor’s desk on Feb. 29.

House Bill 1261

Firearms allowed on public university campuses

In response to HB 1086, which would have banned all firearms on public university campuses, 11 representatives and 7 senators introduced HB 1261. The new bill would have allowed people to carry legally permitted firearms at all regental universities and technical schools in South Dakota. Currently, firearms are permitted legally on campuses, but each university has the authority to set policy as to where they are allowed. At SDSU, guns are not allowed on campus.

Where it’s at: HB 1261 passed in the House on Feb. 4. The Senate State Affairs committee deferred HB 1261 to the 36th day, effectively killing the bill, on Feb. 11. Members of the Senate attempted to “smoke-out” the bill on Feb. 14, but the smoke-out failed.

Senate Bill 126

Additional issuance of liquor licenses

This bill would have allowed cities and counties to issue on-sale liquor licenses to restaurant or bar owners beyond the previously established cap so long as the license would aide in the city or county’s economic development needs.

Where it’s at: SB 126 failed in the Senate on Jan. 24, but the floor voted the same day to reconsider the bill. An amended version of SB 126 passed in the Senate on Feb. 6 and in the House of Feb. 26. It was delivered to the governor’s desk on Feb. 29.

House Bill 1237

City regulation of tobacco use

HB 1237 would have allowed cities to make the decision to control smoking in entertainment venues individually.

Where it’s at: The House State Affairs committee deferred HB 1237 to the 36th day, effectively killing it, on Jan. 31. The committee “hoghoused” the bill on Feb. 12, but it never made it to the House floor.