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transfer funds to the South Dakota postsecondary scholarship grant fund for the South Dakota need-based grant program and to declare an emergency.

# SB 110 Summary SB 110 transfers additional state funds into the South Dakota need-based grant program to help pay for scholarships for eligible college students. The bill declares this a matter of emergency so the funds can be distributed quickly during the current legislative session.

increase the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship award.

SB 192 increases the amount of money awarded through South Dakota's Opportunity Scholarship program, which helps students pay for college or training. The bill modifies the scholarship award structure under state law to provide larger financial assistance to eligible recipients.

revise the membership of the Board of Education Standards to include the chairs of the Senate and House committees on education.

SB 94 adds the chairs of the Senate and House education committees as members of the Board of Education Standards. This gives legislators a direct voice on the board that sets education standards for South Dakota schools.

authorize enrolled tribal members to attend certain institutions of higher education without payment of tuition costs.

HB 1186 allows enrolled members of Indian tribes to attend South Dakota public universities and technical schools without paying tuition. This creates a tuition-free pathway for tribal members who meet other admission requirements, while the state institutions would still receive their regular funding through the appropriations process.

establish the nonbeneficiary student scholarship program and make an appropriation therefor.

South Dakota creates a new scholarship program for non-Native American students attending one of four tribal colleges in the state (Oglala Lakota College, Sinte Gleska University, Sitting Bull College, or Sisseton-Wahpeton Community College), administered by the Department of Tribal Relations. Eligible students must be South Dakota residents and can receive scholarships for up to four consecutive semesters or until earning a bachelor's degree, whichever comes first.

revise criteria for the South Dakota freedom scholarship.

This bill revises the South Dakota Freedom Scholarship program by changing eligibility criteria and clarifying how the scholarship board operates. It specifies that students must be state residents for at least one year before applying and updates language about how the board distributes scholarship funds based on each school's enrollment numbers. The changes also modernize technical requirements, such as allowing board members to participate in meetings electronically rather than only in person.

make an appropriation for the design, renovation, and construction of a multi-purpose facility at the Cottonwood Field Station and to declare an emergency.

SB 84 appropriates state funding for the design, renovation, and construction of a new multi-purpose facility at the Cottonwood Field Station. The bill declares an emergency, which allows the appropriation to take effect immediately rather than waiting for the normal effective date.

revise certain provisions of the Higher Education Savings Plan Act.

HB1009 updates South Dakota's Higher Education Savings Plan Act by revising the definitions of key terms used in the program, including clarifying what counts as "cash" contributions and renumbering several definitions for better organization. The bill expands the definition of acceptable payment methods (such as automatic transfers, cashier's checks, and wire transfers) that can be converted to cash and deposited into education savings accounts.

make an appropriation for the redesign and renovation of the Wagner Readiness Center and to declare an emergency.

SB 48 appropriates state funds to redesign and renovate the Wagner Readiness Center. The bill declares this project an emergency, which allows the spending to proceed without waiting for the normal budget process.

establish the paraprofessional tuition assistance program, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency.

South Dakota creates a new paraprofessional tuition assistance program to help school paraprofessionals earn full teacher certification by covering their college costs at accredited in-state universities. Eligible paraprofessionals must be employed at participating public schools and receive a principal's recommendation, and they must enroll in an elementary or secondary education degree program. The Department of Tribal Relations will administer the program and select participants.