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provide free school lunches for students.

South Dakota law currently allows school districts to charge students for meals, but this bill eliminates that practice by requiring all student meals through school food services programs to be free. School districts can still charge employees for meals, but the state Department of Education will reimburse districts for the cost of student meals not covered by the federal National School Lunch Program.

make an appropriation to the Department of Education for grants to support career and technical education programs, and to declare an emergency.

This bill allocates $1 from the state general fund to the Department of Education to award grants to school districts for building, expanding, and equipping career and technical education centers. The department must give preference to school districts that collaborate with other districts, partner with postsecondary programs, or have secured local matching funds, and can only award grants dollar-for-dollar with local money the district raises. Applications will be accepted between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.

create the Medicaid expansion fund and to transfer monies received as a result of expanding Medicaid eligibility.

SB 149 creates a new fund called the Medicaid Expansion Fund to collect and manage money that South Dakota receives from expanding Medicaid eligibility to more residents. The bill modifies state law to direct these additional federal and state revenues into this dedicated fund rather than general treasury accounts. This allows the state to track and allocate Medicaid expansion-related funding separately from other state revenues.

authorize compensation for water project district directors.

SB84 allows directors of water project districts in South Dakota to receive compensation for their service, whereas previously they served without pay. The bill removes old restrictions that prohibited such compensation and updates the rules governing how water project districts operate and compensate their board members.

make an appropriation for the demolition and reconstruction of agricultural-use structures at South Dakota State University, and to declare an emergency.

HB1032 appropriates state funds to demolish and rebuild agricultural-use buildings at South Dakota State University. The bill declares an emergency so the money can be spent immediately rather than waiting for the normal budget process.

revise the eligible disability level for veterans to receive state park benefits.

SB127 changes which veterans qualify for discounts and benefits at South Dakota state parks by adjusting the disability level requirements. Instead of the current eligibility standard, veterans with a different level of disability will now be able to receive these state park benefits. The bill modifies the existing veteran benefits law to make these parks more accessible to veterans with varying degrees of service-related disabilities.

revise property tax levies for school districts and to revise the state aid to general and special education formulas.

South Dakota school districts will collect less property tax starting in 2024 under new, lower maximum levy rates. The general fund levy drops from $6.98 to $5.98 per thousand dollars of valuation, agricultural property levies decrease from $1.36 to $1.29 per thousand dollars, and owner-occupied home levies fall from $3.48 to $2.89 per thousand dollars. These changes reduce the maximum amount schools can collect through property taxes while maintaining the same proportional relationship between the three property categories.

make an exemption from certain property taxation for owner-occupied single-family dwellings.

This bill creates a new property tax exemption that allows owner-occupied single-family homeowners to exclude the first $100,000 of their home's value from a specific type of property tax. The exemption applies only to taxes levied under the state's education financing law, potentially reducing property tax bills for eligible homeowners.

revise the retirement benefits of certain rehired teachers at qualifying public school districts.

This bill allows retired teachers in South Dakota to return to full-time teaching work at any school district while continuing to receive their annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) to their retirement benefits, as long as they've been retired for at least 12 months. Previously, retirees who went back to work would lose their COLA payments during the time they were working. The bill creates an exception specifically for teachers, treating them differently from other rehired state employees.

prohibit the dissemination of obscene material to minors in a public school or public library.

Public schools and libraries in South Dakota must adopt policies by January 1, 2024 that prevent minors from accessing obscene material and establish a process for reporting and reviewing potentially obscene books or materials. Schools and libraries must provide a way for the public to report material they believe is obscene, and if the material is determined to be obscene, they must take reasonable steps to keep it away from minors. If a school or library fails to adopt such a policy or follow it, the state can withhold public funding until they comply.

establish the stronger families scholarship program for children in foster care, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency.

South Dakota is creating a new "Stronger Families Scholarship Program" that gives $4,000 annual scholarships to children in foster care to help pay for education-related expenses, starting in the 2023-2024 school year. The state is appropriating $15 million from the general fund to establish and run this program through nonprofit scholarship organizations. This is a new program with no changes to existing law.

improve education outcomes and college affordability.

provide a voucher for students enrolled in certain grade levels at accredited nonpublic schools.

South Dakota will establish an education voucher program that allows parents to request state funding for their children attending accredited private schools, with the voucher amount limited to either the school's tuition or the state's per-student funding amount, whichever is lower. Starting in the 2023-24 school year, the program covers kindergarten through third grade, expanding to include grades K-7 in 2024-25 and all grades K-12 by 2025-26. The Department of Education will distribute voucher payments directly to the private schools and manage a prorated refund system if students withdraw mid-year.

make an appropriation to address the rising number of teacher vacancies throughout the state and to declare an emergency.

This bill appropriates $1 from the state's general fund to the Department of Education to help address teacher vacancies in South Dakota schools and declares an emergency so the law takes effect immediately. The minimal funding amount suggests this is primarily a procedural bill to formally declare the teacher vacancy situation an emergency rather than provide substantial financial relief for the problem.

expand the provision of online education through the South Dakota Virtual School.

HB1233 expands the South Dakota Virtual School by requiring it to offer online classes for kindergarten through eighth grade, high school core courses needed for opportunity scholarships, and at least forty additional high school electives. The bill also establishes new quality standards requiring the Department of Education to review and approve all online classes before the Virtual School uses them, ensuring they meet state academic standards and are taught by certified or qualified instructors.

create the jail improvement and construction fund for the improvement and construction of jails, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency.

SB155 creates a new state fund specifically for counties to use when building or improving jails. The bill provides state money for these jail projects and declares the funding need urgent enough to take effect immediately rather than waiting for the standard July 1st effective date.

require schools to provide instruction on South Dakota's tribal history, culture, and government.

South Dakota schools must now teach students about tribal history, culture, and government using course materials developed by the state Department of Education. Schools can adapt these materials to fit their region or blend them into existing classes, and are encouraged to work with nearby tribes to improve the instruction and create cultural exchange programs between classrooms and communities.

appropriate money for the ordinary expenses of the legislative, judicial, and executive departments of the state, the current expenses of state institutions, interest on the public debt, and for common schools.

SB 203 appropriates money from the state treasury to cover operating costs for South Dakota's legislative, judicial, and executive branches for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, including funding for state institutions, schools, and debt interest. The bill allocates specific amounts across general funds, federal funds, and other funds—for example, $2.7 million for the Governor's office and $74.4 million for the Office of Economic Development. This is a standard annual budget bill that funds the day-to-day operations of state government.